FOREST AND STREAM. 



463 



party paid a silver dollar for a fine salmon which he laid on a 

 rock near shore, While he stepped away momentarily on an 

 errand. He eame back just, in time to sec the seal in the 

 water with the salmon in his mouth. 



fgaodhmd, <#«*w ami (garden* 



TEXAS CLIMATOLOGY — CUPID AND 

 IONA. 



Vapors, audclondH, and storms. Be these my llieme: 

 Tuesel that exalt the sunt to solemn thought, 

 And heavenly musing. 



James Thompson. 

 Editor Forest and Stream : 



If such weather as we have been having for some time 

 should continue much longer, I guess you will have to write 

 me down either as a " poic " or a lunatic. I will stake tins 

 winter of ours, as far as it has gone in the poinil of aglioess 

 and pure cussedness, against any winter in auy country on 

 the globe. It was ushered in by a succcession or rains, usually 

 accompanied with a cutting north wind, rilling a.ll the laud 

 with slop and confining every fellow remorselessly within 

 doors. No plowing, no planting of trees, no riding, no shoot- 

 ing in such weather; as this. Nothing to do but to chafe 

 around one's fireside like a hyena or Texas peccary in a cage. 

 And I can't see where the "heavenly musings" and exalta- 

 tion of the soul, which Thompson speaks of in the above ex- 

 tract as being due to winter's ugliness, came in at. I am con- 

 vinced that he never wrote that poem in the winter and did 

 not know what he was talking about. It is a poetic falsehood 

 —and all posts are extraordinary liars— on a par witlt that de- 

 claration of Horace, that it he were placed among the ice- 

 bergs of the North Pole, among polar bears, or in the deserts 

 of Gaetulia, among lions, he would still sing of Lalage all the 

 same asunder his owu vine3 and olives. As for myself, 1 

 feel more like cussing than singing, and I assure you"l have 

 of late done au immoderate share of that former. In fact, I 

 seriously doubted if I could ever go to heaven if the weather 

 were always ugly, 



Cm Friday morning before Christmas there was a prospect 

 that all of this was going to break. The sun peeped out, 

 from behind the clouds, and the gentle north breezes fell 

 asleep. The mocking-bird, who had not uttered a note for a 

 whole month, flew to the tops of the trees and poured forth 

 his sonl in a melody of delight. Poor soul, he thought his 

 greatness was a-ripening ! And so did I think that mine was. 

 I ordered my traps for a trip I had been putting off from day 

 to day and week to week for more than a month, and felt 

 happy that I would be off on the morrow. But at 4 o'clock 

 that evening great blue clouds began to puff up from the 

 north, and quicker than one can say Jack Robinson, a terrific 

 Arctic wave rushed down upon us. In a few moments the 

 blue clouds had covered the whole heavens, not even leaving 

 a crack where you could ptick a pin. The mercury fell from 

 75 to 31, and my spirits fell from 150 to zero. I ordered my 

 traps to be laid aside, and there they he yet without much 

 prospect of their soon being called for. Soon the blue clouds 

 began to precipitate a misty rain, mingled with hailstones 

 about as big as mustard seeds, and the devil was to play gen- 

 erally. This inordinate and most monstrous state of affairs 

 continued unremittingly till the next Thursday evening, when 

 the sun went down in a cloudless »ky. And now here was a 

 spectacle rarely witnessed in this region. The rain as it fell 

 had all turned to ice ou the trees, the grass, the roofs of the 

 houses, the fences, and even upon the backs of the hogs, cows 

 and chickens ; and when the setting sun threw its red rays 

 upon all of these, it looked as if the whole world had been 

 converted into flaming mirrors. My three-years-old boy 

 •went into raptures and danced until I thought he was likely 

 to turn "poic " like his father. Just as the sun disappeared 

 the norther ceased, and a night of wonderful beauty came on. 

 AU the heavens were throbbing with stars, which seemed ten 

 times more brilliant than ever. It was a glory to look upon 

 the flashing Sbrius and the gaudy Canopus changing the iiue 

 of his light every second. And there hung the young moou 

 close bylhe great white Jupiter. It was nice, but though it 

 was cold, I looked at the thermometer and it showed 20. 

 " Now," said I, "our oranges are gone. The mercury will 

 fall ten degrees during the night, and that will slay 'em!" I 

 went to bed with a mind perfectly resigned, for what is the 

 use of feeling bad over that which cannot be helped 'i 



It has been my habit for many years to sleep for the most 

 part in the open air. My bed-room has five windows — two 

 opening on the north, two on the south and one on the east, 

 and I always keep the sash out, closing only the blinds wheu 

 the weather is inclement. But that particular night got away 

 with me, though I had tkree heavy blankets and a quilt piled 

 upon me, and after midnight, I crept down stairs into more 

 comfortable quarters. I haven't been up into ihat room since. 



