May 22, 1897.] 
FOREST AND STREAM, 
41S 
glimpse of the fox. Off we go at full speed, and those who have 
the best horses leave the others behind. We reach a point where 
we think he will pass, and stop with eves and ears open while 
the beat of the heart sounds like a drum, so loud and fast 
does it beat with excitement. There he is, a perfect beauty 
as he comes with long leaps, his tall curled over his back, 
only playing as yet with the mouthy pack, who are fully 
4007d8. behind. We wait to see them pass, and here they 
come with Rambler, a noble specimen, fully 15yds. in the 
I' ad Oh, ye Gods, did ever such music come from musical 
iDstrumenls as does from this pack as they go by at full 
spiked, followed by the cheers of all of us! 
On we go for a couple of miles more. Keeping up with 
dogs, over fences and through the brushwood, when stop. 
The fox is up to his cunning. The dogs have passed 30 or 
40yds. over the trail. The music ceases and they scamper 
here and yonder until some dog, old at the sport, goes back 
for some distance and give tongue hard. They all hurry 
tack, while the echo from their mingled voices sounds from 
the hills close by. 
The fox has taken a course at right angles to the former 
one, and we sit and listen, for the fox has been running for 
forty or fifty minutes, and must be liring, and will now re- 
sort to his many tricks, making short turns here and there, 
and doubling back on his own trail. He has turned again 
and will cross that field to our left. We make for the field 
and try to judge at what point he will cross, when here he 
comes up that bridle path. He is becoming tired now. He 
does not leap so far, and his tail, which at the start was held 
high in the air, is gradually lowering and soon will be 
dragging the ground. 
He doubles again and makes that fence that separates the 
open field from the woods, walks up the fence for a piece 
and then gathers all his ttrenglh for one leap. 
He succeeds for awhile in throwing the dog off and gains 
some little distance. Soon they are on the trail again and 
for the next mile there is no break in the cry of the 
pack, when suddenly there is a sharp turn, the fox is 
tired now and will try the protection of the canebrakes and 
brier patches; but the dogs are too numerous, and soon he 
has to give up his shelter. A.s he comes out his brush is drag- 
ging the ground and his leaps are slow; but the dogs are 
tiring, too, and they have a cunning foe. He makes a broom 
sedge field and lies down, while on the dogs come, followed 
by the hunters, full of excitement, for they expect to catch in 
this field; but not so; for on the dogs go, when suddenly the 
fox is up and back under the very feet of your horse, and 
makes for the cane again. 
The dogs are soon called back and once more fores him out 
of the brush, and with one last effort he attempts to cross that 
open field. He has about .30yds. the start of the dogs, but 
' on they come, and now excitement runs high. The distance 
between fox and dogs is decreasing. They see the fox now 
and are using every effort to catch him, amid the cheer- 
ing of the huntsmen; they have him now, and with one 
squeal and a few bites for the dog he yields up the 
ghost. 
The first man up is down and has the fox, holds him up for 
inspection, while a long blast of the horn announces that the 
hunt is over; and while we await those who were not for- 
tunate enough to keep up we discuss the merits of various 
dogs, horses and riders, and then off home to breakfast, with 
appetites that would do justice to any cook. And all of us 
declare that fox hunting is one of the finest sports on earth, 
and so would your many readers if they would come and try 
it with US. S. J. Perkins, M.D. 
Dogs for Alaska. 
Edgae, Neb., May 10 —Editor Forest and ISiream: In 
Forest and Stream for April 24 1 notice that Podgers 
takes exception f;o the story that persons are buying dogs in 
Oregon to send to Alaska, and makes the charge that such 
dogs are no good in the far North only as they may be used 
for food. 
Now I believe I will take issue with friend Podgers, and 
say that the large Newfoundland and St. Bernard dogs are 
1 better for all purposes than the Eskimo dog, and that they 
will travel greater distances in the same length of lime, and 
drag a larger load. 
Rev. Mr. Young in his work "By Canoe and Dog Train," 
on page 94, says that he surprised the missionary secretaries 
by his "unique request" for the large dogs, but says he fin- 
ally secured them, and then says: "I found by years of ex- 
perience that the St. Bernard and Newfoundland dogs had 
all the good qualities, and none of the defects of the Eskimo. 
By kindness and firmness they were easily broken in, and 
then a whip was only an ornamental appendage of the 
driver's picturesque costume. Of these splendid dogs I often 
had in my possession, counting old and young, as many as 
twenty at a time. The largest and best of them all was 
Jack, a noble St. Bernard. He was black as jet, and stood 
over 33in. high at his foreshoulder. When in good working 
trim he weighed about 1601bs. 
