The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-11-12
The Pig TransfOrmed---A Thing o
Beauty and Joy Forever.

pig which will do much toward resto
ing that animal to his proper place
society. If Mr.. Gilbert is to be believe
the pig has been treated with shockin
injustice. We have made him dirt
and loathsome, and we have then abuse
him because he is what we have mad
him. Everybody has noticed the differ
ence between new and old pigs. Th
former are white, clean and decided
pretty, while the latter are no less OF
jectionable. Ought we not to ask our
selves if we are in any way responsible
for the Transformation of the delicate ney
pig into the revolving middle-aged pig
To this question, Mr.. Gilbert has al
answer ready, and that answer is ia
from tlattering to us.
In point of pig Mr.. Gilbert is an un
doubted pelagian. He holds that thu
pig at birth is physically and moral,
pure, and that the faults and nut
which he afterward exhibits are due tt
the circumstances in which he is placed
There circumstances are to the last de
gree demoralizing. Men assume that
mud is essential to the comfort of the
pig, and so takes pains to provide him
with mud puddles. They have the ex.
traordinary theory that the pig thrives
only upon filthy food, and so they feed
him with refuse with which they would
scorn to insult any other animal They
are confident that the dirtier the pig.
pen may be the happier the pig will be.
come, and they bend their energies to
building and furnishing pig-pens which
10 Lo .rtso fhan tho efa rNfo
old-fashioned emigrant ship. We need
not wonder that the unhappy pig yields
to the force of circumstances and be-
comes the loathsome beast that he I'M
doubtedly is.
Mr.. Gilbert, as the apologist and de-
fender of pigs, asserts that we ought to
adopt an entirely new system of pig
culture. He would have the pig-pen
built after design so truly artistic
that the daily contemplation of it could
not but refine and elevate the pig s
taste. The interior of this pig pen
should, according to Mr.. Gilbert, be
kept as scrupulously clean as the spare
bedroom of New England cottage.
The pig should have clean and COM
Portable bed-say spring mattress
and his table dishes should be washed
after every meal. While wallowing in
every form should be sternly discoun-
tenanced. the pig should have daily
bath, and great care should be taken to
protect him from insects. Finally, the
pigs food should be of the daintiest de-
scription, and as the result of this treat
ment he would never lose the neatness
and grace which characterize him during
his early pighood.
Having thus transformed the pig bv
changing his surroundings, Mr.. Gilbert
would make him familiar friend of
man. That the pig has good deal of
intellect there can be no question, for
there have been educated pigs who have
shown an ability to work out mathemat-
ical problems and to play abstruse games
of cards which has challenged the adj
miration of mankind. Mr.. Gilbert
maintains that the pig is an affectionate
and faithful animal, and as soon as he
is taken by the foot and assisted to
abandon the bad habits which have
hitherto been his reproach, he can be
made to take the place in the house
hold now occupied by the dog and the
cat. With prophetic and enthusiastic
eye, Mr.. Gilbert sees the reformed pic
of the future sitting up on end on the
hearthway. and licking his bristles with
the assiduity of the daintiest cat. He
sees the same animal lying in the lap of
beauty, and accepting caresses with
far greater show of appreciation than is
ever made by the pampered and con-
ceited lap-dog. To the scientific per-
son the domesticated pig will be of
great service in doing mathematical
sums, and to the sportsman he will be
invaluable. The full-grown pig is larger
and stronger than the fiercest dog, and
as he has four times as much surface of
nose as has the ablest hound, he would
probably prove to be keen of scent as
well as bold and vigorous in attack.
Thus he would fully take the place of
every variety of dog, and if he can be
taught to kill mice, which is by no
means improbable, he would leave no
sphere OF usefulness for the cat.
AS for his voice, we may feel certain
that it would be improved by cultiva-
ton. just as he wallows in the mire.
not from any love OF mud, but in order
to rid himself of annoying insects, SO he
sings in coarse and unmusical voice,
not because ne is devoid of musical
taste, but because bad food and damp
pens have injured his throat. Mr.. Gil
bert's system of treatment would, it is
expected, convert the grunt that now
offends our ears into soft musical purr,
rather louder that the purr of a cat, but
much rounder and softer in timbre.
Thus the very last ground for finding
fault with the pig as an inmate of the
drawing room and a companion of men
and women would vanish, and we
should become so fond of the dear beast
that we should never dream of eating
him, thus arriving, though by an en-.
tirely different path, to that total absti-
nence from swine's flesh which Moses
commanded, and which must forever
assure to that great law giver the re-
spect and gratitude of men of civilized
tastes.-M Y. Times.
Saliva and Snake pniSou