New-York tribune., 1885-07-19
SOMETHING ABOUT PETS.
THEIR TRICKS AND MANNERS.
RATS AND sEA-GULLs IN DOMESTIC LiFE-Ihh
CHARACTERS OF DOGS.

THEIR TRICkS AND MANNEho.
RATS AND sEA-GULLs IN DOMESTIC LiFE-IhE
CHARACTERS OF DOGS.
A reporter was sauntering through little
FREQ uented uptown park the other day whenhe esped
little girl as fresh and pretty the fairest OF LAY
mornings seated the grass and playing with an
animal which his horrided exhibited all the out
ward characteristics ordinary house rat except I'D
point OF color aud sze 1t white Instead oil gray
and a trnc smaller than that universally aDhorrea
rodent
Aren't you afraid OF that sort of beast r. qucred the
reporter drawing near
Nc afraid OF snOwiake" replied the little maiden
opening wide her eyes indignation and astonishment
No. indeed Why. he wouldn't bite me ior aiyth'hg'
In evidence OF her statement she stroked tie creature
carcssngy poked her sleeve, whence IL pecred
forth in moment its little pink eyes blinking seroney.
"There told you 80" continued the child Win an ar
of triumph Why, we wouldn't even bite you or any
else AMI before the reporter had time to enter
protest she hal picked up the creature again ana pcea
IL I'm his hand. IL showed signs or hostility or tim
liIty made excursion mp his sleeve but much 10 his
relief quickly rcraccd ts footsteps to sni mt the sun
shine The girl took it an placed 1t unceremono'sy In
her pocket. "Graldpi has lots OF them' she SAID
come with me and he will tell you all about them"
The reporter followed tho childs footsteps and soon
found himself confronting an old man with soldiery
air. ruddy eks AMI bright Intelligent eyes that told OF
ws-prcseryed vitality as certainly rs the snowy hair
and showed that their owner hal contended with
the storms OF many winters. BY his side was superb
masti Whatever his profession had been. the old mans
COW versation soon msic 1t apparent that animals
especially domestic animals. were his hobby. All that
Lyton ani Kingsley say In praise OF the weed divine
as mans great consolcr." he sad, would say with
much greater emy hass In favor OF the dog have never
been without one since I a lad of fourteen" lie
said he had kept all sorts OF pets when he was
boy and now In his old age made living by selling
them And I'm not ashamed OF IT," he added, wi;h
genial frankrcss For over an tonr he talked abont the
cbaracterstlcs and pscuaritics OF animals big and
little. To the interested reporter.
think tho rat Is the mos: magned Of a. animals"
hc declared Few people rccognize the important part
he plays In the economy o; nature, and his personal
character T. still more mi.understood No creature Is
amenable 10 the influence OF kindness deal oUly In
the fancy varieythe white aad white and black rat
The rat Is Just quis sy civilized but popular
prendce against 1t Is too strong to bc overcome by any
amount OF evidence OF It's good traits. rat can be
tanned far easily than a squirrel or rabbit
rabbi, WILL in fact hardly sub nt to being fondlcd
and Is always stupid rat takes as much delight In
oeaning itself cat. The first pair OF waite rats ah
were herce and .pi,efu when ney came INTO my hands
OF them Two weeks OF cleanliness ana Kindness
built double dcckcd hutch. or sort OF miniature
house. for my fr- pair and they speedily rewarded my
circle These survived after q somewhat trying ex-
perencc a little brother left the door open and The
mother rat promptly kicked her babies out on 10 the
ioor some four feet below They were then little puk
piecc. OF anatomy hares. aud merely rough sngees.
lion of what they might become. Alter first licking
my little brother, | con tructed another neat aih
replaced the helpless youngsters IN IT, But te inother
evidently intent ON house CLEANING she Kicked
them out o the nest again. ths time INTO tne afea"y ol
again after her own fashion carried her progeny
back TO H. When they grew niue oitr very It.iy
lowing for their breakfast of bread and
milk. ,-,,. -.
are amusing pets The first ono l owned had been
ob alncd by sailor from South American Indians
evidently they had utilized II Tor certain operations
which among some Of the lower ciVixch CLASSES are
reformed by means OF q siill smootl com, "nun ,
introduced 10 polite society he c. not forget MS carry
training. The result decidedly "inhafris-ng 10
visitors. and the monkey got rid by giving 1t away
20 AN tncraut orgau-g gtinder. 49,
You would hardly think that the gull. the Wild
gull tie bold gull. could be so far Fenncd from
bis rowing haiits as 10 I'VE 'ohen'"nI Sltn'ns W
confines of garden. ani that too ia inll view OF the
wcro never Without a sea gull In my old homo when
boy. They had voracions appetite. AMI digestion
that would shame ostrich. have seen tbem
swallow small n.b until there was positively not room
for even one more hnt SIN thnt one more Wohlu pe
taken aboard again and again. though often SUN
mafily elected 10y the hri's outraged stomach The
and insects kinds that abound To- garden.
Verify all Il fish that comes 10 his net They VIII even
10 IN wait Tor 81 arrows and other small birds. opinc
1uei for n long time until spmc fcahTrcd chirpor ven
tunes unusually near and then mnAHg vicious fush AZ
IN When enragcd tie gull dsiends neck. ol ems wio
its beak displaying a esrncious throat and uiicring
shril cry of yackcy, 'yhcAcy Great iui Tue yoNhs
siors used think II to get the gull mad and he chased
by il around the flower beds
- believe the character OF u dos-Wherc other dogs
are Influenced Od deal by his dog a,-nciae-
had big stately Newfoundland once the PIT aud pride
of the village lie slOS 10 enter quarrel with
other dsg-, but once IN 10 he was sure 20 come out
ahead lie constituted himself the gua dau of Young
dog "A cross between retriever and Newfoundland
They were always together. When the young dog got
into hgh the old dog would content himself with uos-
ing onunle-s his charge shaved signs oi getting wor.tcd
Ineu he would ptcn In aud turn tho tlio oi battle In
favor of tho youngser. tho result that the young
dog grew MP "a most pagnacous animal. Eyen after
the oil dog where all gOJl dogs ~ AMI he lal tn
drpsni himself he WAS siil always sppiling iOr u
ft anl wouid tackle anything In tue dog nc big or
little. I believe dogs have way OF talking Ia rhcb
othrr dog acquaintance Of mlne. of thrifty char
acter used satisfying hs appetite TO barry what
remained oi his meal in certain place IN the garden.
inieu dig IL up whenever he felt hungry Another
40, not given the practice Oi dom ste economy aud
with vague notions Of property rights nosel oIt tbs
nrl,i store and used of II whichever he felt 50
aisposeI The lawful owner caught him enjoying hiS
.I,en meal ono day. lie d!d not glvo the mniauier
tr,shiug: he va. far too dgnnod dog 10 cacenl II
any unnecessary d,pav OF violence lie simply brought
L, nose IN with the 0lfac;Ory organ o tho hcf
and tic Iatt-rs tail Immediately droopct he reburiei
,e nc ne had uncartnoi AMI enk on an ~ Tar
"A | could observe refriincd from committing any
further d-prcdaoDs In that quarter II l. evident thc
other dog somehow managed u say to MIN Just put
that right bnck aud II catch you meddlng with
nv property again I'll gvc you the biggest hiding you
ever had In your life. skip.
,TrTr p5TyHQS UHD NEED Iy3yCUJNG.