Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1875-06-10
sympathy and Friendship Among Ami
mails.

~~A1S aAO oIt6n hlnu 10 taCu
sympathizing under difficulties, and help
ing their friends who need assistance
One of my friends is great admirer of
cats and their disposition, and has noted
many of their ways. One of her cats
was rather weak animal, and was IN
able to carry her kittens about after the
manner of cats. So, when she wished to
carry her kittens from one place to an
other, she was accustomed to impress
stronger cat into her service, she walking
py the side of her friend IN order to act
as guide.
Another of the cats, when oppressed
with the cares of family did exactly
what human mother does when she can
afford it. She employed nurse-maid,
.. e., she broughta half grown kitten, and
placed it in charge of her young while
she went for ramble
In Hardwicke's Science Gossip, which
is really treasure-house of information
for those who know how to use it, are
many anecdotes of sympathy between
animals. One of these anecdotes shows
reason as well as sympathy in the COM
| mon weasel.
A clergyman was driving along the
road near Basingstoke, when his horse
! trod on weasel, which could not get out
of the way in time. The little animal
was paralyZed, it's spine seeming to be
broken, SO that it could not move its
hind legs. Presently another weasel
came out of the roadside, went up to the
injured animal, and, after carefully in
specting the invalid, picked it up and
carried it to the side of the road, where
it would not be endangered by traffic.
The hereditary enmity between cat
and dog is proVerbial; and yet, when in
| good hands, they are sure to become
very loving friends and even to show
considerable sympathy with each other,
Here is case in which the animals had
but the slightest passing acquaintance
with each other:
Compassion was shown in the follow
ing case. A poor little cat was lying
very ill by the kitchen fire; another cat
came inquiringly up. A Scotch terrier
| belonging to the house in which we
were then lodging and therefore COM
parative stranger to the invalid) imme-
diately jumped off chair and silently
but firmly turned it back, as if to say,
You must not disturb her. He also
| turned back in the same manner our own
| large dog"
Many years ago my mother had cat
and dog; and when the cat had kittens
the dog, terrier, would take charge of
them for an hour at a time, and no one
dared touch them. Although at other
times he was gentle he then snarled al
all corners. Directly the mother reap
peared Fly walked off and resigned
his charge"
A gentleman living in Edinburgh has
just sent me this remarkable anecdote of
sympathy in a dog, showing how wide
can be dogs sympathies md how clev-
erly he can carry them into effect:
q once gave spaniel, called Jack,
to farmer friend in the neighborhood
of the city. Jacks kennel was placed in
the farm-yard where the poultry were
daily fed. Among them happened to be
a poor, unfortunate, unpopular cock
which was not allowed to have a share
of what was going, but was punished Sc
verely whenever he made an attempt tc
get any food.
"Jack somehow observed this, and
feeling sympathy for the poor bird, was
seen daily to leave some of his food, tC
carry the bicker' which contained it into
his kennel, and wait there until all the
poultry were gone. He would then take
his bicker outside, put it down where
the cock could get it, and stand on watch
all the time in order to protect him
Sometimes he would leave the bicker in
side the kennel, and, if the bird were
near at hand, he would go round about
him until he got him into the kennel sc
that he might take his food without be.
ing disturbed.
C / regret to say that Jack is now dead
but he was dog of more than ordinary
canine parts, for he exhibited a sagacity
and sympathy toward that sadly-tor-
men ted bird which showed that he was
an animal of rare stamp and far above
his fellows"
[ hope that the reader will appreciate
the character of this dog as it deserves
and see how he displayed virtues of
which any human being might be proud
There is compassion for sufferings IN
justly inflicted upon fellow being, and
a determination to redress them. Then
there is self-denial in depriving himself
Of his food, generosity in giving it away,
and high reasoning power as exemplified
Dy the various means employed in man
aging that the poor, prosecuted bird
should have its food in peace, undis-
turbed by its heartless fellows.
The end of this strange friendship was
very remarkable.
The ill-usage of the other birds still
continued, and at last the cock was &C
customed regularly to take refuge in the
dogs kennel. Probably from the per
petual bullying which he endured, he
fell i'll, and one morning was found dead
in the kennel, lying closely pressed to his
only friend