Sketches in the East and West 291 



point, he could stop the dog to a reluctant back, 

 but to get the point ahead was a literal mania. 

 In fact, the dog never was cured. With my 

 friend, the handler, he became prompt to back, 

 but in the hands of his owner or anybody else, he 

 steals and ravishes points to this day. 



That trip to the territory was one of the most 

 illuminating experiences I have ever had with 

 dogs. It was not all spent in the reform school 

 exercises. There were days of unequalled quail 

 and chicken shooting over better-behaved dogs. 

 But one can get shooting in any state. One 

 finds a born handler only here and there. The 

 patience, coolness, and discrimination are given 

 to few men. Every field shot should have a 

 course of instruction with such a handler, that 

 he may learn how easily dog vices are developed 

 by unschooled human habits, and how easily 

 cured by intelligent persistence. 



Our Derby Entries 



Figuring on his string of two-year-olds in the 

 winter is no more racking and no more pleasur- 

 able to the racing owner than is the testing of 

 his Derby candidates to the field trial sportsman. 

 He is hopeful and apprehensive. Some of the 

 pups have shown quality, but all have defects. 

 He cannot know what new marvel the other 



