The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-01-05
PETE WAS A BRIGHT CANINE.
True Story of an Intelligent Terrier
Owned by a Farmer in Ohio.
Ct Pou1 fot

Eastern Ohio is all torn up over the mar
Ve4ous sagac1ty OF a stoutly built mongrel
terrier belonging TO farmer living near the
middle branch of the Little Beaver. three
miles southeast Of Elkton, in Elkrun town.
snip Columbiana county. Pete is the ter
rler's name. and he is wholly without edu-
eaton: HE is young dog, and whatever
ne is he has made OF himself
Pete first came into local prominence
through his inveterate herding instinct,
due, no doubt, to distant trace of collie
ancestry in his blood. Whenever he got
tired of playing about the springhouse he
roillcked into the big pasture field and
brought the COWS in to be MIXED. The habit
grew on him until he rounded up the weary
animals half a dozen times a day.
one night Pete's owner, Frank Bowman,
heard him chasing the cattle home for
hours in kind of canine nightmare. The
next day the disguised farmer locked him
up in the calf pen and kept him for a month
ished
It was about this time that his most use
was on, and Mr.. Bowman was wont to
Ieave the wagons in the field when the din
ner Deli sounded and take his horses into
the STAPLES for the incoming. He rode one,
the hired boy the other and the third they
led: The old horse 1erked loose one day
ana STOOD rebelliously with dangling strap
Pete grasped the situation and the strap al
most at the same time, and trotted up the
long lane leading the astonished brute at
M ms m heels. When the farmer reached the
natter strap, while the plow horse stared
quizzically down upon him.
hereafter II was the understood thing
mat Pete should lead the horse, and when
once ms charge tried TO break away the
Sagacious mongrel ran twice around sap
mig with the strap in his mouth and sat
down to await developments. 1t is pointed
out that such intelligence is very unusual
In so young a dog.
This incident furnished the key to Pete's
subsequent development. All last summer
ne was allowed 20 sleep in the hammock on
the front porch. A strap tackled to the door
post hung within reach, and whenever he
grew restless he would seize it and swing
hlmself TO and fro. When returning from
market one day, ambling quietly beneath
the farmers wagon, he eSpied two small
children playing horse with a leather
strap in the roadway. An hour later when
the farmers hired boy FASTENED back to
ascertain his whereabouts he was seen
marching grimly up the road having in tow
the Two luckless Juveniles who had played
the horse. This escapade seriously annoyed
Mr.. Bowman.
Petes temporary disgrace was forgotten.
however, when harvesting began. His
owner had a big Mccormick reaper and
binder which tied the bundles OF wheat
with neat cord. The old strap instinct
reasserted itself at once, and Pete began
to seize the bundles as fast as they were
thrown off by the machine and drag them
out OF its reach on the succeeding circuit
of the field. The bundles were a little
heavy for him, but the wheat straw was
unusually short this summer he continued
to make out.
Mr.. Bowman is negotiating for the pur-
chase of a full brother of Pete owned in the
adjoining township OF Yellow Creek Al
lowing for climatic differences. this brother
SHOWS much the same aptitudes. His
speciality is pulling taffy 1t is hoped that
pairs whenever the wheat harvest is heavy.
They were born in harness closet.