When moruing broke I hurried to my thermometer, and to 

 my surprise found it at 28, the mercury having fallen only 

 one degree during the night. I examined my orange trees, 

 and some of them looked like the angel of death had been iu 

 their top limbs, but nowhere else. 1 have watched them ever 

 Bince and am now satisfied that they have received no injury 

 whatever: so the truth is now ascertained, that the orange 

 will stand four degrees of frost without injury. I have but 

 one lemon — which is considered much more tender than the 

 orange— and that also escaped unscathed. I would like to 

 kno (V exactly how many degrees of frost the orange will 

 stand without injury. Wuo can tell 'i Will not some of your 

 Florida readers give us their experience on this point? 



I have been talking with the oldest, citizens about this cold 

 Bnap, and tbey say that it is the coldest since 1800, when the 

 mercury fell, as some say, to 21 for a few hours. They may 

 be right, but 1 was here then and caunot recollect such exces- 

 sive cold. These old citizens also say that years ago our 

 winters were quite severe, and that they have been steadily 

 becoming more moderate. I believe this is true, ueoause it 

 is only within the last three years that we in Houston have 

 had bearing oranges. Why is this thus ? Is it cultivation 

 and the thickening population doing the work? May be the 

 Vii Supcrii tempering the wind to the shorn lamb; and I 

 think some of the lambs i eed it badly euougii. 



And right here comes a little thought which I know Dr. 

 Draper, whose " Conflict Between Science and Religion " I 

 have just read with a great deal of interest, will laugh at me 

 for if he ever sees it. I do think there is some Power which 

 occasionally interrupts the regular operation of His taws to 

 prevent, harm to His creatures: in other words, that He tem- 

 pers the wind to the Shorn lamb, is not thai little fact that 

 I have just given you an instauce of it? I have noticed tor 

 years that almost every night iu this climate the mercury falls 

 from ten to twenty degrees. For instance : Last evening 



at sunset ii was ■II mid this morning at sunrise it was 84. 

 Now, why was it not 18 tue other morning instead of only 

 38, when it, was 29 the evening before ? I have noticed this 

 twice within the last few days. May not this bo an interpo, 

 1 arrest a regular operation? Suppose the mercury 

 ! ll !l ;_-:-., more as usual that night. I shudder 



1 !| e the ruin that would have been wrought. Let 



Smi hard scientists gay what Hjey choose, but I do believe 

 with all my heart arid all my soul that there is a power who 

 often intervenes to do us 'good and save us from barm, 

 whether we deserve it or not. That is the exercise of a God- 

 like heart as well as a Godlike power. 



But to return to the muttou. The weather has moderated. 

 The thermometer now says 51, but the clouds are again omi- 

 nous and the tail end of the gentle north wind is still upon 

 us. Ah, me ! bis tail is far better than his head. Tliere is 

 no telling where this thing is going to end. I was very 

 anxious to send you a weather report; from all portions of 

 Texas on our coldest day- -the 20th— but unfortunately the 

 telegraph wires were everywhere obstructed, and there was 

 no getting there that day. But yesterday's weather report 

 iu to-day's Galveston News is curious. At Galveston yester- 

 day, at 3:30 p. m., the thermometer marked 39, wind north; 

 at Denison, about 400 miles north, thermometer 33, wind 

 northwest ; at Griffin, 500 or 000 miles northwest, thermome- 

 ter 43, wind southeast ; at Davis, 700 or 800 miles northwest, 

 and further south, thermometer 49, wind southwest ; Ragle 

 the Kij Grande, thermometer 44, wind southeast ,* at 

 Brownesville n ar the month of the Rio Grande, thermometer, 

 50, wind northeast : at Indianola, on the Gulf, about midway 

 between Brownesville and Galveston, thermometer 39, wind 

 east. This shows that this singular wind is blow- 

 ing in a great circuit all around the State of Texas. 

 with streams shooting out here and there and running every 

 which way. For instance, a stream seems to leave the great 

 current somewhere about Eagle Pass and flow straight north, 

 hitting Stockton from the south, while another breaks out bo- 

 t ween Davis and Griffin, (lowing dead to the southand hitting 

 Mason from the north. When it is considered that Mason and 

 Stockton are not very far from the same line of latitude, and 

 only about 200 miles apart, this looks singular. The groat 

 timbered region of Eastern Texas seems to interfere with the 

 circuit of the wind, pushiug it somewhat to the west, for if 

 the circuit was a perfect one the wind should hit. Galveston 

 from the northeast, instead of the north. But this is now not 

 a i<rue norther. It is a beggarly, villainous nondescript, aud, 

 in my opinion, portends ugly unsettled weather. The true 

 norther always hits every place from a few points wc9t of 

 north. 



