The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1889-04-27
SNAPS INTELLIGENCE.
Not Much of Dog to Look At, But One
That's Very Smart.

Not Much of n Dog to Look At, But One
That's Very Smart.
"Why don't / enter him in the dog
showp" said the tramp, kicking
hungry-looking mongrel cur that
watched him with an intelligent eye
and tried to lick his hand; "because
they amt givin no prizes for intelli-
gence; on'y fer good looks, and that
amt Snaps strong point. Is 1t, you
brutep" he added sharply.
The writer was in doubt whether
this query had been addressed to him
or not until he saw the dog fairly grovel
in the dirt at his masters savage tone.
"HereN' said the tramp, fishing from
out his rags u cracker of the free-lunch
counter variety and holding it out to
the dog. Snap approached with one
eye on the cracker and the other on
his masters toe. What was left of his
tail stood up hopefully. The tramp bit
the cracker in his own mouth Down
went the tail between Snap legs. The
tramp bit off hrlf the cracker and held
out the rest to the dog. Up went the
tail again. Getting the morsel at last,
Snap swallowed it ut one gulp without
u wink, and wagged his tail frantically.
"Did you notice the tailP' said the
tramp. '.He talks with it. It's short
one, but it's gabby- He's stump
orator.
"'Where did l get himp" Up the
State bout u year gone. l was on the
tramp and came to a farm house. The
woman give me meal if I'd take the
dog away and drown it. ate the
dinner, took the dog out in fiat
bottomed boat on the river, threw him
into the middle of the stream, and as
he rose to the surface struck him on
the head with an oar, intending to
stun him. / didn't hit him square,
though, and fell in myself, and was
just about q goner, when darned if the
brute didn't push the oar over to me
and help me ashore. We got on the
other side, and he's stuck to me ever
since.
Hes saved my bones many time,
too, when I'm drunk. 'How's that?'
Why, whenever ! fall he throws him
self under me and | come down on him
with a thump that makes his eyes bulge
out. But he saves me from the stones.
o, you needn't laugh. It's the truth
I'm tellin' you. He's got more sense
than most men, if he is mongrel.
81 fooled him once" though" said
the tramp, with a laugh, land fooled
nt 40
when the sun was gettin' real warm, /
got queer idea that I'd like a bath.
as | was lyin' by nice little pond. So
l stripped and piled up my clothes on
high bank. Snap had run Off in the
woods, but he came back after | had
been in the water awhile, and, smelling
my clothes. squatted down on them to
guard them. The water was real
warm, and l stayed in a good while.
When | came out / don't think / was
ever so clean since the time my mother
used to wash me. / went up to my
clothes and Snap began to growl. l
swore at him and tried to pick them
up, but he bit at me so savage that |
had to retreat. | was so clean that
couldn't make the dog recognize me
without my old duds on. There was
not stone to be found. Finally, got
hold of a big stick and we started in to
have free fight for the clothes. He's
not big dog, you see, and never was
half fed, so me and the stick was too
much for him. l nearly killed him,
though, before | got the clothes, and
when l dressed myself and he knowed
me, he was the sicl1est-lookin' dog in
four counties. 1t was week before
he wagged his tail after that.--N. Y.
Tribune.