Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1874-01-07
Curious and Interesting.
From the Leeds Mercury.


It is a curious question whether ami
mails take notice of the events which
are passing around them, but which
nevertheless are apparently outside of
the sphere of their instinct. M. Theo-
phile Gautier, the well-known French
journalist and writer, has raised the
question in regard to the ANIMALS which
were in Paris during the siege; and he
brings forward several facts, which he
says fell under his own observation, to
prove that they not only took notice of
passing events, but regulated their
movements accordingly. He observes
that the dogs took notice, from the
very first day, of the abnormal con-
dition of Paris. The unusual move
ments of the inhabitants, the almost
universal change from civil to military
costume, the exercising of the
Mobiles and the National Guards
on the public parades, the con-
tinual sounding of the trumpet and
beating of drums, kept them con-
stantly excited and uneasy, and set
them rejecting. Some of them, refu-
gees from the suburbs with their mas
tiers, vis1bly lost their power of finding
their way about They hesitated In
the choice of streets, were uncertain of
the traces. scented their path, and at
every corner consulted some other dog
which lived IN the neighborhood.
These suburban dogs were scared at
the noise of passing vehicles, and ran
from them, while the city dogs scarce
ly took the trouble to get out Of the
way Of the wheels. g Every morning."
SAYS M. Gautier, 'tthere assembled be-
fore our door what appeared to be
council of dogs, presided over by
broad backed, bandy-legged, brown
and-yellow terrier. The other dogs
paid him great Difference, and listened
to him attentively. It was evident that
he spoke to them, not after the manner
of men, in an artlculate Ian
guage, but by very short
banks, varied mutterings, pursuing of
the lips, movements of the tail, and
expressive play of the physiognomy.
Every now and then a new conner
seemed to bring news and the council
commented on it, and after a while
DISPERSED This went on during the
first month or two of the siege, when
bread was plentiful, the stock of beef
was still considerable, and the dearness
of forage made horse-meat abundant.
The animals did not suffer then, but
soon things began to change, and their
rations began to diminish as those of
men did. The poor creatures could
not understand it, and gazed at their
owners with wondering eyes when their
meager pittance was placed before
them. They seemed to ask what they
had done to be so punished. Many
masters abandoned their dogs, not
having the courage to kill them and
these animals were to be seen at night
wandering like shadows, near the walls,
and trying to induce kind-looking per-
sons to have pity on them. M.
Gautier says he was continually
followed by them, they uttering faint
cries all the while, and sometimes
venturing to put their noses to his
hand. Soon they began to perceive
that people looked at them in a strange
manner, and under pretense OF caress-
ing, them, felt their flesh as butcher
would, to ascertain if they were in good
condition. The cats perceived this
sooner than the dogs did, and became
exceedingly cautious as to whom they
allowed to touch them on the least
quick movement they fed to the roof
or the cellar: but at length the dogs
'smelt rat, and ran away when any
one called or whistled to them. The
canine council, before mentioned, dl-
minished daily, and there soon remain
ed no one of it's members but the
dreaming terrier, who, however, was
only dreaming in appearance for in
reality he was always on his guard,
scenting danger affair off, and showing
his heels at the approach of any one at
all suspicious.
The Duchess of Aosta-the wife of
Amadeus, late of Spain-is very i'll.
When she left Madrid in haste, she
was, in travelling across Spain, exposed
to the cold January weather, and the