Democratic Sentinel, Volume 15, Number 50, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 January 1892 — Clever Collie. [ARTICLE]

Clever Collie.

T. Sidney Cooper, the English animal painter, says that lie often made valuable studies in Cumberland, at places where Scotch droves halted with their cattle for the night. On such occasions, he often had a chance to see illustrations of an animal’s intelligence, as well as of its physical perfection. One day, when there was a pouring rain, a man consented to sit for me at the inn where I was staying. He brought his collie with him, and both of them were dripping wet; so he put off his plaid, and laid it on the floor by the dog. I made a very successful sketch of the man, but before I had finished it, the dog grew fidgety with the wet plaid, and his master said, “Tak’ it awa’i mon, tak’ it awa'!” The dog took the end of it between his teeth, and dragged it out of the room. After I had finished the drover’s portrait, I asked him if he thought his dog would lie quiet for a time, as I wished to sketch him. “Oh, yes, mon,” he answered, “he’ll do anything I say to him. Watch! Watch!” he called, and then “whustled” for him, as the Scotch say. As the dog did not appear, we went together to look for him, and found him sitting before the kitchen fire, with the end of the plaid in his mouth, holding it up to dry. I expressed my admiration of his intelligence, and the master replied: “Ah, he’s a canny creature, sir! He knows a mony things, does that dog, sir. But come awa’, mon; the gentleman wants to mak’ your picture.” So we returned to my room, and the handsome collie sat for his portrait.