Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1889-09-14
MISS oRAclE's ARMY.
4 i,oosicr. . DaR aud y Cat That Obey TIE
Orders Like solsllerz.

a iioosicr. . Dog and - Cat That Obey Her
Orders Like soidier~.
Oracle. a daughter Of Baggagemas-
ter Riddle Of the New York and Long
Branch railroad in this tdA,n, has a
happy family which would be a small
fortune TO well regulated dime mu.
scum. There are three members Of
the family-a dog. a cat and a bantam
rooster. The name Of the dog is ca
leb. that Of the cat is Kate and that Of
the rooster is TopknoI When the
trio are on dress parade they are a
sight. Caleb in u sort Of Joseph's
coat. Kate in train dress OF blue and
gold and solfcrino and Topknot IN his
full dress Of black and bronze, highly
polished. with q miniature sword
strapped TO his right shoulder. make
line array. Topknot is the command.
er and always leads the procession.
Miss Oracle, however. gives the word
Of command between musical strains
upon a harmonica. Tho orders are
given with great firmness and they
are Immediately obeyed. The hyper.
critical say that the army obeys her
actions rather than her words, since
she always faces tho platoon and
walks backward. keeping step TO the
music. which is broken only when a
command Of fright wheel" parade
rest" or by the right flank. for
ward" is given. The bantam is as erect
us IA West Point cadet. his fine feathers
IRE neatly plumcd. and his blood red
crest deity pla,ssl on the side OF his
head. shading one eye. lie evidently
feels that lie is master Of the situation,
and invariably. upon the command
PARADE rest. silutes his young mis-.
tress with an energetic crow which
threatens his lungs with premature
dislocation. When, with flourish oi
her hand. Miss Oracle gives the or
der. Break ranks. march l. Capt. Top.
knot wheels abnu: and crows Justify
10 the high privatcs. aud then all dis
persc, Topknot. Caleb and Kate going
TO their mistress TO have their rcgi.
mcntals removed. The cvolutions are
not many but very amusing.
Part second OF the entertainment is
the placing Of the cut aud dog side by
side upon IA rug. and the rooster
standing between them in perambu.
lator. Thus arranged Miss Oracle
trundlcs them about the yard. At a
given word Topknot crows valiantly,
and his companions follow him to the
ground.
Part third is putting the happy fam.
lily TO bed. Caleb and Kate are first
put in u cradle large enough to admit
Of Topknot between them. Topkno,
occasionally rebels. but when the
small sheet is drawn close up under
his chin and word of aJmomition is
given by his mistress. kflics quietly
in bed until he is released. One day
Miss Oracle put Topknot to bed alone,
and went away To the depot to sec her
father. When, aftcran hours absence,
she returned. she was surprised "a
find the bantam still in his couch.
Caleb is u very docilc, inotfensive
dog, Of no particular breed Indeed,
no is what some Of the neighbors call
a mongrel. but he is very Intelligent,
Notwithstanding his luck of blue
blood. \ letter or package intrusted
To him at his home for delivery to Mr.
Riddle ut the railroad station is placed
in trustworthy keeping and surrcnd
cred only to Mr. Riddle. He is train
cd TO many amusing tricks and goes
through his repertoire ut the command
Of Miss Oracle aud upon the gift of &
piece Of cracker with great agility ant
intelligence. Kate has but one pecul
iarity. and that is that she pants like 9
dog. So constantly has she been as
sociatcd with Caleb that she has be
come TO this extent mimic. II i.
better than many a farce TO sec Calct
and Kate lying in bed or in the per
ambulator, painting symphony
which invariably creates hearty
laugh. during which both animal.
pause, only TO begin again at the enc
Of pse-intepruption. Red Bank u. j..
~ N-vk Sun.