62 
BREAKING A BIRD DOG 
pened but once, I must confess, for that 
splendid Pointer was almost unbeatable and 
he was in front of her on most of the points. 
Yet he showed his true class as a perfect 
gentleman when she found them first, and 
nobly did he back her. That was a moment 
to make an owner’s heart proud—when the 
little red dog stood in front, with the liver 
and white Pointer right behind her, gladly 
paying magnificent honor to her nose—the 
most perfect tribute that a bird dog can give. 
I was unable to get away for the opening 
day of the pheasant season but four of us 
were in the fields at sunrise the second day 
and hunted ragweeds that were almost up 
to our shoulders in spots and never lower 
than the waist. Byrd was not accustomed 
to pheasants and at first a number of them 
flushed out ahead of her, as they will do so 
often; but in the course of the day she was 
able to bring two of them to a dead stand 
and pointed beautifully. I am glad to say 
that both of these birds went into the game 
bag and it was a great inspiration to her thus 
to be rewarded when she made her points. 
One of these birds fell stone dead and we 
