Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-04-16
DOMESTIC ANIMALS.
Some Curious Homseheld Pets.

affection, that instances have occurred
of their voluntarily adopting others than
their own. have known a cat to adopt
squirrel among her kittens. A re-
markable story is told of terrier which
took charge of brood of young ducks,
having lost her own young. She was
greatly alarmed, however, when they
went into the water, and when they
came to land she took them up, one by
one, and carried them to her kennel.
Singularly enough, the next year she
adopted two cock chickens but when
they began to crow she was as much
alarmed as she had been by the way
wardress of the ducklings, and always
suppressed, by some manner of discip-
line, every such attempt!
Ii we consider the injury we should
suffer if the vermin on which the cat
preys were allowed to increase without
that check, her domestication will ap-
pear of no slight Importance. The esti-
nation in which Whittington's famous
cat was held by the foreign King is quite
credible. The service which this sly,
prowling character renders is an inter
esting illustration of the inherent virtue,
In the great plan Of nature, of elements
which appear from some points of view
unmitigatedly evil.
The tanning Of solitary specimens of
different species is not uncommon.
Though the tanning itself is easy, the
lack Of hereditary familiarity and SUBJ
lection gives the creatures manners
much eccentricity; and his moral con-
duct as member Of civilized society is
rather exceptionable. He is continually
relapsing into the old paganism and his
instincts break out in very amusing
manner.
The beaver is easily made household
pet; but he will set himself at work, with
many wise look, in the proper season,
at building dam-perhaps across a
corner of the parlor, with toys, books,
newspapers, and whatever else he can
lay paws upon. The crow is very pro-
ficient under training; but his hereditary
propensities do not forsake him, and he
becomes an adroit " snapper up of un-
considered triHes." A tame woodchuck
I knew of was wont to bury himself on
the hearth, leaving only the tip of his
nose visible out of the ashes.
We have been told of an old negro
who had built his house in wild and
mountainous place at distance from
other dwellings. He was singular,
lonely man; but he enticed numerous
wild creatures out of the woods for COM
partnership. Hares, gray squirrels, fly
| ing squirrels, birds of various kinds,
foxes, raccoons, etc., were his household
pets. But such of his rude neighbors
as occasionally came to ibis house began
to shrug their shoulders at the appear
ance of formidable-looking rattEesnake
in the midst of his happy family. The
old man had been overheard talking
Familiarity to it, and seen sometimes by
them-with cold chills creeping down
their backs-tending it in his lap, and
stroking it as he did his tame rabbits |!
Without doubt there was some diabolic
art about all this, and some unceasing
intercourse with a familiar spirit But
the strange fellow did not seem to pre-
sumo on any such state of affairs; for he
had extracted the poisonous fangs. The
rattlesnake was, of course, harmless
while they were out. They would soon
grow again, however; but he took
the simple precaution of pulling them
again as soon as they appeared. But,
with his neighbors, the success of the
experiment was sufficient proof of the
exercise of unlawful powers; and they
watched AN opportunity, and secretly
killed the singular pet. Who can tell
but that this superstitious act was a
serious loss? This negro, genius had,
perhaps, taken the first step toward do
mesticating the species; and we do not
know what hidden use may have lain
dormant IN its vie nature. Perhaps a
breed might have been at length estab-
llshed without fangs, and with an affec-
Tomato disposition. Preiudices equally
stubborn on our part might have given
way, until we should have come to seri-
ously study their capabilities for i'm
portant service of some kind. As slight
and incidental use, they might have
served as fine playthings to drop into
little stockings hung in the chimney
Christmas eve! A bantam bleed only
a few inches long, but with rattles of
extraordinary tone, would be suitable for
infants in the cradle. But, unfortunate
ly, it is impossible to allay the puerile
prejudices of society even for the trial OF
an experiment for its own good!
TIE number of women employed In
the railway offices of America is now
over 5000. They get paid from SIS to
non I,o~1x, al ,f &lrv,o -.