Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-04-24
Souls in Beasts.

There are those who believe that di-
vine Justice absolutely requires that
God should make amends 10 animals
in the future life for all the wrongs
thav suffer in this. One author, Rev.
Io6n Brown, declares that there is an
other world for animals. There is no
doubt that many animals recognize in
their declining powers the approach of
death The dog retires to a quiet, Sc
ouestered spot To die. 1t is u matter of
General belief that they seek the most
seauestered spot, the most hidden
thicket where, unnoticed and alone,
they can quietly lay down to eternal
sleep. Shrimp and prawns Withdraw
under stones 10 die, thus showing q
wonderful premonition of death among
even the lower orders. The poet Cow
per beautifully illustrates this idea in
lines that are inscribed on the monu-
ment erected to his memory in front of
the Memorial Church ut East Dereham,
in Norfolk
az was stricken deer that left the herd
Long since. With many an arrow deep in
fixed,
Ny pm ing SIDE was charged when ! with
drew
TO seek tranquil death in distant shades"
The llamas of South America have
regular cemeteries in which they retire
to die, and :neir bones are found bleach
inc in great numbers.
Animals recognize approaching dis
solution in others, without question.
The dying whale is ut once set upon by
the shark tribe. The aged buffalo OF
the plains, sick or starving, cannot de-
ceve the coyote or prairie wolf, which
watch him, hound his footsteps and
even hamstring him, so that they may
devour his carcass. The vultures of
the Himalayas gather to the number of
twenty or thirty about the dying calf
and composedly await his dissolution
that they may fatten on his carrion.
Animals recognize death in others,
without doubt, They make, rs it were,
regular diagnosis of death. They
may have been fooled before, but old
animals show an especial and peculiar
soicitude, and once satisfied treat the
dead enemy with contempt or indifler-
ence. The she bear, says Honzlan.
makes use of a process of experiment.
inc to ascertain the death of her cubs.
She offers them food; leaves and then
calls them; touches them with her paw
and fins them cold, rigid, motionless,
inditf rent. She makes use of obser-
walton, comparison, reelection. The ell
cphant hui or COW makes sure of the
death of an enemy by tramplng ON it
and goring it until all possibility of
life is extinct.
Animals sometimes show care for
Their dead. The duk monkey carries
of the dead and wounded Some ami
mails bury their dead with funeral GER
emonies. Casscll SAYS that gorillas
cover tl.eir dead Certain birds, such
as the wren, twitter requiems over
them, and this fact is so well attested
tina, The Wren Requiem is well
known as a mournful twitter, quite diff
ferent from their usual chirpy, lively
notes. That many animals commit
suicide is u we'll attested fact Dogs,
abandoned and kicked out by their
masters, have been often known 10 kill
themselves. Stays or deer, when seized
by the giutton, butt their heads against
trees. The scorpion is well known
instance. The ratttesuake, close pur-
sued, will sting himself rather than be
captured, ana the Indians know this so
wei that While they eat them as food,
they reject them when death comes in
this form. These illustrations and an
ccdotcs snow that animals possess rea-
soning powers to a certain extent, and
why not soul?- Cincinnati EHqNirer