"He had no equal in all that northern land. No blizzard 
storm, no matter how fickle and changeful, could lead him 
off from the desired camping place, even if the courage of 
other dogs failed them, and even though the guides gave up 
in despair." 
Though I have never used dogs myself, I know that many 
large dogs are used in the far North, and I have the pictures 
of several dog teams that were taken at Edmonton, N. W. 
T., where they had come down to trade from the North, and 
they are all large dogs. H. 
The Tale of a Brindle Dog. 
Qrbenbriak, Ma.— Editor Forest and Stream: A pathetic 
and singular story of a dog's devotion is creating consider- 
able excitement and no end of pleasurable horror among the 
negroes of this neighborhood just at this time. Not having 
witnessed any of the incidents about to be related, I can 
vouch for their truth only upon the evidence of the "colored 
man and brother," which is superabundant. 
An old "Afriker nigger," whose name is just Billy, who 
claims to be a centenarian, and who has long been rev- 
erently regarded as a witch by his race, about a mouth ago 
was stricken with pneumonia. Whether from fear of charms 
and spells or from the apathetic fatality with which the 
negro regards sickness and death, is uncertain, but the fact 
remains that the old fellow for three long weeks of suffer- 
ing lay in his cabin absolutely unattended and alone, save 
for the companionship of his dog, a small brindle cur, and a 
visit, tremblingly paid once a day by a single colored woman 
who allowed her kindness of heart to overcome her terror of 
the fancied supernatural. 
Finally one morning last week old Billy died, the negroes 
say '•stiff"— there s no doubt about it. The alarm was 
given, and those of his acquaintance gathered from far and 
near. Such a rousing wake has not been held in North 
Alabama in years. Visitors came from twenty miles, and 
at midnight, when the preachers had encouraged religious 
excitement to the height of frenzy, the shouting of" the 
"happy" could be plainly heard for three miles. 
What followed I will relate as near as possible in the 
language of the Rev. Toney Moore, a colored minister, and 
my most reliable informant : 
"Yer see, sah, Brer Billy, when he got ole, wus pow'ful 
swi'grus — de folks 'lowed he tricked 'urn, an' dey 'us natu'ly 
skeert ob 'im enny how. So 'twus, dese menny years, dar 
hain't no boddy but Sis' Milly. an' dit leetle dorg had ■ 
much ter do wid 'im. Sis' Milly 'ud 'tend ter im when 
he 'us poly, an de dorg stuck ter 'im all de time. Why 
sah; when we went ter put Brer Billy in de coffin, dat dog 
fii so an' med sich er ter do dat we try an' tie 'im, an' he bit 
an' snapt so dat we c'u'dn' do dat, so we driv' im out de 
house wid er stick, an' one de br udders had ter jes' stan' dar 
an' keep 'im out. 
"Den when we went ter put de coflln in de wagin de 
dorg went ravin' mad. I neber heaya sich howls in all my 
time, an' do what we c'u'd, he stayed right dar 'longside er 
de pall-bearers an' howl and howl. Now, sah, I know Brer 
Billy wus dead — Ise seed lots er dead folks, but jes' as we 
'us liftin' de cofiin in de wagin we felt sumpin' movin* in 
dar an' den we heaya Brer Billy say, an' he spoke up loud : 
" 'Who dat hit my dorg?' 
"Man! we drap dat coffia lack hit burnt us. Hit want 
nufin but popler, an' when hit hit de groun' hit bust wide 
open, an' Brer Billy sot up an' gin ter cuss lack all per- 
cessed, an' de dorg, he jump on 'im an' lick 'is face an' look 
lack he smile, he dat glad. 
"Heeps o' de wimmin des drap in dey tracks, an' yer 
neber heayr sich er terdo as dar wus wid de screamin' an' 
runnin'. I warnt skeert, but sumhow I wus nigh er mile 
erway fo' I cud stop runnin' an' go back an' mack dem fool 
folks put Brer Billy back ter bed 
"Arter all dat ter do we sont fur er doctor. Brer Billy 
grins ter be erbout Eo' menny days an' de doctor say he 'spec 
he lib er nuther hundred years, dat is ef dat dorg lib ter 
keep folks frum puttin' 'im in de groun' fo' he do die." H. 
American Dachshund Club. 
Chicago. — Editor Forest and Stream: The American Dachs- 
hund Club held its seventh meeting May 6 in Chicago. The 
financial report was accepted as read. Mr. Edward A. 
