The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1892-06-25
cyLLs AND eoRPolsEs.
Funny Pets OF Deck Hand That Follow
ship Around.

II read good dcal,"' said a deck
hand on the Piedmont ferryboat as it
pulled out from the slip to San
Francisco Chronicle reporter, "about
tho intelligence of animals and birds.
The eastern and English papers are
full Of the topic, but no San Francisco
reporter devotes any time to such SUBJ
Iects. Now you have Professor Garner
ready to proceed to the Guinea coast
to take down on the phonograph the
hare-iippcd eloquence of lot Of chat
tering monkeys and gorillas, while here
MT home some of the talented men of
the dailies obstinately refuse to make
themselves acquainted with the acute
intellect of the humble friends that
they meet every day.
You see those seven gulls sitting on
the piles of the slip? They are the
constant companions of the Piedmont,
and follow her every trip from the city
to Oakland and back again. ! know
every one of them and every chick of
them knows mo. II have not cultivated
their acquaintance more extensively
than to provide them daily with few
little fishes that my son catches at the
Oakland wharf, but these birds are
grateful. There is one particular one
there. Do you see him-that one with
few black spots near the tip of his
wingsP Well, lie is more confident
than an old poll parrot. can call him,
and he will just plunge toward my
hand and pick from between my fingers
anything l have there, although fish is
what he prefers. You doubt mep Well,
now will show you that am telling
you the truth"
Putting his hand into his pocket the
deck hand pulled out small, withered
perch and called: "Dickey! Dickeym
Immediately the gull, which had
been lowering over the heads of those
present, swooped down upon the ex-
tended hand of the snilor, delicately ex-
tracted the perch from between his
thumb and foretinger and flew away
with the prize, scrccching pnans OF
pleasure as he went up into the air.
The deck hand, elated at tho sue
cess of his demonstration, again as
serted that "Dickcy" had more sense
than horse and that all the Piedmont
gulls would be Us smart as his pet had
he but time to improve their mental
capacities.
But" added the man, "it is hard for
me to train them, because my time is
fully occupied during My watch look
ing after the lower deck, and were the
captain to discover that have leisure
20 fool with these gulls, why,my name
would be mud. Therefore, please don't
give me away"
In few moments the deck hand
was prepared for another ocular de-
monstration, this time on tho intellect
of fishes.
u have also studied porpoises," said
the sage, "nnd they are as cunning as
possums Now, among my finny friends
there is porpoise that l christened
Johnny and whenever l call him he
shows up and / hand him q fish. He
watches the Piedmont and myself from
morning to night. but he turns up moro
regularly at lunch hours. l will sum-
mon him now."
The deck hand called "Johnnym in a
loud voice, when Immediately, right
under the bow of the boat, up Jumped
big porpoise. The deck hand threw
another perch into the bay and the
porpoise waved his back fur with a
pleasant shake,a kind of "pour prendre
congo" wrigglc and disappeared.
Everyone was dumfounded at the ap-
parent magic, but the deck hand ex-
planned it with laugh that was echoed
by all present He said that the por-
poise had not really answered his call,
but being SO used to their movements
he knew exactly where it would show
up after he had once seen it coming to
the surface, and he had so timed him
self, while keeping his audience inter.
ested. as to bring about the climax
when he was ready for it.