The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-05-08
DUR BOYS AND GIRLS

country; the rhinoceros and the hippopota-
mus In the hot clmes.
There seems to be a set form OF trial
among crows and blackblrds. The men,
bers OF colony gather in circle around
the cuiprit and actually try him. Some
''inss ne is evidently acquitted, but gem
eraiiy he is condemned and pecked TO
death.
In addition to these laws by which an
animals duty TO his neighbors is regulated.
they have established rules for defense.
When a flock of ducks are feeding. one Is
ieit on guard. While their heads are I'M
der water the sentinel is supposed TO be
listening and watching, and on the first
sign of danger he gives the warning note.
whistle, or II the danger be imminent. he
gives cry that means "fly at once" This
is true OF birds, too; they all have sem
tinel. and he never eats until his watch is
up.
Two instances may be cited to show that
animals sometimes think on matters not at
all in the line of their instinct. One Is tha,
of Cowper's dog Beau The poet was one
day walking with the dog on the bank of
pond, when he saw, lying on the water.
a lily that he tried to reach and pull in
shore with a stick, but though he tried
again and again, he failed. and SO walked
on.
On their way back, when they came to
the spot, Beau stopped, looked at his mas
ter and then at the lily and finally jumped
into the water. tore up the lily by the root
and brought 1t ashore and laid IL at his
masters feet
The second case is that OF dog named
Rex. He was huge mastiff and was
pet with every one on the place. 1t was
common remark in the family that Rex
understood every word that was spoken in
his hearing"
Unfortunatelyss when Rex grew old he
became victfuFto disease, and discus
sion as to chloroformng him took place
while he was in the room. He sat and
watched his mistress face, while she. for
getting that he Understood" said:
'fOCT keS' we must DO II.
At that Rex got up and walked out Of the
room and never returned, nor was he
heard Of afterwards. Did he understand
what was said? He had been listening TO
English for sixteen years, and he certainly
knew every expression of the faces of those
he loved
Let mo add one stray fact-which think
very beautiful-illustrating the love that
one animal sometimes bears another. In
Fruncc, where oxen are used a great deal
there is saying. cone OK dead. the pair
lest"
This saying is true. These great beasts
work side by side all their lives, in pairs
and will not work with strange oxen. If
one OF the pair dies, the other usually re-
fuses food and water. and literally dies Of a
broken heart; It can not. or will not, out
live It's lifelong friend.
From what has been said It appears
that animals have certain traits or charac-
teristics with which they are not generally
credited FRS. they have conscience,
making them individually good or bad, rs
Judged by their code; second, they have
regular community laws third they think
and act in some cases where instinct does
not guide them; and, fourth, they are ca
liable OF, and feel, the greatest fidelity and
friendship for each other.
DO not be rash, thon, in thinking OF ami
mails as only dumb brutes, but be observ-
cit and try to discover scme new trait in
them.
The following are new members OF the