"DOGGEREL."
A MINNESOTA correspondent empties the following anecdotes into the drawer of this "Memoranda." The apparently impossible feat described in the second one is not common, and therefore the rarity of the situation commends it to this department of this magazine, and will no doubt secure the sympathy of the reader. The correspondent says:
A few months ago S. and myself had occasion to make a trip up the Missouri. While waiting at Sioux City for a boat we saw some of those white Esquimaux dogs, and S. became possessed of the idea that it was necessary for his happiness that he should have one of the breed; so we hunted up the proprietor and opened negotiations. We found that he had none to spare a the time, but that he expected some puppies would be born to the world in a month or six weeks. That suited S. well enough, as he expected to return to Sioux City in about three months, and a bargain was struck.
Well, we came back; but S. had by that time got out of conceit of the dog, and did not want him. I insisted on his sticking to the bargain, and succeeded in getting him and the proprietor of the dogs together.
"Mr. W.," said I, "when we were here some three months ago, you promised to save for us an Esquimaux puppy. Were any born?"
"Oh, yaw; de buppies vas born."
"Well, have you got one for us?"
"Nein, I don't got any."
"Why, how is that? You remember you promised to save one."
"Well, mine vriend, I'll tell you how it vas," (confidentially and drawing close). "Now you see de buppy dog he live in de shtable mit de horse, [very pathetically] de horse he got step-ped on to de do-ag, and de do-ag he got di-ed." And thus it was that S. did not get his puppy; but I made him engage another.
While up the river I heard the following story, showing how an animal can rise when necessary superior to its nature:
"You see," said the narrator, "the beaver took to the water and the dog was after him. First the beaver was ahead and then the dog. It was tuck and nip whether the dog would catch the beaver, and nuck and tip whether the beaver would catch the dog. Finally the beaver got across the river and the dog had almost caught him, when, phit! up the beaver skun up a tree."
"But," said a bystander, "beavers can't climb trees."
"A beaver can't climb a tree? By gosh, he had to climb a tree, the dog was a crowdin' him so!"
