Democratic Sentinel, Volume 19, Number 35, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 September 1895 — WAGON DOGS [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

WAGON DOGS

A BULLDOG in an express wagon, clinging with a death grip to the arm of a ragged man who stands close to the vehicle, the thief too scared to cry out and in too much pain to attempt to escape; a fast gathering crowd, ■which looks on with excited interest, one of the spectators crying, “Hold him, Tobe”; the return of the express •driver, the summoning of a policeman, the noisy clatter of a patrol wagon, the release of the ragged man from the ipainful custody of his canine captor, a (hurried explanation between the express driver and the officers, the departure of the police wagon, the murmurs of approval by the now enormous crowd —these were spirited little incidents in Chicago the other day, says the Tribune. “What’s the matter?” asked a breathless young man who had arrived too hate to see the performance. “Fellow tried to steal a package out of the express wagon and the bulldog nailed him and held him till the police came,” he was told. Incidents such as the above are rare, •l>ut dogs in wagons are not a novelty, even in the heart of the city. People see them and often hear them bark, but few persons pause to think why they are in the wagons. These wagon dogs are pets and companions of the drivers and are treated with respect, for most of them are worth their weight in gold ;to the owners. Take, for instance, the bulldog that captured the thief. His support costs only whqt he eats and that is Inexpensive. He is fidelity Itself —absolutely trustworthy. As a general thing small dumb companions are the choice of wagon drivers. Coal haulers and freighters of heavy materials affect large dogs, chiefly Newfoundlands, but the terriers and even the pugs are chosen by the drivers of delivery wagons, a grocery man whose store is pretty well south on Wabash avenue has a pug to accompany the driver, and a good selection It is. The black snouted, pig tailed little fellow is as proud as a peacock and delights to attract attention to himself and the gaudy wagon by barking almost continuously while he is in sole charge of the rig. Furthermore, the pug is on terms of most intimate friendship with the horse, and while the driver is away amuses himself on the animal’s back, running from his big friend’s mane to tail and dancing all over him. The horse seems to be proud of his little chum, but when the pug’s feet tickle his back he turns his head and shows his teeth in a display of mock anger. The boy who drives that particular wagon was asked what service the pug could perform. “None that I know of,” he said, “ ’cept to make a noise and keep de kids away from de wagon when I goes inside. He’s company fur de horse, dough, and I ain't never scared of a runaway so long’s de dog stays wid ’em.” - There are dogs, however, that do aid in the delivery of goods, and many a weary step they save rhelr masters. A certain North Side milkman has such an assistant, a big red Irish setter that Is at once a beauty, an aristocrat in pedigree and a treasure in service. A valuable part of this milkman’s trade is the supplying of pure Jersey milk from his own cows to families in which there are babes and small children. This

“baby milk” is put up in quart jars, with screw tops and wire bales or handles. The dog can easily carry one of •these jars and really seems to take pleasure in doing his part of the work. jNo apartment building stairs are too high, steep or slippery to baffle him, and, having been taken twice over the baby route, he is perfection itself in the delivery of the packages. What can scarcely be called a wagon dog and yet cannot be otherwise classified is a coach dog owned by a North Side furniture mover. The animal is extremely ordinary in appearance, but “pays for himself’ many times over in habits. Spot actually smokes and drinks. He will hold a pipe In his mouth and let the smoke curl Into his throat and nostrils and seemingly find pleasure in the habit. He carries a surprising variety of household articles without injuring them—bundles of bedding, small rolls of carpet, light chairs and knick-knacks of various kinds—and in this «;ay does much to help his boss and the other workers In denuding a flat house. “That dog,” said Mr. Ritchie, “will take an ordinary light chair down three pairs of stairs without bumping anything or anybody, hurting himself or scratching the varnish. A peculiar feature of his work is that he almost always selects for himself the articles he is to carry. Another oddity is that with bulky but light articles he goes down stairs head first, but with compact, heavy packages he goes tail first —backs down with them. He seems to feel that if he drops a heavy packagi it were best to drop it as short a distance as possible. He’s worth about half a man in this business. Here, Spot! Go and get me the whisk broom!” And the dog trottea into the office of the estab-

llshment and returned with the whiffie broom in his mouth. Fox terriers are favorites as wagoip dogs. They are easily trained, cute, companionable, affectionate and willing. Many butchers, bakers, grocers and laundrymen have them and find them useful, especially in guarding the wagons while drivers are delivering parcels. They are of service, too, as watchdogs, for their ears are keen and their tongues sharp when strangers approach at night Frequently they are made to work when they think they are playing, and not infrequently they prove of real value in preventing mischief. A laundry man on Wrightwood avenue has a pair of the brightest of fox terriers and has taught them to haul small baskets of bundled clothing from the wrapping room into the office, where the packages are arranged alphabetically on the shelves for the convenience of the delivery clerk. The same dogs “run wid de machine,” accompany the wagon, and once when a sneak thief snatched a big bundle of linen from the open rear of the wagon they left their posts, overtook the culprit and so impeded his progress that he was still in sight when the driver returned. The linen was recovered and the thief let off with a beating for which he will long remember that driver. Not less valuable as wagon dogs are bull terriers, Skye terriers and what are generally known as Scotch terriers. The latter is a variety that seems to include all dogs that are small, shaggy and yellow. Sometimes they prove possessed of really wonderful intelligence, as was the case of the “wagon boss,*

owned by a butcher whose place of business is on West Madison street. The dog had ridden so long besidt the driver of the two-wheeled cart that he knew where every customer lived and would show impatience of the liveliest kind if the driver, for reasons he could not Impart to his brute comrade, did not stop at each familiar gate. Finally the driver, an observant sort of genius, adopted the plan of making explanations. For instance, if Mrs. Smith had said yesterday that she would not be at home to-day and that the butcher need not call, the driver, reaching Mrs. Smith’s gate, would turn to the dog and say aloud, “She’s not at home today.” The dog got in the habit of looking for explanations and when they were forthcoming would accept them as due and satisfactory.

THE GROCERY MAN’S DOG.

THE SMOKING COACH DOG.