The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1884-10-01
A Bit of Animal Character.

1t is interesting and amusinS to observe
the different traits, carriage and general &C
ton of the various animals. The lazy quiet
of the pig: the brisk and lively sport of the
dog; the nervous, shy step of the chicken;
the gazeles stumbling walk, and the look of
serene dignity of the camel; the heavy breath
ing of the old cow as she lies down at even
ing to rest and to reflect upon the events of
the day-into how many forbidden paths she
has strayed, how many fine plants and flow.
ers she has nipped of, how many mouthfuls of
hay she has stolen from the passing wagon.
Ali these show that Nature is a workman of
the greatest versatility of genius.
The unfortunate cat has been made the
everlasting object of the wits severest darts
of satire and humor, but how deserving of
such attacks 1t may be is too well known to
be discussed here. Nature was certainly
most sparing in her allotment OF brains to
the poor cat; but it is a question which re-
ceives the largest share, the cat or the goose,
and, judging from the metaphoric sense in
which the latter animal is sometimes used
IN speaking of silly or foolish person, one
would conclude that the goose had the
smallest share. l don't intend to estimate
the amount of brains full-grown goose has,
but can speak from my own personal ex-
perience about the mental excellencies of q
gosliDg. My grandmother gave me one one
time, which / raised in a small pen in the
back yard. My gosling seemed much pleased
with bis new residence, and, gosling like,
would stride along leisurely; all the while
stretching out its long fuzzy neck and chat
teripg in apparent ecstacy, which revealed
an appreciative and cheerful heart. 1t
marched and remarched along the side OF
the pen, hunting for an opening big enough
to squeeze through. 1t would pace up and
down the same side of the pen time after time,
stumble over the same corncob, and upset
the water can every time it passed; stick its
head through the same pickets, and flop and
f1utter to get through dozen times in the
same place The renewed failure of escape
bad not the least discouraging effect on its
patience and perseverance. 1t still took
courage in the hope and bare possibility of
lis forcing an exit sometime. Every spear
of grass it pulled of, it would lose It's
and lie there on its back screaming
and paving the air in desperate efforts to
turn over
Whenever it rained it seemed to thin K
that the best place to get at the rain was
under the water-spout, where it would stand
straddled out. its mouth open and its neck
raised straight up TO catch the water from
the spout.
The FIRST remarkable feature l discovered
in my gosling was its avaricious appetite for
dry goods and wearing apparel. One warm
day while repairing the pen, took oil my
collar and neck-tie and laid them down on
the ground. The bright spots in the tie at
tracted the gosling's attention, and stalking
up to it. all the while bobbing its head back
and forth, and chattering its gosling glib
berish, took possession of the tie.
First it walked oil around the curious look
NJ object, surveying it from all quarters,
and occasionally nibbling at the ends and
bright spots on it, Then, partly convinced
it was no living animal liable to show fight,
it grew holder and approached nearer, but
still showing signs of timidity and uncer-
tainty about the nature of the newly-discov-
cred object by suddenly starting back in
fright whenever the wind rustled the ends
of the necktie. 1t showed marked ability
and taste in frescoing Japanese hieroglyphics
and such on my clean collar with its muddy
feet. never knew until then that such an
artist ever existed that could make with its
feet such lovely delineations on a white sur
face witho1t either a brush or paint.
After getting my necktie tangled around
its muddy feet and legs and tearing it full
of holes, the gosling concluded that it didn' t
altogether like it as an article OF apparel and
began contemplating upon it as an article
of diet. After extracting itself from the
taDgles, putting one foot on the necktie, 1t
seized one end of it with its bill, and then
commenced deliberately to lay the founda-
ton for a feast. 1t chewed and chewed at it,
occasionally stopping as If to receive word
of approval from the stomach about the
flavor of the last mouthful sent down.
Neckties were new commodity in the pro-
vision market to me. 1t seemed that corn
meal was a second-class delicacy when
spotted neckties were in the market
dinner on neckties was about the incest
thing that gosling had had for some time.
All the time it was chewing the favorite