Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-09-04
FRIENDSHIPS OF ANIMALS.

A Horse and a Hen, and n Dog, a
Goose and LfOncss.
From Exchange.
Why it is that animals have such a great
dislike for solitude and have fits of lonelf-
ness when shut up by themselves away
from any other living being is something
no one has been able to explain. Yet it is
the fact that all animals yearn for COM
partnership, even animals that are wild and
fierce.
Remarkably strange and curious are the
friendships animals form. Horses chum
with cats, dogs with geese, and there are
two capital stories, one of how horse and
hen, the other of how dog and a hen
became fast companions.
The horse and the hen happened to be
the only occupants Of a large orchard, and
got to know each other and seldom were to
be found apart. The hens favorte method
of showing her friendship was to approach
the horse with a cackle of joy and ruo
gently against his legs. the sagacious
equine looking down upon her kindly and
standing perfectly still in well-satsfied
manner as the feathered wings fluttered
about his legs.
In ore of the farms Just over the border
line of the annexed district a hen became
so chummy with q valuable retriever that
she actually laid her eggs and hatched her
footed beast enjoyed it immensely. He
would guard by the hour the eggs and
later the little chickens, and when he had
occasion to go in and out of the house he
would move with the greatest of care so
as not to disturb his feathered friend
Geese and dogs are apt to be very fond
of each other. There is story of a goose
that was rescued by mastiff from the at
tack or fox end was so grateful that it
could not show the dog enough attention.
1t left all the other geese of the farmyard
and stayed by the dog day and night, ac-
companying him daily as he wandered over
the farm. When the dog fell Ill the goose
never once left the kennel and in its de-
yotion 1t would have starved to death If
handful of corn had rot been brought. to it
every day.
The friendship between the horse and the
stable cat has been many times remarked,
and it is well known that if for any reason
the stable cat is killed or taken away the
horse will get impatient and nervous over
1t.
A remarkable case is on record of one of
the derby favorites a few years ago. Gale
opsis, who some months before the race
got into state of positive meiancholia
which was rapidly pulling him down. Vet
erinarians examined him and found that
his trouble was purely a nervous one,
brought about through excessive loneliness.
Nothing could be done for him until a
shrewd stable hand happened to suggest
animal companionship. A goat and kid
We're introduced into the stable with great
success, ana the race horse picked up, so
that on the day of the event he was able
to make a fine showing.
An eye witness of this describes Galeop-
sis satisfaction follows "Galeopsis
seemed to take much interest in them I'M
til the goat died. but the kid remained, and
the horse now vastly diverted himself by
lifting the little creature up by the back of
its neck with his teeth, putting it down in
the maneer. carefully placing it on the
ground again after a while, and then re-
peattng the operation.
There was once a lioness in the Dublin
Geological Gardens who had arrived at an
advanced age and was so feeble that she
was unable to drive away the rats that
used to annoy her by biting her feet. The
trainer at last evolved the scheme of put
ting coed rat terrier into her cage. She
received the dog at first with angry
grcwl ard decided symptoms of aversion,
but as soon the little brute grabbed the
first rat ard shook the life cut of it, she
began to understand what he was there
for, and at once took a great fancy to him.
She &C axed him to her side, put her paws
around him. and night after night the little
terrier used to sleep close up to her, both
in state of mutual, great content