The Washington herald., 1908-06-28
By SARAH FRANCES wINsLOw.
Did you ever hear a dog talk?


Did you ever hear a dog talk?
OF course you and have had dogs that
almost talked. which made their wants
known as readily and with a certainty
which two-legged animals might envy
dogs that seemed to understand perfectly
what was said to them. Then we know
about the watchdog's honest bark baying
deep-mouthed welcome as we draw near
home. The welcome always sounded very
much like bow-wow TO me- but then my
hearing may be defective for remember
when my infantile nephew said with per-
feet distnctness q have his mothers
word for 10. Go away. bad boy" /
thought no had only said. "Goo-boo-boo."
which is quite different, you know.
When I tell YOU that dogs talk. please
don't doubt my veracity, for. as a poor.
hardworSing journalist. II is one Of my
most valuable assets. Just credit the
statement where # belongs. TO the Herr
Prof. Or. Leibnitz. of Saxony who told a
congress Of savants In the year 1929 that
ne knew a hound which spoke thirty
words distinctly" The statement has not
been contradicted in all these years, and
l do not hesitate 10 revive Il. believing
that even II the illustrious scientist were
nature taking. his memory would be safe
from attack until after the next election.
At the same time and place # was an
nOunced that 'the dog Is the only animal
that dreams he and the elephant are the
only four-footed animals that understand
looks and expressions; the elephant the
only animal that feels ennui, the dog the
only Quadruped which has been brought
to speak" So there now. If you don't
believe what n koeniglische professor with
all sorts Of alphabetical arrangements be-
hind his name has 10 say. am sure you
wouldn't believe me. anyway.
This anecdote was related during the
week Of the kennel show down on Long
Island and by a very successful exhibitor.
but I wouldn't believe It myself until she
showed me the whole story In the Arcana
OF Science. Then during a rainy after
noon dog books were searched, and all
sorts Of queer and improbable things were
brought to light about doEs. RI you don't
mind, I'll tell you about some Of them.
Dogs can hear and understand. even n
they cannot always articulate, or Mr St
John. author Of Highland Sports" de-
serves membership in the club with those
10 whom a shorter and uglier name has
been applied.
"A shepherd. neghbor Of mine" said
Mr.. St. John, "to prove the QuicRness Of
his dog. which was lying before the fire
I'm the farmhouse kitchen. where we were
talking said to me in the middle Of a con-
I'm thinking. sir. the cows got into the
potatoes. Though he purposely lowered
his voice. laying no stress on these words.
the dog. who appeared to be asleep. inn
mediately jumped up, leaped through the
open window, and scrambled up the turf
roof Of the house, from which he could
see the potato field. Not seeing the cow,
he ran back into the farmyard, and. find
ing her there, came back into the house
After a time the shepherd said the same
words again, and the dog repeated his
lookout but on the false alarm being
given the third time, the dog got up and,
wagging his tail, looked his master full IN
the face with such q cOmical expression
of inquiry that we could not refrain from
laughing heartily. on which he laid him
self down again 70 sleep in his accustom- |
ed place on the hearth rug, as II deter
mined not to be made a fool Of again"
Then a scrap-book was produced, and
We read in turn Of the he.vism or dogs
as portrayed In the daily press; an ac-
count Of how dog had rescued the en- |
tire crew Of a ship wrecked of the coast
OF California by swimming out where no
man would venture and no boat could /
float and bringing back a line which the |
sailors had been frantically trying to /
throw ashore; tales Of homes and lives /
saved from destruction by fire. thanks 20 |
the timely warning 81 the watchdog: OF |
children found and restored 20 their par |
onts by dogs; Of treasures defended. and /
Of travellers rescued from Alpine snow /
drifts by dogs. until I had almost begun /
70 think Mr.. Carnegie ought U provide /
some sort of a special medal for dog he J
roes. who have been and are stiIl vying |
with their two-legged friends In deeds OF |
courage and unselfshness.
1T is a strange thing" said a veteran /