The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1883-10-06
NUMBER 50.

besL " Eoou-Slleu ulnnci~ncfl, lOr tn0
blackboard exercises by Sprite. He.
too. made believe he couldn't; seized il
this wrong way, dropped il, picked itup
wrong end first, was scoided at, then
took IL by the handle, gave it a vigor-
Gus shake. and after letting il fall sew
| crai times, set IL on the table. Mean
while u platform was brought in sup
porting a tall post, at the top of which,
higher than horse could reach, was Z
blackboard having chalked on it sum
which was not added up correctly.
Sprite, being requested to wipe it out,
took the sponge from the table,
and planting her forc-fcet on the plat
form, stretched her head up, and by
desperate passes succeeded in wiping
out n part of the figures, and started TO
leave, but, seeing that some remained,
went back and erased them.
| One day she went through process
which showed conclpsively that horses
can reason. She dropped the sponge
the first thing, and it fell down behind
the platform out OF her sight. She got
down, and looked about in the saw.
watching TO see what she would do next.
She was evidently much perplexed.
| She knew perfectly well that har duty
would not be fulfilled until she had
rubbed the figures out, and the sponge
was not TO be found Mr. bartholomew
said nothing. gave her no look or hint
or sign to help her out Of her predica-
mcnt, but sat in his chair and waited
At last, she deliberately stepped on the
! platform again, stretched her head up
aud deliberately wiped the figures out
with her mouth, ut which tho audience
applauded as II they would bring tho
roof down. That was something clearly
not inthe programme, but a bit, Of in
dependent reasoning. Yet, having
done so much, she knew that something
was not right. About TINT
sponge-what he'd become Of itp Il
was her business to lay II on the table
when she was through using 1t. She
hcsitatcd, looked this way and that,
started To go, came back, dreadfully
puzzled and uncertain, suddenly spied
1t, set her teeth in It. put it on the
table, and went to her place, with o
clear conscience, no doubt, and the
people chcered more wildly than before.
This was to me one Of the most inter-
csting things Witnessed; and connect-
| ing it with some facts Mr. Bartholomew
communicated, It was doubly so.
He said that It was his practice not to
Interfere or help; the horse knew just
what she was To do. and he preferred to
wait and let her think II out for herself.
The other horses all knew, too, II there
was any III lure or mistake, and the
offender was closely watched by them.
and in some way reproved by them II
they could get the opportunity, and at
times this little by-play became very
amusing
After this was most exquisite dancing
by Bueephnlus and by Cesar, whose
utcppings were in perfect rhythm to the
music. Then the latter turned In
circle to the right or the left and
walked around defining the figure eight,
just rs any one in the audience chose to
request; and Abdallah came In with .
string of bells around her, and paced.
cantered, galloped, trotted, marched
or walked as the word was given. The
horses were generally expected to come
to the footlights and bow to the audi
ence at the close of any feat; occasion
ally one would forget to do this, and
then some of his comrades would
shoulder or buffet him, or Mr.. Bartbolo-
new would give q reminder: THAT Is
not all, is itp' and back would come
the delinquent and bow and bow twenty
times as fast as he could, as II there
could not be enough Of it. At the close
Of one scene all the horses came up to
the front in line. and leaning over the
rope which was stretched there to keep
them from coming down on the peoples
heads, would bow. and bow again, and
it was wonderfully pretty sight to see.
- amanda y. Harris, IN Wide Quake.