St. Landry democrat., 1882-06-17
ABOUT DOGS.

ABOUT DOGS.
Bruno is superb St. Bernard, and
lives in New Jersey. In spite Of his
great size and strength, Bruno has the
most lovely of dispositions. Here is an
| example. He has two other St. Ber-
nards as playmates in his kennel, much
younger dogs, but very lively, and huge
romps the three have. Not long since,
Gretchen, the smallest Of this trio, mis-
behaved. Punishment was necessary.
Poor Gretchen, trembling all over, was
held down by her master, who leaned
over her with whip upraised. just at
that instant he felt a gentle pressure
from behind upon his shoulder and
turned to behold Bruno balancing him
self on three legs, and holding out the
fourth paw entreatingly, while with a
most beseeching expression in his brown
eyes he thus was trying to 'beg OFF,
his playmate from the whipping. Don't
you think that you would have thrown
the whip to the other end of the yard
after that, and given Bruno hug? That
is what his master did, at any rate.
An English friend of mine told me
lately of dog with whom l should be
proud to "shake hands, and whom |
hope some day to meet. His name is
Captain, and he is a young bull terrier,
very thickset and active. He is accus-
toned to drive every afternoon with the
groom to the railroad station to meet his
master. Not long since this groom hap
pened to take out a very freakish horse,
which, left alone at the depot with only
Captain in the trap, took fright and ran
furiously down the road Captain bold
ly leaped from the vehicle, rolled over
in the dust, dashed up again, and dart
ed after the horse. The reins were drag
ging on the ground. Selling them in
his mouth, Captain hung on, in spite of
all further bouncings and draggings,
until he had actually stopped the horse.
and that before any serious mischief had
been done. Was not that courageous
act for even plucky little English bull
dog?
This same Captain, when he was much
younger, and required some whippings
in course of his training, used to hide
the whip wherewith the stable-man
switched him. One day. while it was
being hunted for, somebody suggested:
Look in Captains kennel Away
ran the gardeners boy, just in time to
overtake Captain jumping out of his
kennel with the lost whip in his jaws.
Ke must have heard and quite under
stood the direction given to search his
quarters and thus tried to spoil the re-
suit On being discovered, he made no
attempt to hide his clever trick, but
dropped the whip guiltily, and took to
his heels. #r.
1t is not unusual to meet with dogs
who can tell Sunday from any other day
of the week. A relative of mine,
clergyman, owned a beautiful New
foundland who insisted upon going to
church with the family, and was regu-
larly prepared to join them at the gate
without being warned. Although his
guardians decidedly objected to this
performance, all tying up, sending back,
or any other convenient means OF keep
ing Pluto at home did no good, and
finally he was permitted to sit quietly
through the sermon. Toward the last
years of his long life he insisted upon
rising during those portions OF the serv-
ice, such as the hymns or concluding
prayer, with the rest of the congrega-
ton, who became perfectly accustomed
to his presence.
Pampo was a small terrier whom l
knew very well long ago. eco get
your collar, Pampo;" ''Pampo, I feel a
door open somewhere upstairs; 60 find
it and Shut it, were commands he en-
tirely understood and obeyed. At nine
o'clock every evening his master, an
old gentleman with snoWWhite hair,
would turn to his wife across the hearth
and say, very gently and without look
ing at all in Pampo's direction as the
little dog lay doing beside them:
"Wife, think it is high time for dogs
to 90 to bed.'' Pampo would, without
further orders, meekly rise and stink Oft
to his box in the hallway.
One of the handsomest and best
behaved mastifs that ever l met was
Eneas, a Massachusetts gentleman
particular pet Eneas was, in spite OF
his size. as frolicsome as a kitten, very
faithful and intelligent, but also great
lover of good cheer. The number of
dinners that he could digest in the day,
and the size of those dinners, were
something marvellous. Small wonder,
indeed. that he grew fat. One day, the
cook, with his breakfast, also gave him
a sound lecture ON his besetting weak
aess. "Do you think this house can