The National tribune., 1909-04-29
THE RAzORBACK HOG TO HAVE
HIS DAY o.

The President of the United States is
to visit the pleasant and enterprising
little city of Charlotte, N. c., and the
citizens of that place are spreading
themselves to provide for his enter
the cold good sense which has always
distinguished the Scotch-Irish of that
section shows itself in the preparation
of the menu for the banquet. There is
an abandonment of such freak dishes
as baked opossum and alligator steaks.
the announcement of which gave such
regret to sensible people when the
President was about to visit Georgia
and Louisiana. Everyone who had even
"a casual acquaintance with those bizarre
dishes shuddered at the thought of the
internal economy, possibly even OF The
life of the President of the United
States being subjected to them. The
attra activeness of such "varmints'' as
the 'possum and the alligator is con-
fined to newspaper men of se-jofnted
inteliects Self-respecting men in the
South never think of eating them. To
do so would be reflection upon their
thrift and social standing. Alligators,
'possums, coonS, hawks and such are
only eaten by negros and shiftless poor
whites who are too lazy and improvi-
dent to provide themselves with sone-
thing better Men who live regulated
lives get their meat from their we'll
stocked barnyards, and scorn to rely
upon such inferior products as they
can find in the woods. 1t was disre-
spectful trifling with the official head
of the United States GoverRmens to set
before and compel him by the rules of
hospitality to eat "varmints" that no
self-respecting woman in the South
would allow to be cooked in her kitch-
en- or set upon her table
1t is to be wholly different at Char
lotte. N. c., and we are told that the
people who have smarted under the
ridicule poured upon the razorback hog
are going to vindicate his character by
serving the President roasts from that
h-maligned animal which will be
fit to set before a King. This brings
hog OF course, we are all familiar
with the jokes that have been made
upon him. How he was Sd thin that in
order to keep him from crawling thru
an ordinary chicken wire netting aIl
that was necessary WIS to lie q knot in
his tail How that in the Spring.ime,
when food was scarce, it took two of
him to cast a shadow. Bill Nye in one
of his funniest skit; pointed out the
resemblance of the raZorback hog to
the papier mache viands which are
served on the banque. tables in the
thaater. The truth is, he raZorback
hog is like the people in the mountain
regions of the South. He may seem
shabby, unprepossessing and uncul-
tured, but he is likely to have mighty
good blood in his veins. He is direct
lineal descendant of the wild boar men-
toned so frequently in English litcra-
ture, and which formed such large
portion of the dietary of the medic, al
English. To hunt the wild boar was
one of the princely sports of the days
when knights were bold" Anyone
who has seen razorbacK hog running
in the wild freedom of the Southern
woods can readily imagine that the
sport of hunting him would be quite
equal to that OF chasing the deer and
now. no mean antagonist when he turns
at bay, and full-grown bear is quite
as pleasant a customer to encounter as
a well-developed boar, with his long,
cruel tusks and game fighting qualities s.
He has waged fight for existence with
bears, bulls, catamounts, mountain lions
and rattlesnakes, and usually come off
victor. The biggest and most savage
Of them hesitate before tackling good
sized wild boar upon his native heath.
Students of medieval literature Will
how the wild boar was made !
he crowning piece at the grear feasts |
of Kings and mobiles; that bringing in
mis- head was great ceremony in the |
Christmas festivities, and that all the |
ime he was held in high honor. There |
fore. Charlotte has chosen wisely and |
well in selecting the piece de resistance |
Of their Presidential banquet.
In spite of his native savagery, the |
-azorback hog is singularly susceptible |
% humaniZing influences. No animal. |
hey say, responds more quickly to good |
'ood and plenty of it, and a woods hog,
AIKEN up and fed properly, makes as
inc meat as there is to be found any
where. Even those who roam the
woods have their attractions. In the
Fall of the year after the razorbacks
nave feasted to fullness upon the abun-
liant mast" the hickory nuts, ac0rns,
,eech nuts and other fruits of the Au-
umn, his flesh has a delicacy possibly
by that of any other ami
nal. 1t has the fragrance of the wild
woods, the rich aroma of the delicious
luts, the gamey flavor that can come
'nIy of wide range, pure water and
lealthful food. and all the delicacy of
esh of an animal which has matured
n a continual feast upon the finest and
'est that a fruitful earth can produce
nder a genial sunshine. Nothing put
pon the table can equal mast fed
aeon properly cured. The people Of
'harlotte are masters Of the art of
uring this meat, and the President can