The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1874-03-18
,Ulman's Educated Dog

-5 There are few erS on the Il
Harlem RAILROAD sv[i baye not
heard Of the educated dc cg a Scars &
dale Depot. His name is KnapT:
.Heis the property Of Mr. George y
Gilman, fhe station master Knapp
is asshepherd dog, about ta@o feet
high and is covered viii Is dafk
brown shaggy coat Of fine han.
he was born in the Scotch High {
lands nearly four years ago. I'm
his infancy Knapp was imported at Is
considerable trouble by gentle q
man Of Scarsdale, who; bein1 ssTlsl
denly called 10 Europe shorty
|terward, gave him to Mt. Gilman
Noticing genius and intelllgenee in
Knapp, Mr.. Ullman beganto train
him, Now Knapp can perform
many wonderful feats. He has
been taught to assist his master In
the performance of his duties
around the depot. Knapp has
learned to tell by the clock when a
train is due; and at night when
the hands point tothe proper hour
Knapp takes a lantern in his mouth
and stands on the platform with the
light guiding the engineer to the
stopping place, Knapp knows an
express train from a mail train. aud
a mail train from a. way train.
In the day time when Il train ap-
proaches the station and the track
is clear, Knapp shows a. white
flag, which signifies all is well.
Not many days ago Knapp APP
peared with the white flag ;as an
express train hove III sight, but see
ing two small children going down
the wagon road ignorant Of the
approach of any train, he saw that
the children would reach tie cross
ing simultaneously with the train;
he dropped the white flag, and
seizing the red flag in his mouth,
he darted toward the crossing. The
engineer saw the red flag and shut
of: steam before the animal reach
ed the children. Arrived at the
crossing he stood there and pre-
vented the train from passing until,
the children were safely over the
track; then he laid the flag down
and the train went on. 49,.
On another occasion Knapp
snatched a child from in front of
way train just asit was stopping at
the depot. The child'sz clothing
was torn by the wheels Of the loco
motive, so narrowly had it escaped
death.
Knapp consults the clock every
day for the arrival of the mail
trains. A few moments before the
malls due Knapp stations himself
at the mail rack, and when; the
bag is thrown from the car he car
rics it to the post-otfice, and if it
contains any letters for his master
lie takes them back to him.
When freight trains begin to
switch cars at the depot Knapp al
ways takes red flag and trots up
or down the track, as the case may
be, and flags any train that heaves
in sight. Knapp always keeps his
position faithfully until called IN
| by signals, just as any other flag
man is. Engineers all know Knapp
and faithfully act upon his signals.
After the departure Of freight
trains Knapp often walks down
the track and carefully examines
| the switches to see that the brake
men have left them all right. Sat
islied that no biunders have been
made, he walks back to the depot,
and if the clock shows him that he
has few leisure moments he sig
nifes to his master a desire for a
.pipe. Mr.. Ullman has taught him
to smoke, and he always keeps
Knapp's pipe ready for lighting
when he calls for it. The pipe be-
ling lighted, the animal sits on a
chair and smokes with as much
apparent ease and comfort. as his
master. -
Mr.. .Ullman is a good musician.
lie has a piano in the ladies room
of the depot, and often performs on
it. Knapp has been taught to sing
or whine the tune which Mr.. Ull-
men plays. The dog perches him
self on a chair beside his master
with his fore feet on the piano
frame, and accurately turns the
sheets of music with his tongue.
Knapp can waltz, dance schot-
! tischc or polka as we'll as any
one can on four legs.
Of late some Of the mischievous
brakemen have thrown snow-balIs
at Knapp just as the train started,
or have made ugly faces or stamp,
cd their feet at him. He seeming
tly took no notice of these insults
but on Monday one Of the brake
men went into the depot to get
drink of water. When he started
out Knapp stood in the door and
would not allow him to move. Lie
made q movement as though about
to administer a kick, and Knapp
opened his mouth and uttered a
growl, which convinced the brake
man that such proceeding would
H. ,1o,,,.o,o,s Knann kent EiY