The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1879-02-06
OUR STORY TELLER
SOME SHORT STORIES ABoUrDoGs

HNOAs NAs AGA<6L<ss
sOMEsH0RT STORIES ABOUT DOGS.
80 lr.F detroit Free Press.1 @A
Not only, dogs formerly used to pro-
cure food by hunting other animals, but
they were used by the Romans and
Greeks in war so that the phrase, "dogs
of war;" is literal as we'll as fig
urative. Caesar employed them in his
army, and 30 did some of the wild tribes
which the Romans fought. When Ma
RUS, the Roman general, had defeated
the Cimbri, the dogs and the women
defended their baggage so savagely that
he was forced to fight another battle in
p order TO get possession of it. The dogs
thus employed were very savage and not
> only pursued the fugitives of defeated
armies but were sent after deserters.
The citadel of Corinth, when besieged,
was defended at night by band of
about fifty dogs. The garrison felt SO
secure that one night they all went to
sleep, leaving the dogs on duty. The
enemy attacked the canine sentinels
Like Napeleon's old guard at Waterloo,
they fought until there was only one
survivor. Finding himself alone, this
animal retreated and alarmed the garri-
son, who came out and drove off the
enemy. The senate voted him a silver
- collar with the inscription upon it, I" the
savior and deliverer of Corinth," and a
monument was erected to the dogs on
the spot where they fell, with the names
4 OF tal Of them gscuiptured upon the
stones. In those times war dogs were
armed with spikedv eotlars, and some
! times with coats of mail.
-H Hounds were used in armies until a
comparatively recent period. The Earl
OK Essex, Queen Elizabeth's favorite,
had eight hundred of them during his
campaign in ,Ireland. They were fire.
gquently employed on the Scottish bor-
der to catch thieves, marauders, MUIR
derers and cattle stealers, and Robert
Bruce had fine one which his enemy,
Lord of Lorne, stole from him, and used
TO track and betray his former master
Bruce escaped by the well known device
ofcrossing a stream and breaking the
scent HNsA N RAE1@
Acteon and his hounds are frequently
referred to, especially when poiiti-
cians. want to show their opponents
schemes have destroyed those who
@ devised them. Acteon was famous
hunter, and one day played /" Peeping
Tom' when Diana was taking a bath in
"A astrearn, and was not exactly prepared
70 receive callers. So she prayed Jupi.
ter to turn him into a'stag to pay hin
FOR his impudence, and his own hounds
few at him, not RECOGNIZING Him in hi
new /" coat and his additionalhorn fol
they'd been in the habit Of seeing him
carry only one when out hunting. They
made square meal of him. If we may
trust the Latin poet Ovidps description
of Actions pack, it would be despiseC
now-a-daysby breeders and masters O
the hounds. 1t was very mixed lot
There were thirty-six in the pack
Some were :" barking dogs" som,
quick-scented," some" " strong" some
pc savage" of dozen different breeds
some "useful with their feet" som
with their nostrils;" one sprang from
wolf, another would spring at one, an
other formerly followed cattle; one ha'
snow white hair, another was Jet black
some were shaggy and some wer
oa But modern breeders of dogs are no
the only people who put a high price OF
them. In Guiana the Tumura Indian
take great care with their dogs, and the,
are extensively bought and sold. i
rr price OF good one is,equal to that of
:, wife. In South Africa the Damara
will give two oxen for good dog. Th
Fuegians will, when famished, kill thei
or old women for food rather than sthei
dogs" old women no use; dogs cato
otters.p so that dogs may be said t
bring according to what they can fetch
Climate modifes the character of dog
Y as well as of men,. The English bul
dog on its arrival in India can pin dow
an elephant by Its trunk, but in two O
three generations will fall of, lose hi
pluck and ferocity, the form of his lowe
jaws will change, he willhave a fine
muzzle and lighter body. .,;
The Jealousy of dogs is notoriou:
Some OF them, especially household pet'
will show great dislike for youn
~ children who come in to share tn
ii affection or caresses of their master o
mistress. One dog began droopingy upo
The advent Of baby, refused food an
- died Of starvation, or, rather, suicide
A fierce dogin Paris rsullenly endure
-. the presence OF, child six years, an
then, as IL his pent-up feelings could n
longer endure the rage and envy with
him, he. found his,way to the bed room
where the mother was undressing I'll
"a child seized itand tore it to pieces b
- = fore the unhappy woman could rescue
=. - Dogs have been taught to speak.
'sst, French dog could call llintelligible wore
for tea, coffee, chocolate, etc, and dc
81 Of a young peasant boy in sSaxony W;
"a taught 70 repeat thirty words. Tv
famous italian dogs, Fidelio an
49, Blanche, were,taught to spell three hu
dred words by means of a printt
alphabet en- cards, to do sums in arit
metic, and to play a game of cards,
gether. Monsignore Capel, of Englan
1t is said, hasa dog which will salu
Z 80 the portrait Of the Pope and turn h
-. back on Bismarck, while o dog in Ne
England was taught during the war
howl and gnash his teeth at the wol
80 rebellion and jump and swag Ihis ia
when the Union was mentioned.
Dogs have given so many proofs
4 their ability toresson and 10 show sig
of remorse, shame and sehsitiveness
ridicule, that no oneionger disputes the
: i capacity. A dog in Paris, being fr
quently sent with note by his mast
70 get meat at the butchers, one ds
conceived the idea of obtaining some
his own account. He therefore pick
up piece of paper and carried it to Il
butcher, and was apparently 80 asham