Manice, Pittsfield, Mass., joined the club. The club will 
offer two cups, value $50 each, for best American-bred dog 
and bitch (each cup to be won three times by three different 
dogs before becoming the property of the winner). Officers 
of the club were elected as follows: Louis Boening, Presi- 
dent; C. M. Trowbridge, Vice-President; A. Froembling, 
Secretary; Dr. C. Motschenbacher, delegate A. K. C. 
A. FROEMBLESfG, Sec'y. 
POINTS AND FLUSHES. 
Our Logs (England) in its notes, under the head of "Dogs 
in Dollarland," has the following: "The chief question 
agitating the American kennel world at present appears to 
be a threatened action for libel against Forest akd Stream, 
which some lime ago published a statement that a brace 
prize had been awarded by Mr. C. H. Mason, not on merit 
but to animals belonging to Mr. F. S, Stedman, who acted 
as Ms. Mason's ring steward at the show, the suggestion be- 
ing made that the award was obtained by trickery in the 
ring, ribbons or such Mke distinguishing mark having, it is 
alleged, been fastened to the collars of the dogs which had 
to win, etc." The foregoing is most admirably correct with 
the following exceptions: The matter is not the chief ques- 
tion, the American kennel world is not agitated over it, there 
is no threatened action for libel against Forest and Stream 
we never published the statement as asserted above. How- 
ever we are pleased to see our contemporary so energetic in 
publishing "news." 
In our advertising columns will be found the full pro- 
gramme of the Continental Field Trial Club, as it relates to 
the chicken trials. The Minnesota Derby and the North- 
west Stake will be run probably in Traverse county, Minne- 
sota, to suit the convenience of the local sportsmen who 
support these stakes. The Secretary, Mr W. S. Bell, informs 
us that the prospects look bright for a good list of entries 
WHEELING NOTES. 
Paper has long been used for making car wheels, and 
now a Connecticut Yankee turns up with an invention for 
paper bicycle wheel rims. 
Long, tapering strips of paper, first made waterproof and 
covered with cement, are wound upon a mandrel, and after- 
ward pressed into crescent-shaped cross sections to receive 
the tire. The rims are said to be light and strong, and to 
have a decided advantage over wood, in that they will not 
split. 
The passenger committee of the Trunk Line Association 
makes the official statement that such railroads as have their 
own lines between New York and Chicago will carry bicy- 
cles as personal baggage between these points Eastern 
lines, such as the New York Central, West Shore, Delaware 
Lackawanna & Western, check them only to Buffalo, where 
they may be rechecked to Chicago or intermediate' points 
over the Western connections of these lines. 
There seems to have been a general shakeup in the Eastern 
fines since the New Jersey bicycle baggage bill became a law. 
Connecticut has a rather odd law aimed at practical jok- 
ers, habitual borrowers, and others who are not inclined to 
respect the rights of bicycle owners. According to this law, 
anyone who uses a bicycle without the owner's express per- 
mission may bs fined not mnre than .S50, or imprisoned not 
more than three months. Evidence of an intention to mis- 
appropriate the bicycle is not necessary for conviction under 
this law, and it is only required to' show that it was taken 
without leave. Another section of the law provides a 
specific penalty for theft. 
"A practical engineer and bridge builder," says the 
Wheel, "spent some of his evenings recently in figuring out 
for his own amusement just how much a bicvcle on°h[, to 
weigh. Whea he had finished his figuring the fowesu 
estimate of what a wheel should weigh to carry the ordinary 
rider safely he could make, according to his training, was 
601 bs , and that, he said, he would hesitate to guarantee. 
Cycle makers started at the bridge builder's estimate ten 
years ago, but now by practical experience they have found 
that they can safely build a road wheel to weigh as little as 
281bs., and in some cases even less The change has been a 
gradual one, rendered possible partly by a great niimber of 
important inventions and partly by the exact knowledge, 
secured by experience, of where the machine can safely be 
lightened. The diamond frame, the wood rim and the 
pneumatic tire have been the principal inventions which 
have resulted in the decreased weight, the first two being 
lighter themselves, and the last allowing a general cutting in 
the weight of the metallic parts by doing away with vibra- 
tion, which is of course most trying to metals. In addition 
to this the experience of years has shown exactly the parts 
which bear the greatest strain, so that the others can be 
lightened. In all of this the bicycle differs from most other 
machines, which have a certain uniform margin of safety — 
that is, excess of strength— throughout. In the bicycle this 
is graduated according to the possible strain on the machine. 
