American citizen., 1875-03-27
Dog Intelligence.

= Scotch gentleman has kindly for
awarded to me the two accompanying sto
| ries, which illustrate the wonderful ca
pacitv enjoyed by many dogs of under
| standing even the minutest of their mas
ters' language:
| " A son-in-law Of mine, an extensive
sheep farmer in Berwickshire, Mr.. c.
of c. had colly dog, Sweep one
of heTery best of his kind. When, on
account of old age, he became unfit for
| his ordinary work, he was used for tax
ing out and bringing in the cattle from
the parks. He generally lay before the
kitchen fire, and, when milking time
came, all that was required was to say,
Sweep, go for the cows when he would
at once get up and go for them, bringing
| them up to the byre without any assist
ance whatever.
"1t sometimes happened that he would
| leave COW behind in the field but
| whenever he was told so he would again
start off, pick out the COW from the young
cattle, and take her to the byre with the
rest. ! regret to say that poor Sweep is
dead; without any premonitory symptoms
of illness he was found lying cold and
stiff one morning in front of the shep-
herds house.
"Some time about the beginning of
the century there lived on Clint's farm
a man of the name of Baidie Tait,'
noted sheep-stealer. He had colly as
accomplished thief as himself, and
there are those still alive who have
known him to direct his dog to go to
Heriot Muir, distance of several miles,
to pick out the best sheep he could get,
take them to Hanging-shaw,a wayside
public-house on the high-road to Edin-
burgh, and remain with them till Baldie
should come, when they were driven to
Edinburgh and sold.
"Baldie had become so notorious in
his unlawful calling that a warrant was
issued for his apprehension. On the
day on which he heard of this he went
to a sale of farm stock at place called
Muircleuch, near Louder. He and
his dog were well known; and Baldie,
knowing how to improve the occasion,
put up the dog to be sold by auction. got
ten pounds for it and decamped at once
not a minute too soon, for in short
time the minions of the law were on his
track, but they were too late
On receiving this account i wrote to
the narrator, expressing my surprise that
even so great a rascal as Baldie should
have parted with his dog l found, how
ever, that selling the dog was a way he
had when he wanted money; for by
some means unknown he always got the
animal back again.
me with brief history of a dog which
understood and obeyed the orders of its
master:
Not many years ago there lived in
Edinburgh a drunken, shiftless mole
catcher of the name of Hastie. Like
most of his trade, he was very fond of
dogs, especially terriers; and he had one
which he loved above all others, calling
her his blessed Susie
ho Oft Of ho
larly attributed to the jackal, and pro-
vide her master with food. When, as
often happened, Hastie was in straits
for food and had no money he would go
past d butchers shop, point to piece of
meat and say quietly, Susie, l want
that He then went on his way and in a
few minutes the meat was sure to be in
his possession.
"Time wore on, and, as everything NOR
tai must have an end, poor Susie became
sick unto death The last heard of the
poor waif was that he was seen with the
dying object of his affection in his arms,
hugging her and pressing her to his
heart. The man was weeping Ike
child and dreading the swittly-coming
moment when he and his beloved Susie
were to be parted"
There really must have been IA sub
stratum of good in this poor, dissipated
man, or he never could have cherished
or inspired so sincere love
give the following story in the words
of the gentleman who kindly sent it to
me:
my grandfather. MIR. H, of Gil
christcleugh, in Lanarkshire, possessed
IA tch-dog of the name of Help who
who was usually kept chained up. For
some time repeated losses had taken place
among the sheep, some of which were
found torn and mangled, but only par
TALLY. if at ALL devoured Every effort
to trace the secret enemy proved in vain
At last while Mr.. H was walking one
day on the banks of little river which
flowed at the foot of the pasture hill his
attention was attracted by seeing his
dog, which he supposed to be safely
chained near the house, running down
the hill.
''As the dog drew near it was seen
with blood. My grandfather concealed
himself SO that he might watch unob
served what would follow. The dog
walked into the river, dipped his face in
the water and shook his head backward
and forward, until he thought all traces
of his guilt were removed He then came
out at the side next the house, toward
which he proceeded, his master following
at little distance. The dog went to his
kcnnel, ana, WIFI tHc Hcip Oh ms paws,
put on his collar, which was lying with
the chain on the ground.
"My grandfather walked up to him
and said: Help, my poor fellow, there
is no help for YOU He then went away, |
and gave the necessary orders for the
dogs execution. But when the servant
came to lead him to his doom the collar
was once more emp'y, and Help was
never more heard of in the county"
1t is plain that the dog must have per
fectly understood the meaning, if not
the exact words, of his masters speech.
No reproaches had been used; hut he
felt himself detected, and understood
that he would have to suffer for his crime
if he did not abscond.-Yaipe,'s Weekly.