00P1I) AND IONIA. 



I said I had 1,0 turn "poic " in self-defense against the in- 

 clemency, and now I make you another translation— not this 

 time from Horace, but from an old Portuguese sonneteer. 

 My five-year old girl pronounced it " bootiful," but my three- 

 year old boy most positively declares " It is not." In my 

 version of it I agree with the boy, but in the old Portuguese's 

 version I agree with the kind little girl. I dedicate it to any 

 pretty girl who may be named Ionia : 

 Or late the little god Cupid 



Strayod away from his fidr mother's eyes, 

 And lie- wept m a niauner so stupid 



That. lie tilled all the vale with his cries. 

 He wandered o'er plain and through wood. 



And of all whom lie chaneed to see, 

 He Implored that they'd bo so sweet-good 

 As to tell where dear mamma might be. 

 His quiver, so lately his pride, 



Dropt his darts unobserved Id the piam ; 

 Aud ids bow seemed to say, at his side, 



" I will never shoot arrow again." 

 And while in this piteous plight— 



Wiih the tears streaming down his sweet faeu— 

 He saw, with unbounded delight, 

 Ionia, a maid of mueh graoe. 



When she heard thepomplaint that he made, 



She told lilm in words very sweet, 

 While the smiles ou her dimpled chested played, 



That soon his dear ma lie should meet, 

 but the little go,l raised up his head ; 

 ner lips with warm kisses he piles, 

 And— "For Venus t c*re not," he said, 

 " As long as I loot In thine eyes," 

 That reminds me of the frozen adder which the old farmer 

 put into his bosom to thaw, and which being thawed, stung 

 the good farmer. Love is a dangerous thing, Mr. Editor, 

 even lor old fellows like you and me. NAT 



Houston, Term, Dec. 23, 1878. 



P^ M$ tm £t' 



THE NATIONAL. AMERICAN KENNEL 

 CLUB. 



FROM the letters of Mr. Munsjn, which we print below, 

 it will be seen that there has been a reorganization of 

 ihe National American Kennel Club, with such an abrogation 

 of the rules regarding the admission of candidates as should 

 result in a very large membership. In the election of Mr. 

 Sterling, of the St. Louis Kennel Club, a gentleman of large 

 means and au enthusiastic lover of the dog, as president, the 

 club has done wisely and well. The immediate publication 

 of the " Kennel Stud Book " is a duty which is owed to the 

 general public, who have furnished, in the pedigrees of their 

 dog, the material for it ; and we may be allowed to remark 

 here that the book would have been published two years ago 

 1 • ii Register had not heeu handed over to the club. 

 We have been accused, by members of the ST. A. K. C, of 

 being antagonistic to their association, and it may not be out 

 of place for us here to state our position iu the premises. In 

 the first place we will say that as far as the members of the 

 club are concerned, or, for than matter, the club itself, we 

 have no antagonistic feelings whatever j and, moreover, 

 when we are assured that the club is about to do anything 

 that will promote the well being of all matters pertaining to 

 the dog, or that it is able to do so, it will receive our heartiest 



support. What we are opposed to is anything that has for 

 its ends or aims the furthering of the interests of professional 

 dog breakers, or those who make their living solely by dog 

 breeding or breaking, as against the interests of sportsmen, or 

 those who breed and keep dogs for amusement only. If one 

 of the first acts of the National American Kennel Club, pro- 

 vided it possesses the power, shall be to so reform field triala 

 that gentlemen sportsmen may have equal chances in running 

 their dogs with the professional breakers, they will already 

 have earned the gratitude of all who take, or would take, an 

 interest in these events. We might remark here, en pimnnt, 

 that it was perhaps unfortunate that at the important meeting 

 of the club noted below the professional breaker of the St. 

 Louis Kennel Club— worthy man though he may be— should 

 have been appointed one of a committee of two to form a code 

 of rules for Field Trials. 



