Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-03

to you the cost of both. He has cost you
nearly SlC0 when the trainer takes him. IL
you break him yourself you are entitled
to a credit of what a good trainer asks
YOU.
1t is far easier to find so-called
trainer who will ruin your puppy for
$50 than good one who will break him
properly for 500, and turn over to you
what is in reality "a gentleman'S shooting
dog An instance came under the writ
er's notice very recently: A wealthy resi-
dent of Washington wanted a pair of
broken dogs for this winters shooting.
He purchased them for about $500, with
the privilege of trying them They looked
all right: were perhaps little above the
average in style and movement. The
owner turned them over to a well known
handler to try OUT for him. The
writer is informed that although four
years old, they were absolutely unman-
ageable, and chased everything they saw
sheep, turkeys, chickens rabbits and
uuai4- One OF them was guaranteed as a
fine retriever. and he probably is, for he
brought in every chicken he killed. The
handler advised the owner to return them
at once. which we presume he did. We
speak from no personal knowledge, but
have been informed that these dogs came
from what is perhaps the leading kennel
in America. The dogs were sold for $500,
but in reality were not worth as many
cents to the purchaser. BY a first-class
shooting dog the writer, in brief terms,
means one that is well bred, stylish in
appearance, speedy, an intelligent ranger,
opedlent to command, Stanch to wing and
shot. having a good nose, and is a clean
retrieversNOf course. many will say we
have drawn the picture of a perfect dog,
but which of these qualities should be
lacking in a first-claSs dog? To any one
able to purchase such dog he Is cheap
at any price. If the purchaser wishes to
know the delights of shooting. Any one
having such one to sell, he will, in the
writer's Judgment, be doing both his dog
and himself an injustice if he sells him
under $500, and he is really worth much
more. lie Wri.eT has knoWon man to
buy a broken" dog for $25, and COM
plain of being swindled. He has known
anoIher to pay ten times as much, or more.
for ''gentleman's shooting dog" and be
delighted over his bargain. And both
were correct. If we were asked for adj
vice on this subject. it would be to shoot
over the dog long enough to test him. II
he suited you, buy him. The price paid
should be Il secondary consideration if
you can afford the dog.
4. d. Griffith of Derwood, Montsom-
cry county, has one of the best ken
nels of beagles in the country. He has
long been fancier and breeder of the
little ones. and at the national
beagle trials. held near Shadwell. his
dogs won more than their share of
honors. his Redland Scott being
fourth in the fifteen-inch all-age stake,
and his splendid little bitch Bashful
won first in the thirteen-inch bitch
stake. This is the great beagle trial
of the year. and the increasing inter
est in beagles is attested by it's being
the most successful one ever held.
W. H. Blundon spent last week
shooting in Fauauier county, near The
Plains. and bagged over ninety quail
and half as many rabbits.
a sportsman of this city has a dog
that he proclaims a wonder. The dog
has for some time been eligible for
the all-age class, and at the recent
Laurel meeting one sportsman asked
another if this dog was entered in the
stake, and was informed that ''he was
not ready yet" What in the world is
the matter with him? If Blank doesn't
start him soon. they will have to start
an 'old-aSe stake for hia," was the
others reply.
We have read of game hogs, but out
IN Nashville they have one that Is in
a class by himself. Nashville is ahead
of Mecca. in that it has two shrines:
one is the Hermitage, the former home
Of Gen. Andrew Jackson, now the Home
for Old Confederate Veterans, and the
other Belle Mead, the celebrated stock
farm. and former home Of Gen. Jackson.
At Belle Mead there has been for
long time herd Of tame deer that
roamed at will over it's rich pastures.
The estate has been divided, and former
Secretary of War J. NJ. Dickinson pur-
chased the historic old mansion and
much of the land, making 1t his home.
Recently some miscreant killed a num-
Der of the deer, and efforts are being
made to apprehend the murderer. If
the civil authorities do not capture and
hang him very soon President Taft, as
a courtesy to a former cabinet officer.
might call out regiment or two to
aid them, and If caught he should be
tried by a drum-head court-martial and
summ0rily executed.
The writer had the pleasure of receiv-
ing most interesting letter few days
since from Commander r. II. Jackson
squadron. now stationed at Shanghai,
China Commander Jackson Is native
of Alabama. and has always been most
enthusiastic field sportsman and dog
flower. Prior to leaving for the Tar east
,, ne was in command of the naval proving
grounds at Indian Head, Md, and de-
voted both time and money to game
preservation and propagation In that
section. In whatever part Of the world
Mr. Jackson may be. he finds some time
to shoot and investigate the species of
game found there In his letter he
says: IT hope to have the pleasure of
doing some shooting with you over
Tory and Primus when return TO
d.
country, the Yangtze valley, but as the
country is in a state of revolution, l
am kept rather busy looking after Amer
lean interests, with no chance to hunt.
T hone that in a month or two COM
promise will be effected that will leave
the country in a condition to continue
business and matters will quiet down.
Chinese pheasants are the most at
tractive shooting in the valley. but there
| is quite a variety of game. / had some
fine snipe shooting in Manila last Oc-
tober.
One of the most successful shooting
trims we have heard of was that taken
down in King George county. Va, by
Charley Hume. He killed four wild tur-
keys and quite a number or quaii. out
NOT as many as he would have bagged
had he been lucky enough to have well
broken dog. The one he had was Dor
rowed and did not work well for him.
He reports birds very numerous.
There was a big protest against Jack
Dunn of Baltimore on the opening day,
but no one at the trials thought for an
| instant that his dogs got more than was
coming to them. Dunn simply mixed field
| trials and base ball on the first day, but
after that he appeared to remember that
| the ball season was over and got along
| splendidIy with everybody, Field and
Kennel particularly. He deserved all he
got ON the first day, and both he and his
| fine dogs were entitled to the laurels
| Laurel brought them.
The big hunt to which we referred last