The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-11-04
CONCERNING DOGS, cows AND
THINGS

THINGS.
The plump lady from the East side was
telling about the times when she lived in
the West. They were about To move
from Oshkosh to Ottumwa, or som ething
OF the sort, and concluded not to take
their big dog. A neighbor wanted the
beast To work a churn by treadmill He
got the dog and set him to work. Churn-
ing came once week The third week
the dog, who felt the indignity keenly,
was absent when churning day came
around. Then the farmer tried churning
on different days. Then the dog kept out
of reach every day but Sunday, until the
farmer had to give expecting him to do
the work at all.
But how did the dog know when Sun
day or churning day came around? Can
dog count seven!
There are crows, for instance. Country
folks are accustomed TO say that crows
can count two, but no farther Thus III
two man go into "a barn where gun has
previously been hid, and after little one
OF them goes away. your observant crow
will wink the other eye and keep out Of
range. But il four men go into the barn
and three 20 out and away the crow has
tily assumes that all is well. and some
times his confidence is abused and his
system receives "A severe shock.
That is the theory, at least. i cannot
vouch for its reliability.
When the fat-wheG the stout lady
from the east side told about planting
corn while all her brothers were in the
war, / asked how she kept the crows
from gobbling IL. She said she didn't,
but her husband explained that when he
was boy he used TO sew horsehair into "a
kernel of corn and generously give it to
some representative crow. After Mr..
Crow had had caniption fit trying to
either swallow the horsehair or pull IL out
of his works other interested crows were
apt TO conclude that corn-just corn-
wasn't very good anyway.
My own plan was to smear with coal
tar and ashes all corn intended for plant
ing Crows do not like corn thus medi-
Gated. IL is slower in sprouting, but un-
treated corn comes up" too rapidly,
when crows are about. Also, tarred corn
blackens the hands of the planter, but a
little thing like that doesn't count.
The stout lady confessed that she used
TO go to school barefoot, and so did all
the rest of the children.
"Of course" said in the enthusiasm OF
mutual confidence, $50 did | aud every
body at my school. Once ! got into
fight with boy in the forenoon and in
the afternoon he wore his boots on pur-
pose to kick me, but he forgot all about
it. Sometimes, pretty late in the fall,
the frost would be thick and white upon
the ground when I'll 20 out barefoot
after the cows in the morning. Every
time drove up cow I'd stand for a time
on the ground where her warm body had
lain. That was comfort"
A PROVIDENCE public school boy ex-
hibited signs of derision at this. I'd for
gotten all about him.
Then there are woodchncks and skunks.
Do you know that If you near "A skunk i'm
your henhouse at night and get up clothed
in nightgown and sore heel to exter-
inmate IL, how TO go TO work Well, you
get long. somewhat Timber pole and
dark lantern, approach the skunk eau
tiously, flash the ii Iht upon him to attract
his attention and break his backbone with
one whack OF the club. The skunk will
be so surprised at this that he will forget
to say anything. Pve seen 1t done. But
pole missed-and the polecat
well, no matter.
Woodchucks arc subject to rabies. as
well as other animals. / have seen cne
come running up, gnashin2 its teeth and
as IL to attack one, and refuse
to be driven away until 1t was pelted
with stones.
Woodchucks play 'possum too 4: and I
have known one TO put up pretty stiff
fight against a small dog The chuck at
Roger Williams Park is not a very large
one.
Out at the park. too. the hedgehogs, or
or 'forkentines," as hired
men used to call them, or "porkpies.n as
their nickname went in Shakespeare's
time, seem sleepy beasts enough: but
your ordinary every day hog who has to
hustle for his living is lively enough. He
can run as fast as boy and climb a tree
faster; aud when the boy ''Dluuks" stones
into the hedgehog up in the tree the
quilts rattle down again in great shape.
We boys used TO think the pine could
throw his quilts but he couldn't
Sometimes n dog gets after a porcupine
and gets his muzzle full Of quills. Then
heres fun. The proper way TO get 'em
,ut is to pin the dog To the ground with a
,wo tined pitchfork or crotched stick over
lis neck and yank out the quills with a
pair of pincers to the music of the dogs
vocal protests.
Yesterday before / went out to walk.
Leo the dog, paved me over In dog
ashton. Going up Fruit Hill avenue. or
Is extension north through the woods
,oward saltwater, fue Irish setter
,ame bounding out from house. The
,etter knew by the sense of smell that
.eo had bade me an affectionate canine
arewell, and he followed me quite a
While until sent him home Then such |
walk as 1 had, over and among and |
through the limestone quarries north of |
\lineral Spring avenue, Looping through |
)rown aud shivering woods aud down |
and Douglas pike to the post |
,flice. When got home Leo knew the |
,ther dog had followed me.
This keenness OF scent Is marvellous. |
fet l have known young man who |
ould tell by his nostrls, on coming into |
house, IL there were few apples any |
where In IL, below stairs at least.
The stout lady from the east side saws |
he country is the only place to be born |
nd to grow up and To live, aud with all |
ny heart | agree.
The soldiers vote of the state of New
FORK. of whom there are $4,000 at ieas
Democratic, will not support the nomina-