The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1891-03-11
DO DOGS TALK TocETHER2
A Very Singular Instance of Canine Sa-
gacfty In Minnesota.

In recent edition of your paper.
says a correspondent of the Kansas
City Star, read with much interest,
"a Bovine Don Quixote," written by
Dan Quin." which is proof to me that
the animal kingdom has a language of
its own, or some means of articulation
among themselves, not understood by
man. To more fully illustrate my
candid belief, l will relate an instance
of animal sagacity which came to my
personal observation few years ago.
At the Box hotel in Crookston,
Mimi, some six years ago, my atten-
ton was more than once called to two
dogs that were allowed to loiter about
the hotel Office. These dogs were the
greatest of friends; in fact, so 'chum-
my" as to call forth admiration from
the various hotel guests.
One afternoon one of the dogs which
had been basking in the sun on the
floor of the Office suddenly gave
bound and started for the door. i'm
mediately stepped to the door and
opened it, and the dog passed out, 60
| ing in the direction of the Manitoba
depot, where I observed some ten or
twenty other dogs holding pow-wow.
Then I closed the door and resumed
my seat. Immediately heard ter
rible commotion in the direction in
which the dog had gone. Stepping to
| the door I observed that full-fedged
dog-fight had begun. Arriving at the
scene of the battle found that my dog
friend of a few minutes previous was
the under brute in a big fracas. He
was bowling with pain, while big
| Newfoundland dog stood over him
making the fur fly. A blow on the
canine's Uranium from a ball club in
! the hands of small urchin who stood
hard by soon put a stop to the New
foundland's ferocity. The under brute
started for home pell-mell, and when I
arrived at the hotel found the poor
brute at the Office door bleeding and
bruised awaiting ingress. opened
the door and passed into the Office. the
dog following me.
Lying on the floor in close proxim-
ity to the office stove reposed the sleep
ing carcass of my little bested friends
companion. He was large brute OF
the mongrel species-a cross between
bull dog and a mastiG. The poor,
conquered brute, upon entering the
Office proceeded in the direction in
which his dog friend lay stretched up
on the floor, and. going up to him,
commenced to smell him from head tc
foot. Presently the sleeping dog rose
to sitting position, and, gazing at hi
conquered friend some two or thret
minutes, seemed to take in the situa
, ton at once-that his dogship had bu
lately received a terrible whipping
After a little more smelling on thu
part of the conquered brute, both dog
started toward the door. stepped t.
the door, opened it. and the dog
3 passed out. Both dogs started in tn
| direction of the depot platform, som
400 or 500 feet south of the hotel
{ where they espied several dogs. anon
l their number being the big Newfound
3 land, the object of their vengeance
Going up to the big Newfoundlan
Q dog, my little conquered friend curle
: up his tail and commenced to grow
{ the big Newfoundland doing likewise
each dog going round and round in
d circuitous route while thus parleyins
e the big hotel dog in the meantinl
J. standing hard by watching proceed
$ ings. Presently the big hotel do
d gave a spring and landed good hol
It Q On the Jaw Of his big opponent. Bot
q dogs reared in the air, the Newfount
land coming down the under dog, an
the chewing he received in that fracs
suppose he never forgot, my littl
- conquered friend nipping the big ra
~ cal from behind at every chance pr
20 senting itself. To be candid about
d the hair from the hide of that poo
- ~ martyred Newfoundland actually file
u the air, and a worse whipped dc
y never skunk from the field of battle.
,n 70 After the fight was over both hot
- dogs returned home, and, from the
Y actions after their arrival there, shoul
~ Judge they never allowed the matter
worry them to any great extent.