, 1889-03-26
MY LITTLE DOG PICKLE.

Towards tho close of u dull November
day, in the year 1885,, a young man wns
standing, with his back to tho fire, In a
small but well furnished apartment in
- street. Scattered about upon the
table were several open and evil looking
volumes, bearing, rs their titles indicated,
upon w~itchcraft, sp~iritualism, mesmer-
ism and various supernatural phenom-
ena. Their appearance showed that they
were frequently and deeply studied
Seated on the hearth rug, close to the
young mans feet, was n small black and
tan mongrel, very sharp about the muz-
zle, very bright about the eyes, and very
tremulous about the tail. Every now and
Their she looked up into her masters face,
with that look of wistful wonder 30 com
mon TO the canine features, giving at the
same time n little whimper, in order to
attract his attention.
What is It, Picker he exclaimed at
last, rousing from his r~everie, and look
ing down at the dog; "what is II, my
girlY"
Bow, WOW, wow!"
That's a very general answer. my
doggie."
At hat m some peculiar idea
evidently flashed across his brain, for,
looking earnestly at the dog, he ex-
claimed:
by Jovel I've a good mind to try
the experiment. Let me just read 1t
over again"
He walked quickly from the fireplace
to h table, and opened one OF the vol
umes at n marked place. For n quarter
Of an hour he sat, and never raised his
ayes from the book; then, leaving 1t
open. he pushed it n little way aside,
and called his dog. 1t was on his knee
in a second.
pickle" he said gently. would you
like to talkT'
Bow, wow,w owT"
mo, not to bow, WOW, vow, but to
talk-like l do2"
The dog put its head on one side and
looked at him earnestly, with that pain
full endeavor TO understand which every
one who talks to n dog must often have
noticed.
LET me SEQ what 1t says once more"
muttered her master, and he turned to
the book again. 'H'ml power of strong
will-condition produced by mesmerism
experiment of Won GlAben-act on
brain and tongue-transmitted capacity
and sympathetic action on muscles. Yes,
Iii do it, come what may"
With these words he lifted the dog
from his knee and placed it upon the
level with his; hen he raised his finger
and exclaimed sharply:
Pickle, look at mel"
The dogs eyes were riveted on his in a
moment. The last rays of tho Novem-
Der sun had long ago departed, and the
room was filled with that visible dark
ness which gives q weird aspect to the
commonest of objects. In this obscur-
ity, relieved only by q fitful flare from
from the dying embers in the crate, the
pupils of the animal seemed to the young
man to dilate under his glance and be-
come balls of liquid fire. Never for a
moment allowing his steadfast gaze to
vary, he lifted his hands quickly from
his side N made the usual passes, add
ing to them certain others evidently pre-
scribed in the recently studied article.
At the first few strokes the dog trem-
bled violently, and the bristles rose round
its neck like u ruff. Then it suddenly
became rigid; the jaws dropped asunder,
and the ears were pricked in the most
painful tension.
"Picklel" exclaimed the young man,
bringing his face suddenly 50 close to
the dogs that their noses touched;
pickle, speak to me! Say masterl'
The open jaws closed with a sudden
snap; the lips twitched spasmodically;
the working of the throat showed that
the tongue was violently agitated.
pickle, II you love me, speak,"
The words were this time accompanied
by a powerful attack upon the animals
brain and tongue. The same symptoms
followed the second appeal; and then,
from between the clenched teeth, there
came, harsh and grating, as though tear
ing its way up the dogs throat, the word
''master."
Pronounced in an unearthly tone, the
word, half expected as it was, had q mo
mentary effect upon the operators
nerves; but before the current Of his in.
f1uence over the dog had been destroyed
he recovered himself and continued the
experiment.
do you know what I say to your
This time the answer fell easily and
softly from the dogs lips. The unused
muscles of the throat had, under the In.
fuence of Won Glabenstein, got quickly
over the first shock and fallen at once