The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1873-08-22

Amazing Performance OF French Dogs.
The surprising intelligence Of pair OF
dogs owned by NJ. Rouil, Is related In
Or Dso1sb animals; A large table was
placed In the center Of the room, aud on
II were laid some cards on which the let
tiers of the alphabet were printed In large
capitals. NJ. Rouil then told Blanche TO
spell .troDsags (cheese). She Immediately
picked out an +, X, and o, and then
seemed TO hesitate. You only give W.
three letters; there are seven," said Nj.
Rouil. Blanche then found M, A, q, Il,
and the word was complete.
She then performed the remarkable feat
OF correcting mistake in photography.
Mr.. Hamerton wrote the word niesorl on
the slate instead of maison (house), and,
on being asked where the error was,
Blanche pointed TO the letter " f." and
then picked out an Az and an ~.
In spite of her success, the animal
seemed TO accomplish her work with con-
siderable effort. and made sounds Of COM
plant. The authority of her master, al
though exercised with great gentleness,
seemed irresistible as that of a magnetzer
over his subject. Perceivng this, Mr..
Hamerton suggested giving her rest
and she was allowed to retire to a corner
and enjoy some bonbons, while LYDIA took
her place on the table. Some numbers
were now substituted for the letters of the
alphabet. Several problems were written
on the slate, which LYDIA apparently
solved without difficulty.
Her master then proposed trying lit
tie mental arithmetic, and said, " If you
had ten pieces of sugar, and met ten Prus-
sian dogs, how many pieces would you, a
II II. "a .txT.a .al. gIAra
LYDIA replied TO this question by point
ing out the zero with great energy.
" And how" said the master. " If you
were TO share with me % LYDIA took the
figure 3 and gave 1t to him. NJ. Rouil
then went out for a moment, while MIR.
Hamerton asked the dog for several
numbers successfully, which she brought
without the slightest hesitation.
Blanche then came forward, and pack
of playing cards was spread on the table,
NJ. Rouil holding another pack In his
hand. and asking the company to choose a
card from il. Without making any mis-
take. Blanche Immediately brought the
corresponding card from the pack on the
table.
She then played game of cards with a
young lady, and was beaten, after which
she took refuge in corner, with an air of
deep humiliation.
The most surprising feat of all came
next. A pack of cards was spread in the
next room, and the door nearly closed.
Nj. Rouil told one of the guests to ask the
dog, in whisper, to fetch any card he
called for. Blanche went in search of it,
and Immediately returned with the right
card In her mouth.
Mr.. Hamerton himself then examined
the dog again in her literary acquire
ments, and she translate the word chen
(dog) into English, and spelt the word feu
(fire) without difficulty; but at this point
Nj. Rouil interposed, and said gently,
THAT Is very well for the singular, now
give US the plural" Wonderful as it
seems, Blanche at once picked out the let
ter K, and gave it TO Hamerton.
This account is almost incredible, but
the facts are vouched for by Mr.. Hamer-
ton, who, however, offers no satisfactory
explanation of them. " Ii the dogs had
been less clever" he says, "we might
have believed in their actual knowledge !;
but they really knew too much. Being
convinced that there was some communi-
cation between them and their master,
had invited several very intelligent friends
To be present, telling them that my object
and asking their assistance. They watch
ed as closely as did, but could discover
nothing" During many of the perform
ances VI. Rouil stood before the fireplace
at some distance from the dogs. and made
no motion with either feet or hands. nor
did he advance or retreat single step.
There could, therefore be no communion
ton through the motions Of his body.
The dogs performed equally well when
their backs were turned TO their master,
which forbids the supposition that they
were guided by his eye. And the tones
of his voice, though encouraging and ex-
citing, as If he were speaking TO child,
revealed nothing that could be interpret
ed as method of communication. The
only supposition left was that the dogs
might be guided by the sense of smell !;
but. as NJ. Rouil stood at some distance
from the table, and could not have known
beforehand, what words would be called
for, 1t was impossible that he should have
touched the cards in any way TO guide the
dogs by the scent. The whole perform
aace s. ems inexplicable.