Los Angeles herald., 1892-12-21
WARRIORS AND PETS.
TAME ANIMALS THAT ARE KEPT
BY SOLDIERS AND SAILORS.

BY SOLDIERS AND SAILORS.
Poodle Dogs Arc the Favorite Animals
Of French Regiments-The Pet Bear of
the Scots Guards Sailors Are Very
Fond Of Cats and Dogs.
For many generations favorite animals
have been common in the French army.
Horace Vernet has painted pathetic pic
ture OF the dog of the regiment licking the
hand of wounded soldier, while there is
an equally popular song describing the ca
reer OF q regimental dog that was born at
Cairo and cradled in an empty bombshell,
and which marched to the roll of the drum
from Mount st. Bernard to Marengo, from
Marengo to Austerlitz, and from Auster-
litz to Madrid, to be ultimately killed by
spent shot at Corunna. The French regi-
mental dog is not infrequently large poo
dle--a fact which disposes of the calumny
that these exceptionally graceful and in
telligent members of the canine race are
not constitutionally courageous. Still it
must be admitted that the ridiculous man.
ner in which poodles are ordinarily shaved
is productive to the irreverent of slightly
ludicrous effect, and it is manifestly in the
highest degree inexpedientthata a regiment
on the march should excite the hilarity of
civilian spectators.
That this particular kind Of dog has not
lost his hold on the military affections in
England as we'll as in France is pleasantly
evident from the number of black poodles
which are kept by the officers of the
guards, although it would be obviously
indecorous for such an animal, with the
preposterous frills and bosses of woolly
hair on his legs and tail, to march at the
head of the CORPS 1t would not seem that
many quadrupeds save goats and dogs,
are eligible as regimental pets, and were
the goat little more intelligent he might
perhaps prove very formidable rival to
his canine friend, since the goat is one Of
the hardest of animals, scarcely ever be-
comes footsore, and on march will pick
up his subsistence from shrubs and herbs
growing in the rockiest places, which
would afford no kind of nutriment to the
dog.
1t cannot be said of the goat that he is
as silly as the sheep, but although the
creature is willing, affectionate and docile
-as may be seen by the behavior of the
pretty little animals which draw the chill
can scarcely be said that nanny or billy is
an animal which can be made compan-
ion. At the most it will nibble food out Of
the hand of friend, but it can be taught
very few tricks, and it will be hopeless to
expect from it the personal devotednesa
and fidelity of the dog.
One regiment in the British army did,
some thirty years ago, endeavor to domes-
ticate as pet an animal of very differ
ent nature. When the Scots guards-then
the Scots Fusileer guards-were at Mon
treal, in Canada, whittier they had been
sent during the political scare consequent
on the seizure of the British mail steamer
Trent by the American Captain Wilkes,
the regiment became possessed of young
bear. Naturally, in accordance with the
proverb. the juvenile bruin had all his
troubles to come, but the duress of his
early education was softened by the kind
ness of the CHEEKY guardsmen who took
him in hand.
He could be taught to trudge about the
barrack yard arm in arm with discreet
mon conn.,, ~ and under these circumstances
he behaved demurely enough. but when it
was a private who was his companion, that
rolling gait common to bears on their hind
legs, and which ordinarily gives them the
aspect of mariners somewhat disguised in
liquor, occasionally irritated Tommy At
kins to the extent of provoking him to ad-
minister a box on the ear of the unsteady
"ursa minor"
The worst of it was that the animal, be-
ing very well fed, grew with uncomfort-
able rapldity. 1t was not to be expected
that he should march on his hind legs at
the head Of the regiment, and if he had
been muzzled and led by chain close to
the big drum, the French Canadians
would probably have called on the bear
to dance, which would have been sadly
derogatory to the dignity of regiment
so historically renowned. The ultimate
destination of the Scots Fusileer guards
bear was probably menagerie, where it
is to be hoped abundant biscuits and buns
consoled him for his divorce from military
society.
When we turn to the social life of the
sister service it will be found that there is
as great a prediction for naval as for
military pets. Occasionally it happens
that commanding officer of what may be
called the white kid glove schoop objects
to the presence of dog on board, but the
harmless, necessary cat is usually tolerated
between decks. Jack manages somehow
to have his pets, and when he lands in Eng
land after a long cruise he very often
makes his appearance with a varied assort-
ment Of monkeys, wallabys, marmots, mon
gooses and especially parrots and macaws.
The parrots have generally become most
accomplished linguists during the cruise,
but their vocabulary is occasionally as
lively as that acquired by the historic
French parrot, Vert-vert, which had so
edited with his pious CALCULATIONS the in
mates of the nunnery where he had been
reared that another convent passionately
fpplored the good sisters to lend them
Veet-vert for season, in order that they
might enjoy his improving conversation. Z
Their request was acceded to, only, un-
fortunately, the devout bird was sent to
his new destination by water, and on board
the canalboat by which he travelled there
was a squadron Of dragons. which in the
course Of day so perfected his education
that ere two hours had passed at the con-
vent where he had arrived half the nuns
were in Mysteries of horror, excited by the
shocking language of the abandoned feath-
cred biped, which had forgotten all his
devotional orisons and swore literally like
the troopers who taught him.
We laugh at old maids for their some
times perhaps too exuberant fondness for
dogs ard cats, but their affection for the
dumb animals which they cherish with
nnfailing kindpess, and which are to them
mot only companions but friends, is but
kacik protest against Unnatural solitude