The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-04-03
ROMAN DOgS.
the ssosy % rsaA ana Pesnceseae.

.
Ogy. and willingly add 60 your remarks
nav own experiences on the subject.
Our children are all grown up and In ve
left their home. We are q lonely old couple
and are very thankful for the company Of
our two beautiful shepherd dogs. who are
for usa cOnsta nc source OF interest and OF
plsaNurr
TOta aud PellieciOne ca me to us in thOaEnp
Of dear old Roman Princess. two balls Of
white. sof, wool. They had been abAn-
dOned by their mother. q poor stray, who
had had tho clever idol to leave them near
the gate Of The splendid princely residence
close by Frusoati
We had to bring them up by hand. like
modern human babies u was a tiresome
affair. but they very soon became the de-
liGh, of our eyes and Of our hearts. They
have grown splendid nd make us Apply by
their constant good humor. their charm.
their Affection. They are tall animals.
Pelliccione II mighty and strong: Tota. Of
the golden eyes. Ia just the mOst cha rmInG.
winning creature 1 know. They are rarely
In contact with other dogs. their playground
u oI very limited size. but they have look
OF ha ppiness about them that have never
seen in any other animals.
confess that I do not look upon hours
spent in their company al time Loaf. and
they look upon me a. upon u true friend.
companion and protector. ] feel my great
inferiority tn them; they understand every
word say in any Of the many languages
spoken in our poly Elot home. and I cannot
even hear what they say. for they do SPEAK !
A great savRnt once explained 10 me that
the reason why We do not understand OF
hear tho language OF animals lies In the
celebrity Of their tone vibrations, that sur
passes the number that our limited organ
eau perceive
BE IL As 1t may. the evident fact is that
they hear with their ears and understand
with their brains anything tell them. while
can neither hear nor understand what they
say to me and can just guess at their mean
inR.
Lately ! ass isted al one Of their Rames.
Pelliccions had found a chestnut at the foot
Of n tree In the lower garden he showed q
to his dear Tota. and they decidedly had q
conversation on the subject Of cher'nuts:
Them brown things that fall down from
that tree. They are not good 20 eat, but
make capital toys for ~ to play With And
they settled the rules of game that they
have played over and over again to my
infinite am u-ement with chestnuts and with
s'indry other articles. PellicciOne told Tota
to stay In tho lower garden: he took tho
chestnut In his mouth and went up to the
upper terrace Of our villa. lie carefully put
the chestnut down before a big flower pot
could reach: then he looked at the whole
concern. putting down his shaggy hea a TO
the right and to the left. AZ a -connoisseur
does when examining some work OF art.
Pelliccione saw that the chestnut was well
hidden he next went TO call beautiful,
tender and slender TotA, who arrived with
her usual gushing glee. She ran around the
terrace. she Put her nose down tn the
ground she smelled right and left and vas
gradually getting nearer and nearer to the
hidden treasure PellicciOne was lying
quite stu. but hi glistcning eyes were fol-
lowing ever movement ~ hts playmate.
She found the chestnut. she bounced
upon IL she got r. lie leaped up and they
ran around and around the terrace. Tote
holding 'riumphantiy the chestnut bet een
her teeth
After good chase both dogs we're tired.
they lay down on the sand and had a nice
little nap. But IS soon ss they awoks
Toia had a conversation with her playmat e
Who listened with attention to what my
ErOss human ear could no, hsar Then
they both trotted calmly away. stayed some
time away and came back With a chestnut
This time Tota did the hiding part. she
pat her toy AZ the foot oG big tree and
covered u with falen leaves. Il was Ps!lic-
Clones turn to look for II His nrSt idea
was to search among the pots. then he was
q ] neRn hidden.
for he u not % the irna ginaiive sort Tota
- q highly strained individual ~ she had
been born q woman { bet she would have
been hysfcriUll, fine hid. nov she fol-
low~d every movement of tho bag heavy
male she iT~mhlnd with eNpc, "a ton every
nerve was strung. HE T. going to fird n D.
no, he has lost the scent he ~ getting
u-,rer he has found IT, and Whrn he had
found u she began 20 look quite wishy
wnrhy thought she was going to faint
from emotion. but she Jumped up and In a
purovysm Of enthusiasm dragged Pelli
nv tho ear and chased hin, around every bit
~ p rden We nave. up and down and up
agliu his - how our dear dogs pIay.
bat le' ne tell yOsi how cool and brave they
are or rather Tots - IN ~ IN and In woe
IN july ipUs IN. hid her first la bIea-
nine Of them We were sorry enough
10 lie obliged 30 ptr' with FIVE Of them,
hu' they were merr'fullv done away
with 1ota loved the four who we're left
.hs troubled oyer them and was afraid
even Of Pellic,ione's coming near them,
though she likri mo to 60 nj see them q nd
even 20 "a r"Ss ihen. When visitors are eN-
I'sV-.,d Ne have to shut up our dogs ia a
preciu,t. ;ir-i. because many people are
RfrH ~ IT thrrr ss~ondly heause they show
their frieudiinr~s ny jumping up and lay
Ing their big paws on r~ople's shoulders,
nor Always 10 'ue huNhufu OF pretty
toilets nor to the Consola ton Of 'imid viai-
tors tnhAppily their home had been shut
IN bv pointed wooden rails Pelliccions.
TOO hca W and too lazy. never thought Of
jumping over them. but We often admired
elegant Tuta lrapinE over them with her
unptc. perfect grace Her white WooIly
ha bie- we're scarcely week old whom she
lea ped gain over the pointed rails nd re-
ma ined hanging on them. l hea ri her |
walls lei' the company who we're enjoy
ing music ia the drawing room and found |
luy darling all torn and beading Ran
dacs- we're a. hand I dressed the horrtd /
wounds She hv quiet and looked A. me !
with that superhuman look Of pain that !
animals have and Of thankfnlness that ]
hums ns hav not
Every body IN the house loves our logs I
when my son came home thai evening from ,
An excursion on the mountains he pooh |
poOhsd my bandARinE and srnt for a veter-
mary. the best in Rome
My poor Tota was laid on a table The
veterinary ordered her 20 be- tied down and
nuzzI~d declared that she would neither
BE- lied down nor muzZisd. that would hold