Audubon County journal., 1911-05-11
While They
7 alked

He was the smartest dog you ever
saw" said the host from the head of
the table, enthusiastically. There
he'd sit just as contemptuous as a
human being If you threw down eight
rings, or nine-but the minute all ten
of those rubber rings were down he'd
bark and gather them up one by one
and bring them back to you! Why,
he could count, that dog could, just
as we'll as you! There wasn't any
fooling him, either! Why, one time"
MY French poodle was just as
bright" interrupted the woman on his
right. Really, Toto was abnormal!
He wasn't just bundle of fluff with
no brains, as most people judged from
his looks. He knew every single word
you said to him and he knew how to
get his own way. Why, I've known
that dog when there was roomful of
company and nobody was paying any
particular attention to him to select a
prominent place and sit up on his hind
legs, looking about proudly when peo-
pie exclaimed over how clever he was
But that wasn't what l started to
tell you. Toto was frightfuliy stub
born and always wanted his own way
Once he sat down in front of the
swing door into the kitchen and
barked to be let out there, but for
some reason I didn't want him to go,
SO I said: Mo- He kept right on
whining and teasing and dropped his
ears and his tail and looked the pic
ture of deserted despair, but 1 didn't
give in and finally he sat down aJd
put his head on one side and thought.
Then, like flash he got up, raced up
the front stairs, through the second
floor and down the back stairs into
the kitchen, where he wanted to go.
You needn't tell me that dog didn't
figure that all out"
He certainly was bright" said the
host. politely. Nov, my dog"
my terrier was terribly Jealous"
interrupted the man with the mus
tache. Jealousy in an animal is very
pathetic, think. Bob had always
been the whole thing and when the
baby came he simply couldn't under
stand it. He'd try to push her out of
our laps and sit and weep and look
agonized when we talked to her. Final
ly, | telephoned a friend that | had
to dispose of either the baby or the
terrier, and he could come over and
take his choice. He was dreadfully
afraid Of hurting our feelings and ex-
planned that of course the baby was
lots nicer, but that he chose the ter
rier, as he could lock it up and leave
1t at home when he wanted to go out
anywhere and he couldn't the baby"
''Ha! Hal" said the host. Most
amusing! Now, my dog
Poor little Fido" broke in the wom-
an at his left. Its al l oan do to
keep from crying when think of him!
think dogs must have souls, don't
you? He was cocker spaniel and so
affectionate. He loved me devotedly
and couldn't bear to have me out of
his sight, and it always made him
furious if we went riding and didn't
take him along. Whenever left him
behind he went straight upstairs to
w
and If the door wasn't locked he'd
nose 1t open. Then he'd carry every
one of those shoes and slippers down.
stairs and put them on the window
seat and sit guard over them till he
saw me come home. l tell you, no.
body could touch those shoes-he'd
growl and show his teeth and raise a
dreadful row! l thought 1t SO cum
ning!"
Very pretty, indeed" said the host.
"It reminds me that my dog"
"Henry!" interrupted his wife from
the foot of the table, don't you re-
| member Sport? Sport was the bull
dog my brother owned and when Hen
ry was coming to see me Sport took
the greatest fancy to him. One night
when he was calling and another man
came Sport sat on the front steps and
wouldn't let the other man come up
to ring the bell! Wasn't that perfect
| ly killing? The other man declared
that Henry had subsidized Sport with
| soupbones, but he really was quite
| nice about it, because he sent us a
| lovely silver dish when we were mar
ried."
Good old dog. Sport" agreed the
host. "As l was saying"
"Fido really must have been part
| human" said the woman on his left.
He would sulk and pout, you know.
Once, when we had been riding and
he had stayed at home, he evidently
thought 1t over and got terribly mad,
| for he acted just like child who was
| in rage and wanted to show how
bad he could be. He jumped into my
! lap and climbed up on my shoulder
and paved my hair down just as
viciously as though he were saying:
I'll show YOU laughed till 1 al
most cried"
| Dogs certainly are intelligent"
| ,,la +bo boc+ in. a straipod hnt 40