Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-07-04
A DOGS FINE SENSE.
ANOTHER OF MAJOR sT1LEys LETT
TIERS on ANIMAL INTELLIGESCE.
GOVERNORS CLEAR UNDERSTANDING.
Having Been shown Through the
Family Home, He Would Not Let
workmen Enter Until HIS Master
Came-How He worried the Cow.
written for the pispatch.)

human beings 1 eVoE Ahe"s WIZ WV
all good and true. / do not see how any
composite photograph could have reduced
and blended physical features so defined
and radically diverse; but 1t is easy to
see that the moral or psychical resultant
of the four would be courage and affec-
ton, with answering allegiance, unpur-
chaseable fidelity, to me as their supreme.
The first of these noble dogs was a
Brazilian spaniel. born on shipboard on
the return voyage to New York, who
came into my possession while the fluff
est and prettiest OF spotted puppies"
His hair was soft and silky, his colors
were black and white-the most CLEAN
ing white. the jettiest black-beautifully
distributed, the white largely predomi-
mating. When full-grown, he was, all in
all. perhaps the handsomest dog l ever
saw; In general appearance, not unlike q
setter, but more commanding, larger. and
more strongly built. His head and facial
expression were particularly fine, and be-
spoke his bright intelligence and perfect
temper. We named him Governor
When he was about q year old and
the writer about II, the family moved
to New Haven. Conn.,, purchasing cot
tage in the suburbs, which, not being
ready for occupancy, We stayed, while 1t
was being made ready, at the hospitable
home of Mr.. Gerard Hallock, of the New
York Journal Of Commerce. who was
an intimate friend of my father. Mr..
Hallock's family lived I'm New Haven,
and his habit was 10 come up Friday
evening and stay over till Monday morn
ing. His house was between a quarter
and half-mile from our cottage.
A few days after the rest of us arrived
my brother brought up the dog, reaching
New Haven by the night boat, where 1
met them. and, 1t being bright MOON
light, took them by to see the cottage.
We went in and over the house. and
while we were all full of interest Cover
nor was by far the most excited of the
three. He explored every nook and cram
ney of the building, of which there were
many, l talking to him meanwhile, ex-
planning and emphasizing the fact that
this was TO be our home, and that we
would all be very happy together there.
When we had taken off the edge OF our
excitement we went on to Mr.. Hallock's,
had the dog fed. and retired
III llc uOIlllHB he Was HOWHcIt 10 DC
seen, and after looking for him perhaps
an hour. my brother and 1 walked sadly
over to the cottage, intending to see the
workmen well under way and then de-
vote the balance of the day to the search.
AS we approached. we were surprised to
see the men sitting idly on the front
steps, but delighted at the excuse they
offered. They said there was dog lying
In front of the only door TO which they
had key: that he would not let them
approach the door; that he was too hand
some to kill, and looked as II he had a
right to be there.
WAS GUARDING THE HOUSE.
OF course it was our noble Governor
who greeted us with delight, and then
turned toward the men with an express
sion which seemed to say: 81 hope you
understand / was only doing my duty
From that time until our house was ready
and we moved in, which was certainly
two weeks or more. he always slept there
coming over to Mr.. Hallock's for his
meals. but never entering his house, ex-
cept on Saturday morning, to greet Mr.
Hallock, who had never before liked
dogs, but became perfectly devoted to
Gov" as we called him, SO much sc
that he actually wrote from New York
to his steward TO "see that the Governor
has the best meat on the market"
l have been thus detailed in this re-
cital. because l consider 1t one of the
most interesting stories OF animal in
telligence and character which has ever
come within my knowledge.
AS illustrative Of this same power OF
comprehending. appreciating, and acting
upon human suggestion, which was pos
sessed in such a wonderful degree by
this superb creature, / recall that he
was once with me in quite deep, mar
row cellar, which / was having dug Tor
a new barn, and, wishing to get out, ne
made a spring from where we were
standing. about midway of one OF the
long sides. and got a good hold on the
surface with his front feet but he was
heavy and the soil sandy. so it gave
way and he dropped back. After re-
heating the experiment unsuccessfully
two or three times, he looked at me
in sort of painting despair. "You old
goose" said I, "why don't you go to one
end and take a running start?'
He turned his head from side to side.
his brows contracted and wrinSled, as
was his habit when not quite compre-
bending anything. I repeated the sug-
pestion. accompanying 1t with glance
Of NV eve and a wave Of my hand. In
stantIv his face cleared up, he bounded
IN ooe end of the cellar, ran the length
Of n and went out with flying leap
M the other end. When well out, he
turned and gave me a look which said.
az plaInly as words could have done.
"How stupid OF me not to have thought
of that before"
JUMPED FOR HIS LIFE.
On another occasion he did think be-
fore I did, and better than I did. and,
NV his quick, cool calculation and gal
liant courage saved himself from a hor-
rible death. He was fair hunter and
an excellent retriever. and my brother
he. and 1 were returning one evening
| from a little hunt by the New York and
| New Haven track across the salt mea-
| lows. He had Jagged behind, and was
trotting along leIsurely on the plank In
the middle of one of the two tracks
| We had Just reached the solid ground
| on the New Haven side, and he was
about the middle of the bridge over West
river. when, seeing the train from
| New Haven rapidly approaching. we
| turned, and. to our horror, saw the
| train from New York rushing across ths
long trestle, and not far in his rear
At this moment he evidently felt tn;
| tremble of the track, and looked
back at the train coming on hin
from that direction. He then turned
| to the front again, and. for 8
moment or two, glanced from one trair
to the other. evidently calculating
whether he would have time to let tn
first train pass, and then step on tina
| track out Of the way OF the other. w
cried out to him in absolute agony. bu
ne did not seem at all excited. He made
up his mind. as we did. that the trains
| vyouId mass about where he was. and tina