The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1890-05-03
A REMARKABLE ANIMAL.
He Was Only a Dog but lie Knew Thing
or Two About Human Filtration.

A contributor TO the prize-dog story
department OF the New York Morning
Journal tells THIS instance OF sagacity
of Newfoundland dog:
Two or three years ago friend OF
mine, a very pretty young wife, was the
happy possessor OF fine Newfound-
land dog called Druid. The common
tricks OF fetching, carrying aud seek
ing forbidden articles were as child's
play to the magnificent brute, and II
was not by such every day canine
tricks he had won his name for great
intelligence.
Every now aud then he would dis
play such wonderful reasoning power
by the performance of some act un-
taught or unsuggested by any outside
influence that wonder as we'll rs admira-
ton was excited.
There was one performance OF
Druid's which. unfortunately from the
nature of il, could not be boosted of by
my friend Mrs. A. accept among her
most intimate lady friends and the cir
cumstances OF which are certainly
without parallel among canine acts Of
intelligence.
married ladies of a romantic turn of
mind, was carrying on lively but
harmless Irritation with young
bachelor In the same city. Halifax, Nova
Scotia.
Unknown to her husband. she used TO
send aud receive letters every day TO
the young gentleman in question, and,
AS the post could not be trusted, To pre-
vent discovery. Druid was pressed into
service.
Every morning he was sent of 10 the
house OF the young gentleman with a
letter safely tucked underneath his
collar aud in the course of an hour or
two he would return with the reply.
The letters were in themselves harm
less, though harm might have been
made out of them. especially by jesl-
Gus husband. which Mr.. A. most AS
suredly was. They consisted of mild
billets doux, making appointments 10
meet at the theater or party, and, on
receiving the reply, my friend would
persuade Mr.. A., her husband. to take
her to the appointed rendezvous.
Druid evidently knew what he was
doing was not quite above board. and
always watched his opportunity to let
Mrs. A. take her letter from under
meath his collar when her husband was
not present. In the event OF his pres
ence. the dog always laid quietly down
at respectful distance until the de-
sired opportunity arrived
One day when Druid had returned
with his letter he came sedately walk
ing across the lawn 10 where Mr.. A.,
his wife and were sitting underneath
the trees. and noticing that his mistress
was not alone. he sat down and awaited
developments.
After he had been waiting about half
an hour MIR. A.. who WAS "A sceptic as
TO Druid's powers OF reasoning, began
10 tickle his nose and ears with straw
aud gradually woke the Newfoundland
from the DOING state into which he
had fallen. The tickling at last proved
too much for Druid aud. as he arose he
gave himself big shake, just rs IL he
had come out of the water The shake
was a good one. ia fact too good. and
what was the horror OF Mrs. A. to see
the letter fall from out is hiding-place
10 the ground. fortunately with the adj
dressed side down.
| ouc va. ~ luE w HahntoCh anu,
with terrified look, blnshed rosy
red. which. fortunately for her MIR. A.
did not notice as he sprang up 10 get
the note.
Quick as he was, Druid. however. was
quicker. AS he snapped il up oil the
ground aud calmly chewed il up and
swallowed il. with look at his mis-
tress that said perfectly plain: Trust
10 me. and IL will be all right"
Druid. by his prompt action. saved
his mistress all explanation. as Mr.. A.
could make nothing OF the affair never
for a moment suspecling that the letter
was for his wife. aud contented himself
by remarking: ii wonder what was in
that letter aud who il was from"
My friend, however, got lesson aud
cut short her Irritation. but used to say
that IL was tho first time a dog had
ever saved woman from possible
divorce action and a certain scoldine
from her husband.
The Kalamazoo celery crop last year
L q - A NJ n A. A