Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-12-04
Remarkable French Dogs.

L SOf2U I6CISC.
Remarkable French Dogs.
NJ. RoUIL, the owner of the dogs, had
been for ten years professor of an institu-
ton for deaf mutes, which suggested to
him the idea of trying to what point a
similar system of education could devel-
OPP the intelligence of dogs. He had also
had some experience as a prestidigitateur;
and these two professions combined to
render his exhibitions truly wonderful.
NJ. Rouil came by invitation to Mr.. Ham
erton's house, bringing with him two of
his dogs-Blanche, a poodle, and LYDIA, a
cross between a poodle and a spaniel. A
number Of guests were gathered to wit
ness the performance; and all agree in
co%rrOborating the statements of Mr..
HamertOn.
A large table was placed in the center
of the room; and On it were laid some
cards IN which the letters of the alpha
bet were printed in large capitals. M.
Rouil then told Blanche to spell from
age (cheese). She Immediately picked
out an F, an r, an 0, and then seemed to
hesitate. "You only gave us three letters;
there are ~seven,'' said NJ. Rouil.
Blanche then found M, A, G, E, and the
word was complete.
She was Their asked to translate; and
the word pferd (horse) was written in
German characters on a slate. Blanche
read it, or pretended to do so, and put
her paw OF the slate as a sign that she
understood. GIVE it to US in French"
said M. Rouil and the word cheUdt was
Immediately produced. Now in Eng
lish," and without hesitation she found
the letters for horse.
She then performed the remarkable feat
OF correcting a mistake in photography.
Mr.. HamertOn wrote the word meSon
on the slate instead of maasoa (house);
and, on being asked where the error
was, Blanche pointed to the letter
&C." and picked out al "a" and an
t."
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,
although exercised with great g%entleness,
seemed irresistible as that of a magneti-
ger over his subject. Perceiving this, Mr..
Hamerton suggested giving her a rest;
and she was allowed to retire to a corner
and enjoy some bonbons, while LYDIA
took her place on the table. Some num-
bers were now substituted for the letters
of the alphabet. Several problems were
written on the slate, which LYDIA appar-
emily solved without difficulty.
Her master then proposed trying a little
mental arithmetic, and said, LYDIA, if
you had ten pieces of sugar, and met ten
Prussian dogs, how many pieces would
you, a French dog, give to each Prus-
sian?" LYDIA replied to the question by
pointing out the zero with great energy.
And how" said her master, "if you
were to share with meg" LYDIA took the
figure five and gave it to him. NJ. Rouil
then went out for a moment, while Mr..
Hamerton asked the dog for several num-
bers successfully, which she brought
without the slightest hesitation.
Blanche then came forward, and a 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 it. Without making any
mistake, Blanche Immediately brought
the corresponding card from the pack on
the table.
She then played a game of cards with a
young lady, and was beaten; after which
she took refuge in a corner with an air OF
deep humiliation.
The most surprising feat of all came
next. A pack of cards was spread on the
floor in the next room, and the door
nearly closed. NJ. Rouil told one Of the
guests to ask the dog in a whisper to
fetch any card he choose to name. The
ace of spades was called for. Blanche
went in search of it, and Immediately
returned with the right card in her
| mouth.
MIR. Hamerton himself then examined
the dog again in her literary acquire
ments, and she translated the word chaen
dog into English; and spelt the word
teu (ire) without difficulty but at this
point NJ. Rouil interposed, and SAID
| gently, THAT is very we'll for the singu.
lar, now give us the plural" Wonderful
as it seems, Blanche at once picked
out the letter X, and gave it to Mr.. Ham.
ertOn.
This account is almost incredible; but
the facts are vouched for by Mr.. Hamer.
ton, who, however, offers no satisfactory
explanation of them. If the dogs had
been less clever" he says, eve might
have believed in their actual knowledge:
bat they really knew too much. Being
convinced that there was some cOmmuni.
cation between them and their master,
/ had invited several very intelligent
IL IN w NC plCsSHt, lSIilhS thtih IAd'
my object was to discover the system OF
NJ. Rouil, and asking their assistance
They watched as closely as l did, but
could discover nothing" During many
of the performances NJ. Rouil stood be-
fore the fireplace at some distance from
the dogs, and made no motion with either
feet or hands, no. did he advance or re-
treat a single step. There could there.
fore be no communication through the
motion of his body. The dogs performed
equally we'll 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 exciting, as if he were
| speaking to a child, revealed nothing that
could be interpreted as a method OF com
munication. 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 nave known beforehand what words
would be called for, it was impossible
that he should nave touched the cards in
any way to guide the dogs by the scent.
The whole performance seems inexpllca-
| ble.-Transkated for Orr Dumb Ananaals.
The almost incredible statement is
made by a correspondent of the London
Lancet, that in some of the manufacturing