The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-03-06

ring the bell in an ordinary tone of voice
and will go and do it,
Another one of her favorite tricks is TO
have a rubber ball set on her nose and
some one count three, when she will throw
the ball from its position and catch 1t. IL
the person counts four she will not move.
She has to hear the word three spoken
before she will throw the ball.
Toms ordinary actions are often as in
telligent as her tricks. Different from most
dogs that are raised in engine houses. she
never offers to follow the machine" that
is, any further than the door. She seems
TO feel that il is her duty when an alarm of
fire comes in to see that the men get away
all right. and after everybody has gone she
ardently thinks she is responsible for the
house. for she prowls all over 1T, and il
isn't very safe place for anyone whom
she does not know to enter.
There is not a Waterman at headquarters
ana when they are all out to fire anyone
could walk in and take anything he might
ma. Tom, however, is better than watch
man. and a prowler cannot take anything
away as long as she is in charge.
when the men come back from fire she
goes to each of them, wags her tail, climbs
on MIN and let's him know that she is glad
10 see him. She also goes through this per-
1ormance when the men return from their
meals for everybody to her is a friend, with
the exception of one man. When Tom was
three months old this man clipped her ears
10 make her properly-equipped bull ter
Iler, ana as this is very painful opera
uon, she never forgot him. He is aboft the
Only person whom il is thought she would
oitS MS man Is a fireman and IL he comes
20 neadquarters his arrival is known i'm
medlately by her actions If he comes into
the lower part of the house. where Tom is,
someone has to hold her. and if he goes up
70 the ONCE she never quits growing until
he leaves.
When an alarm of fire comes in Tom
goes TO one OF three places-the top of the
large card table. under it. or up the stair
way, and there she stays until the horses
are all hitched and the apparatus starts out.
No matter where she is, when the bell
strikes she has TO go and see that every
thing gets out all right.
Tom takes lively interest in everything.
She never grows dull and better natured
dog never lived. She has the fire instinct
bred in her, for her mother was Nell. a bull
terrier owned at the No. hook-and-ladder
company. on South street. This dog was
as we'll known throughout the department
as Tom but she was little known outside
of it, while Tom is familiar to almost every
body.
To prove that Tom has the fire instinct.
one may light newspaper and throw it
down on the floor: she will put il out. no
maSer how big the blaze Often, i'm extin-
gushing these nres, she will burn all the
hair off her mouth and around her eyes,
but she never gives up. II anyone throws
lighted cigar down on the floor she will
extinguish 1t Tom would be a valuable dog
around a dwelling house. because If a small
fire should start she would attempt to put
IL out, and ii Is doubtful If she would Quit
until she was burned 20 death.
Tom Is three years old and as fine a speci-
ment OF dog as one would want To see
BY constantly keeping in action, running
about doing her various tricks her muscles
have become as hard tron and she has
not surplus pound of flesh. 1t would take
a large sum of money TO buy this dog for
the men would hardly part with her at any
price; and she has become so used to the
life OF the engine house that il is doubtful
whether she could live and enjoy herself
anywhere else.