Our reasons for not having hitherto given the N. A. K. C. a 

 warmer support are as follows : The National Kennel Club 

 has been likened— to abbreviate its title— to the National 

 Trotting Association ; and its members and supporters are 

 fond of making the similitude. Now, the Trotting Asso- 

 ciation is composed of all, or nearly all, the local trot- 

 ting associations in the country, each of which sends dele- 

 gates to the annual conventions with power to frame 

 rules for the guidance of all. If the N. A. K. C. was organ- 

 ized in the same manner, and its members were delegates 

 from the different clubs and societies under whose auspices 

 Dog Shows and Field Trials are held, then there, would be 

 some similarity. But the N. A. K. C. is composed of private 

 individuals who not only frame rules which they would have 

 adopted by working associations, but they evan arrogate to 

 themselves the right to appoint a " Board of Appeals" which 

 is to review disputed cases occurring at dog shows held by 

 regularly organized corporations It is extremely improbable 

 that any of the large kennel clubs would pay much attention 

 to any action taken by this " Board of Appeal" if it offered to 

 interfere with their decisions. In fact, we know that a joint 

 committee will be appointed by two of the principal clubs to 

 act as a board cf appeals on cases occurring at either of their 

 shows, Unfortunately, " National Associations" have not 

 been successful in this country, nor do wc anticipate that they 

 ever will be until they are properly organized in a parliament- 

 ary manner. The National Sportsmen's A ssoeiation may be cited 

 as a case in point. We have now explained our position and 

 sentiments regarding the N. A. K. C. If it can show to us 

 and the public its ability as well as its inclination to effect re- 

 forms it will have the heartiest^support of both. Its legiti- 

 mate purpose appears to us to be the publication of the Ken- 

 nel Stud Book, and little beyond that. If it attempts to in- 

 terfere with the work of regularly-incorporated and legitimate- 

 ly constructed clubs it will have its hands full. The letters 

 of Mr. Muuson, the Secretary, are as follows ■ 



National American Kennel Ct.ob.'* 

 St. Louis, Dec. 28, 1878. £ 

 Editor Forest and Stream: 



At the annual meeting of the National American Kennel 

 Club, held at Nashville, Tenn., on Doc. 2 and 6 of this 

 month, the following business was transacted i The first edi- 

 tion of 750 copies of the stud book was ordered printed at 

 once, and the secretary was instructed to receive entries for 

 Vol. IL, also to take advertisements for Vol. I. at $25 per 

 page. The secretary has charge of the disposal of the stud 

 book when printed. Section 7 of the constitution making 

 the initiation fee $15 a necessary part of membership was 

 suspended for that meeting, and until the next annual meet- 

 ing. The following new members were proposed and elected : 

 D. C. Sanborn, R. B. Morgan, M. C. Campbell, J. F. .Nichol- 

 son, M. L. Brown, M. D. Collier, Geo, 11 Clason, Gen. W. 



-. Nichols, 



Anthony Hittgins, C. C. Maffit, V. L. Kirkman, Dr. Rawlings 

 Young, J. V. Cowling, J. M. Taylor, Henry Bishop, A. M 

 Waddell, Samuel B. Duffy. 



The following officers were elected for 1879 ; President, E. 

 C. Sterling, St. Louis; 1st Vice-Pres., Theo. Morford, New- 

 ton, N. J.; 2d Vice-Pres., P. II. Bryson, Memphis ; Sec. J. W. 

 Munson, St. Louis; Treas., L. H. Smith, Strathroy, Canada. 

 Executive Committee— Luther Adams, Boston, Chairman; 

 M. C. Campbell, Spring Hill Tenn ; B. F. Stoddard, Dayton, 

 O.; Jno. E. Long, Deiroit, Mich.: J. W. Foster, Leesburg, 

 Va. E. C. Sterling, J. H. Dew, Luther Adams, Capt. 

 Patrick Henry and L. H. Smith were appointed a Committee 

 on Bench Show Rules. 



Annual meetings of the club are to be held hereafter on the 

 evening of the first day of the field trials. A Board of Ap- 

 peals was created, aud a section to that effect added to the 

 constitution. The board for 1870 is as follows: J. H. Dew, 

 Chairman ; J. A. Nichols, E. F. Stoddard, E. C. Nichols, A. 

 Higgins. 



The Commit tee on Field Trial Rules, appointed in May, 

 1878, reported, but not being able to agree on anything satis- 

 factory, a new committee ol two, with the president an ei- 

 officio member, was appoiuted to frame a code of rules, 

 which, when reported, are to be accepted and considered the 

 rules of the club for 1879 ; Capt. Paliick Henry aud C. B. 

 Whitford appointed on the committee. 



The bench show rules, as amended, will be sent to the 

 papers the first week in January in pamphlet form. The 

 club decided to give field trials on quail some time iu the fall 

 of 1H79, place and time to be decided on hereafter. 



Mr. C. B. Whitford acted as secretary pro tern, during both 

 sessions of the club. 



Youis truly, Jno. W. Munson, Sec. 



Editok Forest and Stream : 



The constitution and by-laws, and the bench show rules of 

 the N. A. K. Club, will be published in pamphlet, form, aud 

 ready for delivery the first week of January. Copies can be 

 had on application to your paper or to me. The field trial 

 rules will be ready by April t, and will be published promptly. 

 New members, for tne present, are not balloted for. To be- 

 come a member of the National American Kennel Club now 



