The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1911-06-08

s
and age of the world no defnate
decision has been reached. Many
people will not SO much as counten-
ance. the mere suggestion by men,
tioning animals as dumb beasts and
letting it go at that. Yet others
are equally as certain that they have
been blessed with the power of rea-
soning. However, it is very difficult
to understand those who deny them
this power. unless they hold reason
and instinct to be so nearly related
as to be undistinguishable. Perhaps
| can interest the reader of this mar
riative by relating the systematic
way in which our family cat set to
work to investigate it's mysterious
double in looking glass.
Through idle curiosity once con-
cieved the idea of placing mirror
on the floor in the middle of room.
so that the cat might walk all around
it and pursue its inquiry from all
points OF vantage. 1t was very in
teresting, indeed, to watch the ami
NAL, for it acted as if it were COM
pletely baffied. At first it walked
back and forth in front of the
glass, always keeping an eye on
the elusive image on the other side.
Then it quickened its pace, hoping, no
doubt. that it would catch the other
mapping. 1t also failed in this, SO
at last it sat down near the edge of
the glass so it could keep one eye in
the glass and still be peeping on the
other side at the same time. Still in
fit of passion it tested the thickness
of the glass with its paw. It could
go no further so gave up it's quest
in disgust.
Another case of reasoning / have
in mind, is in which a young prairie
wolf displayed sense of measure
ment hardly to be looked for in the
animal kingdom. The wolf had been
captured when very young and had
been raised as pet. In fear Of it
taking to its natural wanderings, it
was chained to post in the yard
and all about its compound. the,
chickens used to run, always just
out of reach. He was fed the scraps
that came from the family table
good wholesome food, no doubt,
but very poor substitute for rab-
bits, partridges or chickens. On
Christmas day he decided to have a
change for his dinner. By doing SO
it shows the power of reasoning that
is bestowed upon these wild, dumb
beasts. He waited patiently for his
lunch to be brought from the dining
room table. and after it had been
placed within the bounds Of his teth-
er, he pushed it to the farthest
end of his chain. Then he retired
in the opposite direction to the ut
most length of the chain, to await
results; he layed down, and looked
as if his thoughts were many miles
away in the wilderness. His shrewd-
ness was soon rewarded, however,
for the barnyard fowls, thinking he
was sound asleep, and unable to
reckon the radius of his sphere,
presently came to the lure, and the
results were the fattest one Of the
flock provided him with Christmas
dinner. Now if such performances
as these that / have just related do
not involve reasoning, then l say
the word ought to be discarded
from the English language and q !
new one substituted.
Why, Sherlock Holmes himself,
under the same limitations, and ig-
norance, could have done no
more than the cat did in trying to
run to earth its mysterious double,
neither could he have planned or
schemed more cleverly than the pet
wolf to provide himself W it'll
Christmas dinner.