The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-05-28

step saw one OF his most detested enemies APP
proaching afar of. lie went INFO tho Office.
closed the door partially. then returned to his
point Of vantage. When the other dog came
VI he sprang at him. and a furious fight en-
sued. When II became evident that he was
getting decidedly the worst OF 1t, Gardiner
dashed into tho house and slammed the door
pchind.him. and SO cut or the onemy's pur-
suit. This story may seem Incredible. but the
scene was witnessed by half q dozen persons.
Dogs possess the faculty OF memory to n re-
markable degree. This Is not the mere in
stinct or'locality. common TO cats. but an In
tclligent recollection OF places. persons and
events recalled by a clear and undoubted asso-
citation of ideas. Collstt. q clever. attenuated,
wolnsh animal, was taken into the house OF n
lady, who fed and sheltered him during the
ptotracted cold Of. a severe winter. He could
never afterward he driven away, and his res
cucr was the special object OF his devotion. He
was once severely poisoned by drinking water
In which hcllebore had been dissolved and
which vast "a be used for sprinkling rosebushes
infested with plant lice. After Thinking the
poison he ran out into the garden. where he
fell. apparently dying. His mistress went to
him, carried him into the house and sat he side
him. administering doses of milk and whis-
key. which he swallowed like an obedient child.
lie recovered in a Few days and seemed to
have not only a perfect realization OF his mar
row escape. but also Of the friendly and timely
help by which his life had been saved. His
mistress was occupied with work which kept
her at her desk the remainder OF the week.
All that time Collett lay stretched at her feet
signing. now and then. In weariness. longing
for his accustomed walks and for the COM
panionship of the few Of his own kind with
whom he was upon friendly terms. But
nothing could turn him from his benefactor's
side. and she was glad. on his account. when
her task was.nnished,
This dog was in the habit.of calling at the
house of a nelGhbor across the street. On one
OF these visits he. received a present OF II cake
taken from a little basket that stood in Il cor
ner. at the end Of the bureau in the bedroom
opening into the study. lie never forgot the
cake or the basket; 10 the door was open he
ran in and looked for the basket. OF his own
accord: II IL was closed he whined and
scratched until 1t was opened. After a while.
however. he understood perfectly when he
was told that there were mo more cakes"
A dog belonging to n banker in n Western
town gave a still more remarkable proof OF
memory which. however. was somewhat akin
to the common migrating instinct. He had
taken UP his abode at Mr.. DIS unlimited and.
after n time growing tired Of him. the family
cent him to relatives in Missouri who en-
pressed their willingness to take him. Within
n week after his arrival at his new home he
disappeared, and was not seen again in the
neiGhborhood. Three months later Mrs. ID.
going to the back door saw lying beside the
step an emaciated. travel-stained dog. a mere
skin stretched over n skeleton; his eye-
glazed with anime and exhaustion. his feet
worn out and bleeding. his coat matted with
mud.:and burrs. altogether the most abject
and distressed creature she had ever beheld.
He could not rise. but he wagged his tail fee
bly, and vainly tried to prick up his poor ragged
ears. Then she recognized him. 1t was
Caesar. He had come home. after weeks of
travelling through fields and woods. towns and
villages. and, strangest OF all. crossing the Mis-
sissippi in safety. Homo was the lodestone
chat guided him safely and unerrinGly to the
end.of his long journey. Touched by his:hdelity.
his mistress wept over him. and 1t need hardly
be said that he was fed and cared for. and lived
to the close Of his long and honorable career
under the roof Of the master from whom he
refused to be parted.
With the faculty OF memory dogs acquire at
least q limited knowledge OF human speech:
how limited or extensive this knowledge Ia will,
perhaps. never be ascerrained. A Scotch ter
Per. Toodles. knew perfectly we'll the words
mamma" "Chlca." the pet name OF his little
mistress, 'Bruu." the name OF a Newfoundland
dog belonging to a neighbor. and Rags" tho
name of his mother. He was sent 70 stay with
relatives of his mistress while the family were
away for their summer holiday. When any Of
the familiar NAMES were mentioned he mani
tested tho greatest engerness and delight.
whining and barking and turning his head first
on one side and then on the other. until he was
told that they were gone. Collect. the waif al
ready mentioned. had still moro pronounced
intelligence in this direction. He was fercsly