Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-11-19

without startling them. Tom started out by
driving five sheep down the inside track, and
about midway his master gave an exhibition
of his sagacity. The sheep were kept in a
compact body, and taken bither and thither
at the command of the shepherd. After
showing how perfectly Tom understood what
was required of him, his master ordered him
to bring the flock to a stand, which was done
near the western end Of the track. Then the
sagacious brute was ordered to 20 to the pen
nearest the building and bring out five more
sheep, which command he executed beauti-
fully, and drove them TO where the other five
were standing. The flock of ten was then
driven around the track, and Toms master
put him through a variety of performances,
proving that he had entire control of the
sheep. Then the animals were quietly driven
to their pen and fastened in. Toms move
ments differ materially from those of any 9TH
err dog on trial He does not leap at the
sheep, and rarely barks, moving at a peculiar
kind of trot. He ambles up alongside the
flock, and turns it in any required direction.
He received very flattering marks of appro-
baton from the spectators by prolonged clap
ping of hands.
Il. S. Cooper's imported Collie, Oscar, who
was such a favorito on Tuesday, was next
brought into the field. His exhibition was
hardly equal TO the day previous. Perhaps
the sheep were IA little wilder or Oscars spi-
rits a little more exuborant at any rate, he
barked and chased the sheep, and they scat
tered wildly. After running the animals
all over the enclosure, they were finally got
together and brought to stand, as Tom had
done, and Oscar drove five more from the pen
in very creditable manner. These were
herded with the others, and the whole flock
driven around the track. The dogs inexpe
,,,aAa tho hoe Y,ut,u
gle, but, after being checked several times by
the shepherd, Oscar managed to get the ami
mails together again and drive them down the
outside track into the pen.
This was to have closed the trial for the
day, but w. II. Blaokhurst, the owner of the
half breed dog, Shep, declared that his dog
had not had a fair chance to show what lie
could do, and asked for another trial, which
was given him, and Shop proved that he did
know thing or two, even if his ancestry was
not quite as noble as that of his rivals. At
the outset he did not do as well as in the first
trial. The fault of close chasing again caus-
ed the sheep to break badly and scatter in
different directions. They were finally chas-
ed by the man and the dog to the extreme
eastern end of the building, and left standing
there. Blackhurst then came to the eastern
end of the track with his dog, and, standing
there, commanded Shep to "huut them up"
This was Il very creditable test aud showed
what the dog could do without having his
master near to direct his movements At the
word of command he started oil, and III Il few
minutes had reached the flock of five turned
them, and driven them back and into the pen
in far better order and with less struggling
than with his master beside him. Shep il
more intelligent than would be inferred from
his ignobe pedigree, and readily understands
all that is told him rs far as sheep are con-
| cerned