Jasper County Democrat, Volume 14, Number 89, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 February 1912 — Making Friends With Various Animals [ARTICLE]

Making Friends With Various Animals

By H. J. HILL

I believe that many of our household animals can understand our converrsation, and comprehend much of the daily talk between men. I have a friend in. the country who is a great hunter of foxes and rabbits, and when I visited hijn some time ago I found him in the act of cleaning his hunting gun. I said to him, “Are you getting ready to go hunting?” “No,” he replied, “I am .going to shoot Bob here. The dog is getting too old and stiff for hunting.” -The dog until then had been lying on

the floor/ seemingly unconcerned, but hardly had his master announced that he was about to shoot Bob when the animal jumped up, whining and crawling behind the skirts of the hunter’s wife. The woman had all she could do to comfort the badly frightened animal. , ' \ I believe that we underestimate £he intelligence of animate and the value of their affection. If .you make friends of dogs or cats or birds, they are always your friends. They study and know you better than you know them. You need never regret, or b© disappointed in having bestowed your kindness on these friends.