The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1892-04-15
AgTrINo ON TNe Doc,
asw THIS I. Done ny hoy. In Dinsrcn, i.o-
ralities.


raiities.
When boy In New England has oc-
casion TO ''sct" his dog upon any one or
anything, he exclaims, as a rule, "Stig
I'M Stig im." The New York boy, or
the boy Of the West, generally says,
"Sic iml Sic mi" To the Western boy
the command "Stig 'iml" sounds absurd
Il provokes his laughter; but his own
command Is equally amusing TO the
New England boy This little differ
encc illustrates the beginning of local
dialect Probably neither boy thinks OF
The exact meaning of what he says lie
Is merely repeating words which he
has heard others use. and which he Is
sure, from their frequent repetition,
that the dog win understand.
The boy who says 'sic i'm" Is repeat.
ing corruption, but ono degree re-
moved, OF the words Seek HIM" which
are very old command
"Stig i'm" is "a corruption one degree
further removed BON Its original than
"sic i'm" IL began with take him, "
which was varied by the use Of $50" be
fore it-"So take him" From this 10
as take him, was an easy step, and the
more easily pronounced "stig i'm" was
the next corruption.
The word so" is often used rs kind
of intensive expression In all sorts Of
commands tn animals. Probably the
apparently unmeaning expression which
Il often used in urging on dog, In the
eastern part of the country, "Stcboyr
Is no moro than greatly compressed
and corrupted form Of so take EN-
boy although Emerson seems 10 have
looked upon II rs an abbreviation of
"Histl boyi"
The farmer. by the way, is very fond
Of calling his animals boy" lie says,
"Whoa, boylr and 60 on, boy" 10 his
horse; but II is worthy OF notice that ho
never calls his horse boy" unless be
feels in good humor with IL. The
word is always tc be regarded as u COM
pliment or expression OF affection.
Often the possessor Of dog does not
use any set phrase In commanding his
animal TO attack. lie may say, Catch
hint" or go for himl" or Seize himl"
or anything else which he chooses II
"a well known that the command 10 at
tack is the one which dog most easily
learns Almost anything win serve for
the purpose; for most dogs, rs we are
truly tod, delight TO bark and bite. "
But they also delight TO obey; and no
properly trained dog win attack with
out command, except on his masters
premises at night
BY seeming perversion Of terms, the
command which most naturally signi'
fees To attack. ''ChArgel" has come TO
mean just the opposite thing, namely,
90 lie down.
Many owners Of dogs, In order to rem
der the animals useful In themselves
only, train them 10 obey special com
mands, invented by the master. A case
a. known in which n map taught his dog
20 obey in reverse order. as IL were
when he said. Come here" the dog
ran away, and Get ou,r" WA his com.
maud 10 the dog TO approach.
No dog can be regarded as of much
use unless he Understands and obcys NJ
least seven commands, namely; Here.
for Come here" with which every
young dogs education should begin,
and which Is the most important com.
mand Of all. "sic en-" or take EN-,
charge" or lie down." heel" or FOL
low close behind. "go home" get out,
and don't touch it"-Youth's Com.
panion.