Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-02-02
A HORSE WITH BRAINS.
An Animal That Knew the Value of
Watch and Could Garry One Like IA Man.


Watch and Could Garry One Like "a Man.
John Holt, from Tom Green county, was
visiting some of his relatives when a re-
porter met him and heard him tell an in
teresting story of a remarkably intelligent
animal: Il have Just met with very seri-
GUS loss" he said. You know | was al
ways fond of hunting, and since l have
been in Tom Green county have missed
few opportunities to take a day on the
prairies. About four years ago now be-
came the poSsessor of fine young horse
that suited me exactly in gait and habits,
and he has been almost my constant COM
panion since. He was especially fine in
hunting. If | wanted to dismoUnt and
slip around Il few hundred yards to get
nearer Convey of cartridges or a gang of
prairie chickens, Don would stand perfect
ly still where | left him. When | was
ready to mount again l had but to call
Here, DOM and he would come running
straight to me.
at was more than year ago that was
walking over the prairie one day, as often
did, with Don following about twenty
steps in the rear, when my game bag,
which had slGng lightly over one Shout
der, slipped off and fell to the ground ]
went lazily on several steps, and then
turned and was about to go back after it,
when, to my astonishment, Don came
along and picked it up. When he came to
me he didn't show much disposition to sur
render it, and so allowed him to carry it
a mile or two That was the start of it.
"Often after that he would come nosing af-
ter the game bag and insist on having it. so
that l had to let him carry it sometimes to
get rid of his opportunities. | believe that
| could soon have taught him to retrieve
He was born hunter, if ever horse was
and took as much interest in the sport as
any sportsman of them all
Zone day had business at a ranch ten
miles away, and took in my pocket an ex-
ceedingly handsome gold watch which
my neighbor ranchman had sent by me to
San Angelo to have it mended. rode Don
and took my gun, hoping to kill some
birds on the way, and as it happened
game was unusually plentiful. l went
here and there over the praires, walked
several miles, | should think, and made
wide detours, and it was not until my
game bag was full that any recollection
came to me of what my mission was.
felt for the watch then, merely to see that
it was safe, but to my horror it was gone
l went through all my pockets, but it was
in none of them. / turned and commenced
trying to retrace my steps over the prairie,
but that was impossible. | couldn't follow
them a hundred yards. | tell you | felt
mean. l knew that watch, besides being a
very expensive one, had been gift from
my friends dead wife and could not be re
placed.
while stood still, trying to think what
to do, Don came close up behind me. put
my hand out to stroke his nose without
looking at him, and as true as live that
horse was carrying the watch in his mouth
with the chain dangling. | never was as
glad to see anything in my life. There
wasn't the slightest sign of scratch from
his teeth on the watch. lie must have
seen me drop it and picked it up, and there
is no telling how long he had been carry
ing it.
Poor fellow! He stuck nail in his foot
about two weeks ago and took lock jaw.
couldn't stand to see him suffer. / hired
one of the men to hold chloroform to his
nose till his struggles were over. Texas
Cor. St. Louis be-Democrat.