The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-08-18
sAGACITY OF THE DOG
A MAsTIFF THAT COULD COUNT Avn
ALSO DISTINGUISH coLoRs.
and Foes, and Another with a
sense OF Humor-A Wise Mule.


at them through sympathetic eyes. Such
an observer can no more doubt their
possession of what are called the highe,
faculties than he can doubt the suns
shining or the growth Of grass. In proof
take few stories here set down For
the most part they came within the writ
er's knowledge In the few cases given
at second hand the source was trust
worthy.
Take first the story Of Dash, a big.
white. shaggy. mongrel mastiff. who
stood almost four feet at the shoulder
and could pull down an OK Yet he was
the gentlest OF four-footed things; like
wise. the most faithful His master
ran big farm, had pastures 200 acres
In extent. and kept sheep. hogs. and
cattle by the hundred, not to mention
some twenty-five head of horses and
mules. He could take Dash into the
clover field where all were grazing, show
him the track of one particular beast
sheep. hog or cow, II made no difference
say to the dog, Fetch and then go
about his business, and be certain Dash
would separate and bring out that par
ticular animal If he had to follow it all
day. and. further, If the track were
crossed by a hundred different hoofs.
But that was less wonderful than Dash's
ability to count and distinguish colors
If the order was Fetch two" or three.
or five, he ebeyed it accurately. He
would drive up the mules, if told TO do
1t. paying no attention to the horses
grazing beside them; conversely, If
horses were ordered he took no heed of
fhn Ion cor 60
mare. or the bay, according to direc-
tons, and knew the riding horses
Sonny, Silver Tail and Blazes-by name
as well as all the men on the place. The
time he was about the house he was
the most vigilant and discriminating Of
iwatchdogs. Familiar friends and neigh
bors he met at the gate, barking, frolick-
ing and caperfng about Strangers OF
good appearance he escorted sedately to
the front door, keeping little way be-
hind and never taking his eyes from
them till they had been spoken to by
some OF the family. But to the sham
bling. seedy or Unlocking, he was a ter
ror on four feet, barking, growing,
leaping violently upright against the
gate, and showing his teeth savagely
if they made to pass.
Dash died full of years and honors
leaving Watch, his son, to reign in his
stead. Outwardly Watch was his coun-
terpart. but through his mother owned
a brindle bull cross which cropped out
In the fiercest savagery. His master had
by this time removed into the country
town, but lived In the outskirts, and had
garden. orchard and paddock. besides
iight-fngered darkies abounded, every
thing within his Enclosures went UNI
touched so long as Watch was out Of
his kennel. though he was never freed
of block and chain
One day, as a visitor came In from the
street. the. dog growled and frightened
her to the point Of screaming. His mas
ter raped him lightly across the nose
and bade him begone, telling him it was
disgraceful thus to annoy a lady. Watch
skunk back, still growing. Two days
later he espied the<woman about whom
he had been scolded, passing along the
pavement outside his owners gate. At
once he leaped the fence with force
that broke his chain, sprang upon her.
threw her down, and would have man
gled her had not his master run to her
rescue. Always after that the sight
OF her sent him into crazy rage.
Watch had q good memory for kind
ness as well as for hurts. Another WIS.,
itor to the house saw him thirsty and
painting beside his kennel and ran out
to him with big basin Of water. He
Tapped languidly, with no sign Of salts
faction, but always thereafter the water
bearer could come into the house in the
absence of all the family and be greet
ed with a silent, friendly wag Of the tail.
This was the more remarkable because
no other person could lift the gate latch
the front walk. ready to attack him.
Yet even to this favored one he permit
ted no approach to familiarity. II he
had ventured upon a caressing pat, he
would have flown at her throat.
INHERITED TALENT.
Jack was dog of another temper, the
dearest, why black-and-tan terrier that
ever chased butterflies or burrowed after
moles. The velvet-coated gentry were
his chosen prey. No matter where he
found run. at once he fell to furious
digging. One day, in the course Of 1t,
he found himself stopped by a biggtsh.
shallow-growing root, directly across
the molehil1- He tried first to dig be-
yond 1t. but it impeded his flying paws.
He stopped short and dropped his head,
as one in deep thought, then caught the
offending root between his teeth and
gnawed 1t in two. After that he be-
gan digging afresh. but the projecting
root-ends were nearly as troublesome as
before they We're severed. Crouching
little at one side, he seized an end fast
In his mouth and gave a backward
spring or two, which pulled the root out
OF the earth for a space of perhaps
foot. Then he caught the other end
and jerked It out like distance. the
while looking reproachfully up at his
young mistress. Her father, Jacks usu-
al comrade, had habit of cutting roots
in two and pulling them out thus for
him. Possibly Jack had recognized and
resented the ipdubitable fact that wom-
enkind rarely carry pocket knives
Jack and Tipsy, the tortoise-shell kit
ten, were great friends. Neither had the
least good will toward other cats and
dogs but they ate often from the same
platter and always, when Jack lay
curled in front of the big open fireplace,
Tipsy's chosen resting place was the
round of his side. One chilly evening
when the roaring fire made fierce
draught over the rug. Jack lay down
at full length, prone and straight, as
though he were dead. Tipsy came tip
toeing in a little later and tried TO es-
tablish herself comfortably on the side
OF him next the fire. For perhaps three
minutes she twirled and turned. curled
herself now this way, now that but
could not adapt herself to his altered
pose. Presently she got up, walked
around to his head. and began TO give