Daily Yellowstone journal., 1889-09-05
MISS c ARMY.
a Rooster. . Dog and . Cat That Obey Her
Orders Like Soldiers.

orders Liko Soldiers.
Oracle, a daughter Of Baggagemas-
ter Riddle Of the New York and Long
Branch railroad in this town, has a
happy family which would be a small
fortune 20 a 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 Topknot When the
trio are on dress parade they are a
sigh. Caleb in a sort Of Joseph's
coat, Kate in a train dress Of blue and
gold and solferino and Topknot IN his
full dress Of black and bronze, highly
polished, with a miniature sword
strapped TO his right shoulder, make
a fine array. Topknot is the command.
err and always leads the procession.
Miss Oracle, however, gives the word
of command between musical strains
upon a harmonica- The orders are
given with great frmness and they
are Immediately obeyed. The hyper
critical say that the army obeys her
actions rather than her words, since
she always faces the platoon and
walks backward, keeping step 10 the
music, which is broken only when a
command of right wheel" parade
rest" or by the right flank. for
ward, is given. The bantam is us erect
as a West Point cadet, his fine feathers
are neatly plumed, and his blood red
crest deity placed on the side Of his
head, shading one eye. He evidently
feels that he is master of the situation,
and invariably, upon the command
parade rest" salutes his young mis-
tress with an energetic crow which
threatens his lungs with premature
dislocation. When, with a flourish of
her hand, Miss Oracle gives the or
der, Break ranks, march, Capt. Top
knot wheels about and crows Justify
to the high ~privates, and then all dis
perse, Topknot, Caleb and Kate going
to their mistress to have their regi-
mentals removed. The evolutions are
not many but very amusing.
Part second Of the entertainment is
the placing of the cat and dog side by
side upon a rug, and the rooster
standing between them in a perambu-
lator. Thus arranged Miss Oracle
trundleS them about the yard. At a
given word Torknot crows valiantly,
and his companions follow him TO the
ground.
Part third is pStting the happy fam
lily TO bed. Caleb and Kate are first
put ina cradle large enough to admit
of Topknot between them. Topknot
occasionally rebels, but when tie
small sheet is drawn close up under
his chin and a word Of admonition is
given by his mistress, he lies quietly
in bed until he is released. One day
Miss Oracle put Topknot TO bed alone,
and went away to the depot To see her
father. When, after an hours absence,
she returned, she was surprised to
find the bantam still in his couch.
Caleb is a very docile, inotfensive
dog. Of no particular breed. Indeed,
he is what some Of the neighbors call
q mongrel, but he is very Intelligent,
notwithstanding his lack of blue
blood. A letter or package intrusted
to him at his home for delivery to Mr..
Riddle at the railroad station is placed
In trustworthy keeping and surrend-
cred only to Mr.. Riddle. He is train
ed to many amusing tricks and goes
through his repertoire at the command
of Miss Oracle and upon the gift of a
piece Of cracker with great agility and
intelligence. Kate has but one pecul-
iarity, and that is that she pants like a
dog. So constantly has she been as
ISOLATED with Caleb that she has be-
come 10 this extent a mimic. II is
better than many a farce TO see Caleb
and Kate lying in bed or in the per.
ambulator, painting a symphony,
which invariably creates a hearty
laugh, during which both animals
pause, only to begin again at the end
of the interruption. Red Bank N. j.
Cor. New York Sun.