The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1875-01-07
ANIMAL INTELLIGENCE.
Some More Remarkable Stories About
Horses. Dogs. Birds and Insects.
A CORRESPONDENT of the Chicago Tribune
AN INTELLIGENT MARE.

Some More Remarkable stories ABOUT
Horses. Dogs, Birds and insects'
A correspondent of the Chicago Tribune
tells this:
AN INTELLIGENT MARE.
"In the fall of 1861, we were;campaign-
ing in Southwestern Missouri and, on
very cold evening, it became my duty 10
relieve the chain of pickets in our front.
| started from camp with about seventy
mounted men, about an hour before dark;
made my circuit, dropping the new men
and taking up the old; and, when all had
been relieved, it had become quite dark,
and slight snow began to fall, and the
wind to increase in force. We were now
about mile and half from camp, If we
were to follow the picket-line till we struck
the road, but, in direct line. net more
than half to three-quarters Of mile; and,
wishing to get into quarters before the
storm became severe, | concluded to take
a short cut for home-whieh, like many
an attempted short cut, proved very long
one; for, after riding long enough TO have
gone several times the distance, it became
apparent that we did not know where we
were. and | was forced to acknowledge
that | was not very good leader. In
turn, several of my men, who thought
they could do better, tried to lead us; but
all to no purpose. 1t was now nearly III
O'Clock, showing and blowing Sgale, with
a fair prospect of our having to remain
out all night. | had noticed an unusual
fretfulness, and indisposition to submit to
my guidance, on the part of my mare !;
and it flashed upon my mind like an in
spiration perhaps she can take us 10
camp, We had dismounted in little
ravine and built a fire. L gave the order
to mount, and told the boys that L was
going to try Betsy, and see if she did not
know more than all of us. We moved out
of the ravine, and, after getting well out
on the prairie, | gave her the rein. As
soon as she realized her freedom, | found
her bearing off to the left, and in about ten
or fifteen minutes we saw fire, which, on
nearing it, proved to be the one we had
Just left. She showed no inclination to go
into the ravine, but skirted along the edge,
until she reached a narrow point. This
she leaped, and soon struck into brisk
trot; and, in twenty minutes more, we
were safe in camp, much to the joy OF al,
for it was feared that we had been pushed.
On several occasions, subsequently, test
ed Betsy's intelligence, and always with
the best of results. Once, having returned
at evening from a long scout, l found
formation only as to the direction the regi-
ment had taken. After about three hours
brisk ride. Betsy brought me, not only to
camp, but to my own company, and never
stopped till she stood in front of my tent"
TWO DOG STORIES.
A correspondent at Canandaigua, n. Y,
sends this to the Rochester Democrat:
About noon on Monday last, John
Dunphy, a respectable citizen of this place,
who was employed at Decker's blacksmith
shop, fell dead while engaged in sh0eing a
horse. Mr.. Dunphy was the 0wfler of a
small dog of the shepherd breed, between
which and his master a great attachment
existed. Every morning they both went
to the shop, and, while Mr.. Dunphy was
engaged at his work, the dog remained
playing around until ii O'Clock, at which
time he always returned home, and came
back with Mrs. Dunphy when she brought
her husband his dinner. Mrs. Dunphy
went back alone, and the dog stayed with
his master till his daily toll was ended.
The faithful animal followed his masters
remains home, and took up his place I'M
der table on which the corpse was laid.
All the while he kept up piteous whining.
After while, having been dislodged from
his position with great difficulty, he went
upstairs and stretched himself upon an
old coat which his lost friend was in the
habit of wearing while at work. Here he
continued to give expression to his grief
so loudly that they locked him up in
kennel in the yard, along with another
dog which always remained around the
house. Next day, when they brought him
food, he refused to partake of it. In fact
l,.,, Il 10 nf 10
any thing after the death of Mr.. Dunphy.
Yesterday he gnawed himself out of the
kennel and started for the blacksmith shop.
When he reached there he smelled around
the spot where his owner was in the habit
of working. After while he seemed to
realize that his kind old friend would new
er again stand in the same place that new
er again would he speak to him and pat
his shaggy head with affectionate fondnesS.
He then ran back to the house, and up on
the stoop in front of the door through
which his masters remains were carried
Here he gave utterance to his sorrow in
loud and mournful bowls, and fell dead as
suddenly, and in much the same manner
as his friend expired but two days before
The master died of heart disease, but who
can doubt that the dog died of broken
heart:"
This is from a correspondent of On
Dumb animals, at Newport, Il. l.:
"The owner of fine Newfoundland dog
was Boosting of his sagacity and watchtul'
ness, and among other things said to {
friend, You cannot take the smallest arti
Gle out of my house that the dog shall not
know of it, A bet was made on the mat
ter, and one evening, the two friends being
at tea, and the dog seemingly fast asleep
on the rug before the fire, the unbeliever
after time, slipped a teaspoon into his
pocket. The evening passed away and the
thing was forgotten by the biped part Of
the company. teaspoon, bet and all. Later
at night, the guest rose, bid his friend
goodbye, and went TO the front door, but
as he placed his hand on the lock, the
sleeping Argus stepped between, and
mildly but firmly forbade him to 60 out.
THE ANT.
f. NJ. Hale sends this to the Chicago
Tribune:
''In one of your late issues was an ac
| count of the wonderful intelligence of the
ants in South America. | think can con
tribute something to prove that the ants Of
this portion of our Continent possesses
equal intelligence. While rambling in the
woods on the shores of Lake Geneva, last
summer, discovered company of large
brown ants feasting on the crumbs left Of
picnic-dinner. Their repast was found
on stump, and the crumbs of cake were
in little depression half an incl
deep. The party probably numbered
fifty or more. In a spirit of mis-.
chievious investigation | dipped uT
in my hands a little water from the
lake, and poured it into the depression
where the ants were feasting. A general
rush for dry land followed, but all were
not nimble enough to escape. Several
were overwhelmed, and struggled for life
as any human would. A few of the
largest reached the shore but what was
my establishment when L observed that
those who had escaped, after shaking
! themselves, signaled to others, and both
boldly plunged into the miniature lake,
and, swimming to the rescue of their com
panions, seized and dragged them out OF
the water! Some seemed to recover i'm
mcdiately, and ran nimbly away. Others
were nearly drowned, and these were
rolled and shaken by their rescuers, just
as drowned men are sometimes treated in