The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1874-03-25

rttmau.s Ed ucated pos'
Tbere are few TT avelers on the ii al,
,em Railroad who have not hearu %
the educated dog at ecarsdale "e =
not His name is Knapp. - ~ -
The property of Mr.. George 7 h.h"n lIan'
~ ~ s,aiion master. Knappls a shep-
Wv Snrd dog about two feet high, ana Is
.aS no.u with a dark-brown shaggy
coat of fine hair. He was porn IN ~
,be Scotch Highlands nearly loul
w. ~oors AGO. In his infancy Knapp
wse imported with considerable trpu- %
bIe bv a gentleman of Scarsdalg; S;l,,e WIZ,
being suddenly called to hu'SF a.
sborilv afterward, gave him 70 mi wi.
Trman Noticing genius ana a lhIo.,
ligence in Knapp, Mr., ,a llll,an noD S@r.
to train him. Now Knapp IIn I Ens
form many wonderful feats. ne has
hon tancbt TO assist his master 10
,Lo nerformance OF his duty around
the depot. Knapp has learned 10
tell bv the clock when tram !: uue'
and at night when the hands polht 70
tho nroner hour Knapp takes a IAN
tern in his mouth and stands on tDe
nlatform with the light guiding the
enrineerto to the stopping place, Knapp
Knows an express train from iiiaii
train and a mail train from way
train In the day time when an eA-
nress train approaches the station
and the track is clear Knapp shows
white flag, which signifies all Is We'll
Not MANY days ago Knapp ap-
neared with the white flag as az eX-
press train hove in sight, but seeing
Two small children going down the
wagon road ignorant of the approach
ofany train, be saw that the children
would reach the crossing simultane-
ouslv with the train. Knapp drop
ned the white flag and selz-
ing the red flag in hismouth, be dart
cd toward the crossing. The engl-
neer saw the red flag and shut on
steam before the animal reached the
children. Arrived at the crossing ne
stood there and prevented the tram
from passing until the children were
safely over the track; then he Land
the flag down and the train went on
On another occasion Knapp snatch
ed a child from in front Of a way
train lust as it was stopping at th'
depot. The child's clothing was tori
by the wheels Of the locomotive, 81
narrowly had it escaped death.
Knapp consults the clock ever,
dav for the arrival OF the mail trains
A few moments before the mail !
due Knapp stations himself at tn
mail rack. and when the bag isthrowl
from the car be carries it TO the post
Office. and.f it contains any letters To-
his master he takes them back to hlm
When freight trains begin to switci
cars at the depot Knapp always ia ke
red flag and trots up or down tn
track as the case may be, and nag
anv train that heaves in sight
Knapp always keeps his position
faithfully until called in by signals
Just as any other fagman is. Engl
neers all know Knapp, and faithfully
act upon his signals. After the de
parture of freight trains Knapp Otter
walks down the track and carefully
examines the switches to see tia
the brakemen have left them all right
Satisfied that no blunders have beer
made. he walks back to the depot
and if the clock shows him that h'
has a few leisure moments he slgnl
fies to his master a desire for a pipe
Mr.. Ullman has taught him to smoke
and he always keeps Knapp's pip'
ready for lighting when be calls ioI
it. The pipe being lighted, the ami
NAL sits on a chair and smokes witt
as much apparent ease s.his master
Mr.. Ullman is a good musician
lie has a piano in the ladies' room o
the depot, and often performs on II
Knapp has been taught to sing o
whine the tunes which Mr.. Ullma
plays. The dog often perches him
self on a chair besides his maste
with his fore feet on the piano frame
and accurately turns the sheets o
music with his tongue. Knapp cal
waltz, dance schottische or polka al
well as any one can on four legs.
OF late some of the 'mischlevoui
brakemen have thrown snow-balls a
Knapp Just as the trains started, o.
have made ugly faces or stamped
their feet al him. He seemingly
took nc notice of these insults, but on
Monday one of the brakemeE wen
into the depot to get drink of water
When he started out Knapp stood IL
the door and would not allow him tC
move. He made n movement a:
though about to deliver kick, anC
Knapp opened his mouth and uttered
growl. which convinced the brake
man that such a proceeding would be
dangerous. Knapp kept his prisoner
in the room until the train had gone
so far that the brakeman couldn't
catch it. and then releasing him
Knapp walked away as unconeerned
lv as though nothing unusual had oc-
cured.
Since that time the brakemen have
been exceedingly civil TO Knapp
but he treats them with lofty indiiler-
ence.
Planting Flower Beds.