Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-09-12
MISS 0RAClE's ARMY.
A Rooster. . Cat and Dog That Ols.
 H0F Orders Liko Soldiers.

Rooster, . Cat and Dog That Olsoy
 Her Orders Liko Soldiers.
 Oracle, daughter of Baggagemaster Riddle. of the New York & Long Branch railroad at Red Bank, has, according to the New York Sun, Q happy family whicA would be small fortune to a well-regulate4 dime museum. There are three members of the family-a dog, cat and 8 bantam rooster. The name of the dog is Caleb, that of the cat is Kate and that of tho rooster Is Topknot. When the trio are on dress parade they are sight. Caleb in sort of Joseph's coat, Kate in . train dress of blue and gold and solferino, and Topknot in his full dress of black and bronze, highly pol ished, with miniature sword strapped to his right shoulder, make up Q fine array. Topknot Is the commander, and always leads the procession. Miss Oracle, how ever, gives the word of command between musical strains upon harmonicon. The orders are given with great frmness and they are immediately obeyed. The hyper critical say that the army obeys Miss Gracie's actions rather than her words, since she always faces the platoon and walks backward, keeping step to the music, which Is broken only when a command to fright wheel" ''parade rest" or ''by the right flank, forward" Is given. The ban tam Is as erect as West Point cadet, his fine feathers are neatly plumed, and his blood-red crest deftly placed on the side of his head and shading one eye He evident ly feels that he Is master of the situation, and invariably, upon the command "parade rest" salutes his young mistress with an energetic crow which threatens his lungs with premature dislocation. When, with flourish of her hands. Miss Oracle gives the order: Break ranks, march 1" Captain Topknot wheels about and crows lustily to the high privates, and then all disperse, Topknot, Caleb and Kate going to their mistress to have their regimentals 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 | 8 rug, and the rooster between them in a perambulator. Thus arranged Miss Oracle trundles them about the yard. At @ given word Topknot crows valiantly, and his com- panions follow him to the ground.
 Part third Is putting the happily family to l bed. Caleb and Kate are first put in 8 cradle large enough to admit of Topknot be- l tween them. Topknot occasionally rebels, but when the 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 l 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 8 verp docile, inofensive dog, of no particular breed. Indeed, he Is what some of the neighbors call mongrel, but he Is very intelligent, notwithstanding his lack of blue blood. A letter or package in- trusted to him at his home for delivery to MT. Riddle at the railroad station is placed in trustworthy keeping and surrendered l to Mr. Riddle. He Is trained to many anus ing tricks, and goes through his repertoire at the command of Miss Oracle and upon the gift of bit of cracker with great agility and intelligence. Kate has but one peculiarity, and that is that she pants like adog. So constantly has she been associ- ated with Caleb that she has become to this extent a mimic. It Is better than many a
 farce to see Caleb and Kate lying in bed
 or in g perambulator, panting symphony,
 which invariably creates 8 hearty laugh,
 during which both animals pause, only to begin again at the end of the interruption