The Republican journal., 1871-11-23
A Dog and Cat Story Remarkable
Sagacity.
From the Boston Herald, Nov. 6. !

Mr. Edward Watts, a well known citi-
zen residing at No. % Harvard street.
tells a very remarkable story about pair
of English bull terriers that he owns and
prizes very highly. He says, and officer
Coombs of the 4th Station vouches for the
truth of the story, that one day last week
Portland street, a good mile, for the pur-
Portland street with the dogs, he met the
man he wished to see on the sidewalk
and there paid the bill, at the time drop
ping $50 bill on the curb-stone, though
he knew nothing about it till his arrival
home, some two hours afterward, and Of
ter calling at several places on his way
home. Finding this 500 bill gone, he took
his dogs and started back, calling at the
places he visited on his way home. On
reaching Sudbury street he called his dog
jess" showed him $40 bill. looked
about on the ground as if hunting for it,
and told the dog TO "smell it out" The
dog then started off with his nose to the
ground in front of his master, and push
ing round into Portland street, where they
had been before, and where the bill was
paid, he stopped, poked about the dirt
with his nose, and in few minutes ran
up to his master with the lost $40 bill in
his mouth. That looks like a very tough
story, but if truthful men are to be beiiev-
ed, then is this story true. That dog jess
should be commissioned as detective.
And here's another story about a cat,
equally if not more remarkable. 1t is re-
lated to our reporter by Sergt Croker,
OF the 9th station, an old and truthful
officer, who was an eyewitness to the
whole transaction. He says that some
weeks ago he was visiting family at
Plymouth, who were proud of a large,
double-toed cat that had been in the fami-
ly for many years and raised several litters
OF kittens. When last confined she gave
birth only to one ''puny, dwarfish, sckly
and good-for-nothing little kitten" But
she tended it carefully for some six weeks,
when the family expressed a desire to get
rid OF it, the kitten all this time being
housed in a flour barrel out in the shed
One night after supper, and while the old
cat was costly lying down on the hearth
stone, the subject of killing the kitten was
broached, the Sergeant being solicited to
kill it. No, he did not care to do it, but
remarked that his son George would be
there the next day at noon and that he
would kill it. Well, George came as ex-
pected, the next noon In the mean time
the old cat had not been seen since the
night before. At the dinner table the
slaughter Of the kitten was spoken of
again, and dinner being over, George
went after it, but soon returned saying
that there was no kitten in the barrel.
This created great surprise and all hands
went out to look, but no kitten could be
found. A careful search was then made
and in short time the old cat and the
puny kitten were discovered in box up
in a loft ten feet above the floor where the
barrel stood. They were taken down,
and when George went to put his hand
on the head of the old cat to pat her, she
gave him a slap with one Of her fore
paws, sinking her claws clear into the
bone. If that is what you call instinct,
where does reason begin?