The Colfax chronicle., 1903-12-19
EVIDENCE OF DOG REASON.
one DOG Fought for Another and An.
other Protected the
ChildFen.

do I think dogs can reason ?" said
the man who owns several fine ones to
:. New York Sun reporter. well, I
have recently heard of two authen-
tic instances which / will tell you of
and let you judge for yourself. Both
are Massachusetts, dogs. and possibly
the high intellectually of the state
has something to do with it, but wheth-
er or no, you may determine for your
self. The first is about bulldog
owned by Mr.. Arthur Shepard, a we'll
known clubman of Boston, who owns,
besides the bulldog, a Danish boar
hound of large size and good fighting
qualities. The bulldog is considerable
of fighter himself, but, like most bull
dogs, if he can't get his under hold he
is likely to get licked. One day Mr..
Shepard was out with the bulldog, and
in the course of their rambles the
bulldog met dog that walloped him
thoroughly. Mr.. Shepard took him
home in his cart, and. Is minutes later
when he went out to see after him
he was gone, and with him the boar
hound, the dogs being excellent friends
and companions. Nothing could be
learned of the whereabouts of the dogs
then, but in an hour or SO they both
turned up looking as if they had had
some active business to attend to. Mr..
Shepard at once concluded that the
bulldog had informed his friend, the
boar hound, of what had happened to
him, and they had gone off together
to even up with the victor. OF course
the dogs hadn't anything to say, but
Mr.. Shepardwentt to the place where his
bulldog had been whipped. and there
he learned that the two dogs had been
there and had thrashed the offending
dog almost to the point of death. Then |
they had disappeared together. If that |
wasn't reason, what was it?
"rhe other instance occurred in |
Palmer, Mass, where 'Crackie' Burns |
owns fine mauve-colored Great Dane.
This dog has been for some time accus-
toned to act as escort for the children |
of w. Z. Mcdonald, treasurer of the |
Flint Construction company, on their |
way to school. 1t wasn't his family |
business, but the children were friends
Of his, and he took them to school every |
morning. One morning, as they were
going merrily along, big st. Bernard
belonging to Frank Roach showed up,
and the Great Dane instantly was ON
guard. He did not make any attempt
70 fight the intruder, who came growl-
ng around, but with his tail and back
up he kept walking all about the chill
iren to protect them from attack on
my side, and seemed to be trying to
hurry them out of any possible danger.
The children were willing enough to
move along, and with the dog still
'ircling around them they reached the
There the dog waited till
he last one got safely in, and with q
elieved look on his face and another
ook not exactly of relief, he trotted
'ack down street block or two to
where the st. Bernard was still occupy
ng the sidewalk, scratching up the
'ravel with his hind feet and otherwise
njoying what seemed to him to be a
ictory. But it wasn't for long. As
DON as the Great Dane got within
each he went at the ST. Bernard and
sas mopping up the sidewalk with
i'm, when he broke his assailant's
old and ran away as fast as he could.
hen the Great Dane went on to his
ONE, apparently much pleased with
imself. Again / ask: If that wasn't
eason, what was it ?''