The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1877-01-18
noticed
gentleman

on one occasion, instead of running
! down to the river, he went Off to the
| proprietor of the stand for cleaning
| boots, at the other end Of the bridge,
who received him very cordially. The
truth then for the first time dawned on
him, that the little animal belonged TO
the man who cleaned the boots, and
was trained by him to perform these
mischievous deeds, for the purpose of
bringing in custom. Being very fond
of dogs, the Englishman resolved to
purchase this clever little fellow, and
bring him back to England with him.
| When, however, he went to the dogs
master, that person at first denied any
connection with him, and only admit
ted the ownership when he was perfect
ly satisfied that his interrogation had no
connection with the police. For soma
time also he refused to part with the
poodle, saying that no money could
pay him for the loss of his deg, who
really made his living for him. Tempt
ed, however, by very high price, he
at last consented to sell the dog; and
the gentleman, a few day afGerwa"d,
brought him over to England, travelling
via Boulogne to Fokstone His resi-
dence in England was some thirty or
forty miles from Folkstone, and to this
place he brought his little purchase.
He had not been many days in his new
| home, however, when the little French
! poodle suddenly disappeared Search
was made for him everywhere, but to
no effect. His new master offered a re-
| nrI
suit; and he had at last made up his
mind that the little fellow had been
either poisoned or stolen, when one
morning, about six weeks after his mys
FERROUS disappearance, the gentleman
received letter from friend in Paris
telling him that his dog WIS back again
there, and at his old trade of soiling
boots in the interest of his former mas
ter. The little fellow, not liking he
dullness of a country life, had resolved
] to return to his former home, and had
made his way to Folkstone; there, as
the gentleman afterwards ascertained,
he had got on q steamer going to Bou
logne, an from Boulogne had found
his way back to Paris.
Of the foregoing three stories the first
two are probably even more remarkable
than the last. The last Except as to
the dogs finding its way back to Paris)
illustrates only the possibility of de-
veloping in a dog, by the training of
its natural intelligence, an almost hui
man 'ingen lity. But it is by Installing
into the dog the intelligence of a high her
being that this skill is engendered. The
spring of the intelligence is in the train
er, and it is to attain an object which
the higher being, and not the lower, has
in view. But in the first two cases the
whole process is the dogs; the object
to be secured, namely, revenge,
is what the dog himself seeks,
and the means by which that OBJ
ject is to be attained are devised
and carried out by the instinct of the
dog. That dog should harbor re-
venge is, of course, not very wonder
full fact; but there is calm reflection
aud cool calculation displayed in the
first two cases above given, which make
them somewhat peculiar. If what we
call instinct in these animals embraces
powers SO very like reason; if they are
swayed by the same passions and af-
fections which move us, and they are
able to communicate to their fellows
the feelings which stir them, and the
external circumstances which bring
those feelings into play, the border-hne
between mans mental territory and
theirs becomes q little bit indefinite.