Evening star., 1935-11-04

HHOUSANDS OF people the world
over know DR. Mitten's amaZ-
ing setter. Oh. Blue Dan Of
Happy Valley. the dog that
went best in show "a times in one year.
Not so many people know that the
sire of that dog was owned locally
by one of the most popular and well
versed breeders in the neighborhood,
Judge Harry Hunt. Sd. Judge Hunt
recognized Cores Blue Pals qualities
as a pup, and from the time he pur-
chased him to the time he died on
August 80, 1885. Pal was more than
dog to his master.
Aside from his bench points, Pal
was an accomplished field dog, and
more remarkable still, was trained to
hunt with a master that had to do all
his shooting from the window of a
specially constructed Ford car. He had
to realize that his masters shooting
range was limited. that he had to
retrieve all game shot and deliver it
to man in car, that he could not
range too far or in thickets where a
Ford could not follow. In spite Of these
unusual handicaps, Pal and his owner
generally had unusually good luck in
the field.
IT is not surprising that Pals death
is sincerely mourned, or that his
death, or rather his life, was the in
spiration for an unusual poem. The
entire poem is too long to print here,
but the description of setter in verse
would be interesting to all lovers OF
that breed, and follows.
His expression was gorgeous, his
skull long and lean.
His great depth of muzzle, his ears
low hung, clean,
His great length of neck. like a flower
in hue.
Grew out Of sloped shoulders per-
fectly true
Straight as a plumb line his front;
his feet large and round.
Like cats paws. well padded, but
coated and sound.
His stiles well bent, hook angulation
and set,
Deep brisket and girth; what a top
line! and yet
His loins hard and smooth, his tail
straight and short,
His color blue Belton-a dog Of re-
port"
The new issue Of Pure Bred Dogs.
the official volume of standards OF
all breeds. promises to be more in
teresting than its predecessors. An
attempt has been made to incorporate
in it history of the various breeds,
as we'll as survey of the ancient his
tory of dogs in general. 1t is curious
that the breeding Of dogs is connected
closely with various Of the ancient
religions Dogs are mentioned in the
Old Testament. the Rig-Veda, the
first OF the great Brahmin "vedas" or
testaments, and the Zend Avesta. or
the book of the followers of Zara-
thustra. the religious leader Of Persia
six centuries before Christ. The first
stud books were kept by the Buddhist
teachers who founded Lamaism in the
plateaus of Tibet. and that is why
the dogs of Tibet are known to be
among the most ancient of all pure
bred dogs. The first hunting dog
stud book was inaugurated by st.
Hubert of Maastricht and Liege be-
fore the time of the first crusade.
Probably hunting with dogs is the
most ancient of all modern sports.
The Fall show season is now on in
full force. Indications as judged by
numbers of entries and sizes Of gates
are that the early Spring is the more
popular and more profitable time to
hold show. This is understandable
when one considers that every Spring
brings with it an urge to be up and
doing, while the Fall finds one at the
very peak of Summers lassitude. More
material reasons are to be found In
the fact that long coated dogs are
seldom at their best in the Fall and
fanciers of sporting dogs are often
more interested in field trials and
hunting in the Fall than in bench
shows.
MCCLURE HALEY. chief maestro