The Savannah morning news., 1902-02-23

it's owners head, and very polite
thank you bowed. stand on your
head!" was the next order, and as by
this time were were prepared for al
most anything there was a great
scattered for points of safety in that
small yard, and from the point of van
tage l had gained l saw Hope prompt
ly drop on her knees, rest her face on
the ground and kick with her hind feet,
much as if she intended turning a
somersault. Hope was then blindfolded,
a soft hat was hid away in the cor
ner of the yard, and Instructions given
for the performer to find it. She poked
her nose about, snutfiing the air, eau
tiously feeling her way until the hat
was found, when it was placed in a
more difficult position, on the wall in
the barn, and, though it took some
time, it was again found. "The COLT
understood, the meaning of yes and no,
and when asked a question answered
promptly with shake of the head
During the exhibition a blanket fell
to the floor of the barn and was quiet
ly and carefully replaced on it's peg
by the mare. The performer then sat
isfied US that she knew colors by
name. Pieces of colored cloth were
hung on pegs and the various colors
named by the spectators, removed and
presented to the person suggesting that
particular color This experiment was
repeated by throwing the cloths loose
Iy in a box and closing the lid. Hope
lifted the lid, selected the color desir-
ed. closed the box and presented the
colors to the visitors as before.
Hope reads and writes" said Nc
Grogan. and if he had said she will
now talk, we were in a state to accept
it or any other claim, as being truth
full. A blackboard was provided on
which a short column of simple figures
were placed a line drawn under them
and "the colt" requested to add EN-
up" Promptly four knocks with the
fore foot gave the correct result. Rub
em out!" The mare reached for a
sponge, moistened it and rubbed the
blackboard until the figures were COM
pletely erased. Holding the blackboard
in front of her. McGrogan gave her a
piece of chalk fitted in a wooden holder,
on which she fastened her teeth. "Now,
write your name!" Zone, two, three,
four, five, six,'' and so on until the act
was completed. Hope making one
stroke on the board at each count re-
sulting in H o P E, written very much
as it appears here. This was not a
trick. but simply and clearly the work
of the horses intelligence and train
ing.
with dance, the master initiating the
motions of violin player, humming
a tune and dancing, all at the same
timei the mare quickly joined in the
dance and kept perfect step with the
music. Later McGrogan explained to
me that his attempt at teaching this
last act nearly resulted fatally. Re-
turning home from the stable one day,
his wife was found in a highly nervous
20
seemed unwilling to explain, and all
were apparently considerably concerned
regarding his physical condition. At
last it came out that as McGrogan had
been trying that moring to teach the
colt to dance his son came in unob-
served, ard. seeing the antics and fran
tic efforts of the parent, singing and
dancing about the stable, ran to mis-
mother, greatly frightened, reporting
that father had gone crazy!
THE little mare trotted or paced at
command when on the road, and could
be driven without bride or reins. the
whip was seldom if ever used, but ca
'resses were freely bestowed and ac-
knowled9ed.
"McGrogan was taken sick last WIN
ter. and when his visits to her stable
ceased, the colt became uneasy, prick
ing up her ears and extending her neck
at every approaching footstep, show
ing Enthusiastically that she was await
ing her masters coming. AS day after
day passed, her spirits fell without the
CHEEKY morning greeting of her mas
ter. At his death, which occurred
shortly after, Hope refused all food
and was pronounced heart broken.
Everything was done by the family IN
the hope that she might be kept alive.
but without avail. A veterinary sur
geon was called, and quickly put an
end to her sufferings."
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