Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1874-12-29
A Remarkable Animai.Tra,ner.

In the year OF 1921, in Perth, Scotland,
was born the most remarkable animal
trainer in the world His name was
Bisset, and in early life he became a
journeyman shoemaker; but having a
great fondness and faculty for managing
animals, he soon gave himself up entirely
to this occupation His first success
with educating brutes was with a horse
aud dog, whom he taught to perform
many curious feats. He next tried his
skill on couple of monkeys, who soon
learned to dance on rope, drink to the
company, ride and leap on the backs Of
horses, and go through intricate dances
with their equally accomplished compan-
ion the dog. Three young cats were the
succeeding subjects Of Bissets tuition,
and these were instructed to play upon
dulcimers, apparently reading from mn-
sic-books before them, while they squall-
I'd vocal accompaniment in three dif-
ferent keys, or tones, producing alto
gether chorus whose piercing effect the
musical may perhaps imagine.
The fame of Bisset's learned animals
spread rapidly, and he was finally in
duced to exhibit them in London. A
place in the hay market was secured and
the Cats Opera" advertised. Crowded
houses responded to the advertisement;
and the horse, the dog, the monkeys and
the cats went through their respective
parts amid great applause. In brief
time the skillful trainer found himself
in possession of $1,000 as the reward of
his novel enterprise.
Encouraged by this success, Bisset
sought other pupils in the animal king
dom. Among these was aleveret, which
he taught to beat the time of several
marches with his hind legs. Canary
birds, linnets and sparrows caught the
trick of distinguishing the hours and
minutes of the day, and of spelling the
name of any person in their audience.
Six turkey cocks were made to 90
through country dance; and. in sim
gle months time, turtle learned to
letch and carry like dog. A gold fish
came to the surface at his call, and fed
from his hand, and answered in various
other interesting ways Bissetts call
upon its intelligence.
At length the master brought his
ingenuity to bear on that most obstinate
Of all animals, the pig. He nearly met
his match this time; but, after a patient
discipline Of twelve month, gentleman
piggy was rendered docile as spaniel,
and oheyed his teachers every com
mand This sapient creature could spell,
cast up accounts, tell the time of day,
kneel and make oheisance to the specta.
tors, and otherwise conduct himself like
a gentleman of parts. But such extra
ordinary porcine wisdom could be ac.
cepted as natural phenomenon by the |
ignorance Of the age in which it dwelt, |
and it began to be whispered that Bis
set, who taught animals to dc all but
speak, was in league with the devil |
This was enough to rouse the spirit Of
persecution; and one night, while the
learned pig was exhibiting his tricks in |
Banelagh, Ireland, the mob headed by a |
stupid official, broke into the room, de.
stroyed the apparatus with which Bisset
worked, and assaulted him and his pig |
so virulently that they barely escaped |
with their lives. This event was followed |
soon after by the death of Bisset; but
whether the odiam that fell upon him as
a suspected necromancer had anything |
to do with his demise, our informant does
not tell.