In some places, where no sudden strain can possibly come, 
there is an excess strength of only some 35 per cent. In 
others, which are likely to be subjected to great pressure, 
the bicycle is four times as strong as is necessary to carry its 
load. In a general way the front part of the bicycle is the 
one which must be made especially strong, because in col- 
lisions and most all accidents which are likely to occur to a 
wheel it is the front portion that suffers the most. Besides, 
a man, on general principles, would prefer not to take too 
many chances of breaking his neck or leaving his classic 
features in the road by a header. A man has only one neck 
and his supply of features is limited. It is necessary, also, 
to have the parts about the crank-shaft unusually strong, 
because it is there that the strain of driving comes. Prom 
this point upward and backward the proportionate strength 
is gradually decreased." 
In Rochester the street railways have taken up the role of 
Good Samaritan to unfortunate wheelmen. In the case of 
accident, either to the wheel or rider, the wheelman is per- 
mitted to board a car and take his bicycle with him. The 
injury, of course, must be self-evident, and not more than 
one bicycle will be carried on any one car. 
In San Francisco street cars have been giving tired or un- 
lucky riders a "lift" for some time past. 
In Paris, it appears, there is a pound for lost bicycles. 
Bicycles, as a rule, are brought to this place by the pohce, 
and for a variety of causes not always specified. As a rule, 
however, the owner has infringed the law in some respect! 
Perhaps he has ridden without a light, or perhaps he has no 
plate on his wheel inscribed with his name and address. 
Sometimes clever thieves have been known to take advan- 
tage of the pound to give them a title to stolen wheels. 
Having gotten possession of a bicycle, they take it to the 
police, saying; 
"Here is- a machine that I saw abandoned at a late hour 
last night in the street. Of course, I have no use for 'it, and 
here it is. Will you take care of it?" 
The police send it to the pound, and if the owner is not 
heard from after a certain time a notice is sent to the person 
bringing it in, and he can then come and take it away. He 
has a safe title to the wheel, and can dispose of it or keep it, 
as he likes. 
Truly, a veneer of honesty is the best policy for the bicy- 
cle thief . 
When the bill defining the penalty for stealing a bicycle 
came up in the Massachusetts Legislature the other day, an 
enthusiastic member offered an amendment making the 
penalty imprisonment for life. This gentleman, no doubt, 
had a weather eye on the bicycle vote; but if the man wants 
to make himself truly popular with the wheelmen he will in- 
troduce a bill providing capital punishment for scorchers. 
B. Waters on a Wheel. 
The dog editor is wooing the fickle bicycle. He will be 
the ninth wheelman on the Forest and Stream force, pro- 
vided he survives and does not get in jail. He has just had 
his first experience on the street. 
From the standpoint of a^public rehearsal, it was a success, 
and spectators assert that his performance was very enter 
taining. In his repertory were included the grapevine 
twist and other specialties, such as riding up on the side- 
walk without dismounting, crawling through the frame of 
the wheel while in motion, getting off over the handle-bars, 
scratching his ear with one foot while balancing, etc. 
While in the midst of his performance a colored woman 
with two children essayed to cross the street, thinking that 
the rider was going in the opposite direction. 
At that moment, however, he tui'ned and swiftly bore 
down upon the youngest, his mother's particular pet, who 
was trailing behind. Johnnie gave a yell and tried to join 
his mother, but he was adroitly cut o'ff from the parental 
succor by an inshoot toward the curb, which gave the 
wheelman the inside track. 
"Hi there! Get out of the way," ejaculated the great dog 
writer, who was gritting his teeth and sawing at the handle 
bar. "You don't want me to run over you, do you?" 
The boy made a dash for the other side of the street, and 
his mother on the sidewalk turned the color of a bilious 
squash as she saw the bicycle turn and follow him. 
. Before the boy could gain the sidewalk the wheelman had 
gotten ahead of him, and he made another frantic turn to 
escape, but the wheel turned too Run which way he would 
the bicycle was on top of him, and every dodge and twist he 
made was duplicated. 
Finally Johnnie gave up, thinking he would rather be run 
over and die than endure the suspense. His mother gave a 
shriek and fainted. The bicycle still pointed at Johnnie, 
but when within about 6in. of his bare heels it abruptly 
came to a standstill, and its rider dismounted. 
"Johnnie," said the rider, "I am worse scared than you are. 
Let's call it even." 
In explainmg the incident afterward he explained that 
he had not been able to take his eyes off the boy, and that 
the bicycle had followed hij trail like a hound. "When I 
tried to back pedal," he added, "the thing went faster, but 
at the last it stopped of its own accord." 
He furthermore said that he didn't think he could dupli- 
cate the fancy curves he had made while chasing the boy for 
a $50 bill, and also that his next bicycle ride will not be in 
public. J. B, B, 
