The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1880-08-17
The Death Howl.

Sometime since while at the house of a
friend | observed a strange dog stop betUle
the house, and after looking tiXeuly at one of
its windows for several seconds give vent to
a number ofhowls, whose startling volume and
d gradually falling -aGence produced the most
mournful and altogether unpleasant effect it
is possible 10 conceive of. AS | had often
read accounts and heard legends regarding
the death howl, | FASTENED to ask my friend
if anyone was sick in the house, and was in
formed a gentleman was lying i'll in the very
room towards which the dog had looked be-
fore utterinS his prophetic cry. As tho in
valid was at that time apparently doing we'll
my friends laughed at the idea of a strange
dogs performance having anything to do with
his sickness. But, nevertheless, before the
next morning he had passed away.
This is only one OF many authenticated
cases where dogs have been known to howl
before houses in which people were sick. In
every case this action has been L harbinger of
] death. The death howl, thus being a demon
strated fact, must have scientific causes the
discovery and exposition of which is a strictly
proper occu. 'ation. And a little careful study
into the nature of these animals at once
points to 4 solving of the mystery.
1t is well known that dogs and other car
nlvorons animals display a perception of
smell will. which the human sense bears no
N'NpS iSo't oiit Illus at ClIdUiCu W UlSllii-
guish the finest odels. a dog will follow the
track OF another animal so easily as to be able
10 cut across any bend there may lie in the
tral', even when that slight scent which is
ieft by footsteps has been exposed to the de-
stroying effects Of common air for many
hours. ua will also trace the footsteps of
his master for almost any distance along a
street over which scores of other people have
passed.
A. ,-o,;-, g III. -rN,l,,r,1 ;,ot:,o, 80
doubtless, the cause not only of the death
howl, but OF many other strange actions for
which dogs are famous. They are continu-
ally perceiving and acknowledging smells
whose nature Is SO slight as to entirely escape
our notice.
From all sick rooms a certain damp and
unpleasant smell emanates, which is always
perceivable even above that of the most pow
erful medicine. And when we are suffering
from mortal disease, the substance of our
physical bodies enters the primary stages of
disintegration some time before death. This
process must be accompanied by an odor
peculiar to itself; and while the smell may
be too faint for perception by the keenest
human sense, our canine friends instantly
discover its presence and give vent to their
weird cry. which is uttered on no other &C.
Sasion.
The fact that dogs thus acknowledge that
eXhalatiOn which heralds the decomposition
of human frames, while the many other new
OdOrS that IN ISt continually be a~SSailiug their
delicate organs receive no special notice, sug-
guests another and even more mysterious
prOblem,-Whose only reasonable answer
consists in admitting that dogs, horses and
other animals know a great deal more than
We give them credit for, and that, by some
process of rude but effective reasoning, these
intelligent creatures have discovered that a
certain odOr prophecies disaster to that race
toward whom they exhibit such noble affec-
ton, and for whose pleasure they are ever
anxious TO render any service, even to The
sacrifice of their lives.-HOme Journal.
-- -.--~-.
The Old Maids Association of Geauga
County, ONO, had a picnic on Lake Erie, re-
Gently, ana mustered eighty six souls. This
society was organized in 1868 by a bevv Of
young ladies whose brothers and sweathearts
were fighting for their country, and left them
without the resources of male escort, except
the laggards who remained at home. Tn
willing to accept the g~allantry of these Young
men, the young ladies resolved to depend
upon themselves, and formed the association
mentioned. Out ofreyense the gallants dubbed
them sold maids,' and they accepted the
cogoinen. \ humorous constitution and BY
laws We're draf I'd by Mrs. G. F.. Henry,
than Il single Young lady, and one of the
founders Of the institution. Man was de-
clared the common enemy aud one of the
objects of the society was a continued war
against his advances. He was religisuslv en-
cluded from all meetings, and a special
clause of the by laws said that any member
who should marry should be fined 100 big
copper cents, and be branded in tar on the
soles of her feet. It. d. l." meaning cup and
done it." The beautiful consistency of
woman is seen in the fact that every one of
the charter members, and nearly all Of
eligible age since, are married.