Sketches in the East and Vilest 281 



Quail were abundant, prairie chicken not at all 

 scarce, and woodcock came along twice a year 

 in fair numbers. As for snipe, there is little 

 ground left in the States which can afford snipe 

 shooting to be compared with the spring sport in 

 parts of the territory. Broad, level prairies per- 

 mitted the most ambitious dog to show his range. 

 Patches of corn well dried by October were fa- 

 vorite feeding spots for both chicken and quail and 

 taught the dogs to come in close and proceed 

 with caution ; while the many damp ravines or 

 " draws," often thick with good-sized trees and 

 bushes, were training schools of the same kind. 

 When the weather was added to the other attrac- 

 tions — the clear skies and dry air of October and 

 November in the territory are the perfection of 

 climate if there is anywhere perfection — the 

 place was a happy hunting ground good enough 

 for a shooting man who could choose immortality 

 and forbid civilization to disturb the status. 



My entertainer's dog reputation tended as far 

 North as Chicago and as far East as Memphis. 

 He had acquired special repute for correcting 

 faults which ignorant trainers or thoughtless 

 owners had produced. This kind of fame was an 

 annoyance. As he put it, he hardly ever saw a 

 dog of unblemished character any more. Most of 

 his training season was filled with work on the 

 reformation of criminals. In the wire enclosure 



