St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1874-04-24
Ullman's Educated Dog.

UllmanS S Educated Dog.
There are few travellers on the Har
lem Railroad who have not heard of the
educated dog at Sclr>lalc depot. His
name i Knapp. He Is the property of
MI Geo. I'llman. the station master.
Knapp is shepherd dog. and about
two feet high. and is covered with II
dark brown coat of tine hair He was
born in the Scotch Highlands nearly
four years ago. In his infancy Knapp
was imported at considerable trouble
10y gentleman of Sear>dalc. who.
being suddenly called to Europe short
ly afterwards gave him tn Mr.. Cllman.
Noticing genius and intelligence i'll
Knapp. Mr. Ullman began to train him.
Now Knapp can perform many Won
dcrtul icat>. He has been taught to AS
>iSt his master i'll the performance of
his duties around the depot. Knapp
has learned to tell 10y the clock when
a train is due and at night when the
hands point 10 the proper hour Knapp
takes Il lantern in his mouth and stands
on the ulattorm with the light guiding
the engineer to the stopping place.
Knapp knows an express tlain from a
mail train. and Il mail train from a way
train. In the day time when an ex-
press train approaches the station ard
the track is clear. Knapp shows white
flag which signifies all is well.
Not many days ago Knapp appeared
with the white tlag l> an express train
hove in sight. hut seeing two snail
children going down the wagon road
ignorant "f the approaching train. he
SIM that the childirn would reach the
cIu>>ing Simultun, ou>ly with the train.
Knapp dropped the white tiagg aud
~cizimg Il red tiag in his mouth, hc dart
rd tow ard the crossing. The engineer
SIM the flag and shut off steam before
the animal reached the children. Al
rived at the crossing. he stood there and
prevented the train passing until the
children were safely across the track F.;
then he laid the flag down and the
train went on.
On another occasion Knapp snatChetl
a child from in front of 4 way train inst
IL it WAS stopping at the depot. The
child'> clothing was torn 10y The wheels
of the locomotive 50 narrowly had ii
escaped death.
Knapp conSlIltS the clock every day
fOr the arrival of the mail train. \ few
moments before the mail train iS due
Knapp stations himself at the mail
rack. and when the bag is thrown from
the car he carries il to the po>t-ot1ice.
and if it contains any letters for his
: master h" takes them back To him.
When freight trains begin To switch
t cars at til" depot. Knapp always takes
red flag and trots up OF down the
track. as the case may he. and flag,
any train ihut br1NpS in Siuht Ennpr
. always keeps his position faithfully I'M
til called i'll 10y signals. Just as any 9th
er tagman is. Engineers all know
t Knapp. and faithfully act upon his sig
mails. After the departure of treigh
: trains Knapp often walks down tn,
+ track and carefully examines til,
: switches to see that the breakmel
| have left them right. Satisfied that n'
, biunderS nave been made. he walk
back I" the depot. and If the clori
shows that he has il few leisure mo
ments he signifies to his master his de
Srie for pipe. Nj. lllman has taugh
e him to smoke. and he always keep
{ knapp'S pipe ready tor lighting whel
=, he calls for 1t. The pipe being Lighted
the animal sits on chair and smoke
with as much apparent ease and com
tort as his master
Mr. Imam Is good musician li'
mas piano III the ladleS room OF tn'
uep"t' ana he often performs on II
! hhaPP mas neeh !a"Ght I" sing
' Mhlhe ,he tunes "hirn he pays. NJ
; uoS oittii Per'neS ni,iiseii Oh chai
u the piano frame, and accurately turn
J. Tue I sleets "i music WIN MS tongue