The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1905-01-26

is quieted. Then he suddenly throws
the door open Along the walls of the
building are scores Of hunks" with
wire doors in front, and in each bunk
are perhaps fifty ora hundred guinea
pigs. The sudden knock ON the door
has brought them to the fronts Of the
cages. Thousands Of eager little eyes
CLEAN out from white, black and tor
toise shell names. Thousands of shaggy
heads are as motionless as if they were
painted onscanvas, and nothing but the
soft breathing Of the horde Of animals
is heard.
Then the proprietor whistles. At first
1t is quaNering note, low and musical,
but growing in volume as the twitering
voices Of the guinea pigs join II.
that's my breakfast cal1-noNt
watch emf he says.
The mass of heads begins to move.
Hundreds of bodies tumble over one
another and the plIrring twittering
voices Of the little creatures rise. until
they drown out the masters whistle.
AS the man goes toward a number of
big barrels, again silence reigns. At the
barrels the proprietor letters Thou
sand Of bright eyes gaze steadily
through the wires at him. They are
waiting patiently. Soon the fluffy little
fellows seems to grow tired. Al nervous
| twitter, marvellously like that of a
bird, goes out from one little red mouth.
Another takes it up, then another ula-
til the building is filed with the
| sounds.
They're coaxing me now said the
proprietor.
AS he scoops handfuls of oats into
the cages, the pigs run up and push
their little noses into the grain. The
manners of guinea pigs are. not at all
| like those of ordinary porkers, after
which they are named They take one
grain, seldom more, at a time, and
chew contenplatively, a sort Of con-
tented glow. in their eyes. IL it is a
piece of carrot they nibble at it dainti-
EIy, and nibb1e all day long. While, 50
far as eating Is concerned they are
gluttons, yet they do 1t so daintily that
| it is apleasure to watch them.
That it takes human conpanionship
to bring out the better side Of the
guinea pig is shown by Diclxy' Flynn,
Mr.. Smiths assistant, a man eighty
years old, whose love for his guinea-pig
charges has become q passion. He
, never goes to bed at night without
taking with him several of his pets, to
keep him company. The fondness Of
Nifty, the bull terrier, for the guinea
pigs is not much less. He was born and
bred among the guinea pigs, and each
morning goes the rounds among his
friends, accompanied by the old man.
The thousands Of guinea pigs watch
| for these two, and show the greatest
affection for them. AS the guinea pigs
crowd up to the front of their cages.
Nifty greets all that he can reach with
La lick of his tongue If a number Of the
animals are placed on the floor or IN a
box while their pen Is being icleansed,
Nifty stands astride them, and the
little fellows crowd under his legs,
paws and neck, while every moment or
two the bull TERROR will give each Of
them an affectionate lick, TO let them
know that he is on the watch.
There is professors wife at the
University of Michigan who possesses
a male guinea pig which is SO polite
that it, has won the name of Beau
Brummel. This guinea pig now has a
family of three children and wife.
Whenever his dinner is ready his mis-
tress goes to the big cage where her
pets are confined and opens the door.
The husband and father then hustles
his family out, always leaving the cage
last. The meal is usually placed in a
dish, which is set upon table, especial
| Nv when the professors wife has COM
pany But this male guinea pig never
eats with his family. If a separate dish
is placed before him he will dine, but
otherwise he will not begin until he
sees that his family has had sufficient,
if he has to wait an hour. This family
of pets furnishes more amusement
than so many monkeys, They will climb
all over their human friends in search
of dainties, such as a cru1hb of cookie
! or piece Of sugar. They crawl up