Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1890-01-16
a Dog that knew the Hours.

- a Dog that Knew the Hours.
Stories about dogs that know the days
OF the week arc not ut all uncommon,
Here is one of Them On u farm In The
Catskills dog was employed TO run tho
machine which propelled the churn.
The work was not To his liking and he
was inclined TO shrs IL whenever no
could. Wednesday WAS the regular
"churning day, aud Quo Wednesday
morning Il few weeks after Jack had
been broken into business ho could not
ho found. His disappearance was
thought to- he accidental, aud as the
charming could not be postponed with
out dernnging the plans of tho house.
hold 10 was performed without him, lilo
did not come home until nightlall and
had evidently passed tho day in tho
woods.
On the following "Wednesday he was
again missing, aud again tho work was
performed without his aid. Nobody
suspected him of playing truant Ia es
capo work, but when the third Wednes-
day came with Jack again invisible his
owners caught on The churning
was postponed until the following day /;
while Jack was at his breakfast Thurs
day the churn WAS put IN readiness.
When he was called and led in its dircc-
ton, his tail fell, and his countonanco
indicated his disgust, After that the
churning was performed at irregular
intervals, and the dogs absence on We'd
nesday, which was kept up for several
weeks, did not avail to excuse him.
Another story Of this kind concerns
two dogs that went TO IL meat market
on saturday night, when u kind hearted
butcher used to feed them upon meat
that he could not keep over Sunday.
Recently tho writer heard OF q dog in u
town in Vermont that knew the hours
and seemed TO bo able TO tell them by
the striking of the clock. The story
was told by gentleman living IN u
western city, and ] will endeavor TO
give IL in his own words.
"Whcn was little fellow my sister
and went TO school together, and were
always accompanied by Nero, n large
dog OF the Newfoundland breed, and as
black IA u coal Nero considered him
self responsible for us. He used TO
stick close TO our sides. aud if the meek
est COW in the town happened 10 be pass
ing along the road, no would growl and
set up u great show of Importance. lie
went 10 school with us IN the morning
and came for MS Ia the afternoon. The
distance was about thrce-rourths of u
mile by road. and about half ms much
across the fields We went by the road
on account of swamp chat interviewed
on the short route, but when Nero was
along he took the most direct track,
without regard TO the swamp.
"School was dismissed at o'clock III
tho afternoon, and as we came out OF
the scool-holse we always saw Nero
bounding across the fields and swamp, II
he was not already ut the door waiting
for us. Mother said he used to lie
around the house or stand uneasily
about until the clock--a old fashioned
affair with n very loud gong chimed
the hour OF 4. At the last stroke of that
hour he was of like tho wind.
SISTER and used TO go to the house
OF the neighbors occasionally in the eve
ming TO meet other children OF our own
ages, and il was an inlleXible rule that
we must come home at . O'Clock. Some
times Nero came for MS at that hour
and sometimes accompanied us; IN the
former case he did not leave home unit
the clock struck o, and n minute or two
afterwards he would be barking at the
door of the house where we were. II
he went with us when we started he re
NAMED perfectly quiet until y o'ciocl
and then indicated by his uneasiness ant
by gently tugging at our garments tina
it was time to go home. IL Is propel
To say that when the hour arrived W.
We're already well under way with prep
arations FOR starting.
"On one occasion q Job was put up
on Nero with the conuvance Of the
parents of all the children concerned.
We were visiting one OF the neighbors,
and il was arranged that when9 O'Clock
came we should continue rolnping and
PLAYING at lively rate aud make no
preparations for going home. The
scheme was carried out and Nero was
lying quietly in front of the lire when
the clock struck the hour lie reused
himself as the gong rung out the num-
Der OF strokes; then he stood up and
looked at MS, lay down for perhaps half
minute, rose again and came over to
where ] was. paid no attention to him.
and he walked away after standing I'M
decided for perhaps n quarter OF min
ute. Then he came back again, and
taking my sleeve gently between his
teeth intimated as plainly as possible
that il was time to go home. Whether
lie could count or not we were never
able to determine. My theory of his
actions is that he had good knowledge
of the progress of time, as many ami
mails have, and the sound OF the clock
was signal for him. Just as the con-
ductor's bell is a signal to the horse
that draws the street car"