Rensselaer Union, Volume 6, Number 39, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 June 1874 — Six Dog Stories. [ARTICLE]

Six Dog Stories.

Dr. Prime, in one of his “ Ireneeua Letters in the NqwfYork Observer, relates several anecdotes of dogs that have exhibited an intelligence almost human. Some' of these tales of dogs, it is are quite well authenticated. The first is about —. • : —i ; A RELIGIOUS DOG, and is thus told: Dr. S. S. Marcey, of Cape May City, writes to me of one known to the summer Visitors as “ the Presbyterian dog. ” “He was raised,” said the doctor, “ and owned by one of my neighbors, living nearly opposite the Methodist, Church. The Presbyterian being about four blocks distant, on the ringing of the second bell on Sabbath morning he would quietly and orderly walk to the church, and alter the congregation had assembled and services commenced ho would quietly walk into the middle aisle and lie down. When the congregation arose for prayers he would devoutly rise to his feet and remain until the close, then recline to his humble position. At the close of the services lie would walk out of the church and quietly return to his kennel. On a funeral occasion, near the close, he has been known to follow the congregation up to the coffin, stand upon his hina feet, elevate himself high enough to view the corpse for a moment, and then quietly retire. These ceremonies he performed for several years, as I have often been an eye-witness. “On one Sabbath-the sexton, not having the fear of the dog before his eyes, ejected the quiet and inoffensive animal from the church with several kicks. The dog so resented the ungentlemanly treatment that fie abandoned the cliurcfi -entirely and attended the Methodist Church opposite his homo during the remainder of iris life.” A DISGUSTED DOG. Mr. Walter Chester, of New York city, writes to me that the lollowing story was related to' him by Dr. S. B. Woodward, formerly of Wethersfield, Conn., and afterward principal physician of the Insane Asylum at Worcester, Mass.: Dr. Woodward had a fine Newfoundland dog, which always accompanied him when driving his rounds, and frequently rode on the boat ..as he crossed the river to Glastenbury. As the doctor settled his ferriage on one occasion, he remarked: ‘‘That makes our account square," to which the ferryman replied: “ Yes, unless you pay fare fur your dog.” Instantly the dog plunged into the river and would never put his feet upon the boat afterward, but swam the Connecticut whenever his master crossed on the boat, which he did i for several years. A REASONING, REVENGEFUL DOG. Deacon Henderson, of Berkshire County, Mass., started on a journey with a horse and carriage to visit his friends. He soon discovered that his small dog accompanied him. After staying at & hotel one night he resumed his journey, but missed his dog. One week later he returned over the same route and stopped at the hotel. Dr. Prime thus continues the story; He made inquiry for the dog, and the landlord told him the first- day after the Deacon left the dog was running around the place, making every expression of loneliness, and was several times attacked and bitt:n by other dogs, and then disappeared. Within a day or two thereafter the little dog made his second appearance, accompanied by a much larger dog, and they finally made a furious attack upon every resident dog in the neighborhood, and gave them a thorough thrashing. When that work was done both dogs disappeared. The good Deacon was delighted with the lanalord’s recital ot the affair, and explained the matter by guessing that the little dog went back home, some thirty miles, procured the assistance of a large dog that was his associate, and returned to the tavern to punish his enemies; and when the worthy Deacon reached home he found his conjectures fully justified

by the fact that the dogs had been absent, and on returning home showed signs of hard usage. PATHETIC FAREWELL OF A DOG. Dr. George Smith, of New York, Dr. Prime says, is responsible for the story of a dog owned by a friend of his in Connecticut, which was one day poisoned by the bite of a snake. The account thus concludes: Medicine was given him, but he grew worse, and at length the family began to fear that he would die. He lay one morning in their midst moaning with agony, while they sat watching and questioning what they could or ought to do. Suddenly they noticed;a change for the ifrorse, almost as perceptibly as in a human being. After a paroxysm of pain he slowly arose, went to each member of the family, tried to wag his tail, licked their hands, and, their faces, and tenderly laid his head for a moment against their cheeks. Having thus bidden his pathetic “ good-by,” he feebly crept out into a grove adjoining the house (the family following to see the end), looked pitifully over the familiar spot, lay down, and was dead! a “ring" organization. painfully lifting himself up until his dear old paws rested on their shoulders, licked At Little Falls, N. Y., some years ago two gentlemen had been hunting with Mr. McKenstry’s hound. Returning to the village a large cur sprang over the fence and attacked the hound, injuring it severely, but was beaten off. Mr. McKenstry was advised to shut up the hound, but goon after he reached home he left again, and it was decided upon to follow him and see what he would do. 'Hie dog’s conduct is thus described: He trotted along some two miles, then stopped at a house where two hounds were kept with whom he often hunted. Arriving there he fondled around them, and by intimations understood by them the two were induced to follow him. The three, returning to the village on a good round trot, heads and tails up, went directly to the yard where the cur was, and jumping over the fence fell upon .him and never let go their hold until they had killed him. A SOCIAL, VISITING DOG. Several years ago a gentleman and wife spent a few weeks in the family of my friend, Mr. John G. Tallman, living at Nyack, on the Hudson. They had with them their dog, remarkably good natured and intelligent. He was kindly cared for, as is everybody and everything—man and beast—who comes within range of that hospitable home; made himself as one of the family and had a good time generally. At the close of tamer, master and aog returned to the city. About six weeks later who should trot into Mr. Tallman’s house one day, soon after the boat arrived from New York, but old Towser. He evinced signs of great pleasure at the meeting, barking and frisking about, and doing all he could to express gratification at the hearty welcome he received. The family of course thought he preceded the arrival of his owners; but as they failed to appear, his presence created no little surprise. Still that did not disturb Towser. He ate and drank, basked lazily in the autumn sunshine by day and crept into a warm, cosy corner by night, evidently enjoying his visit wonderfully well. At the expiration of three or four days he quietly trotted out of the yard one morning about the hour of the arrival of the boat for New York, found his way to the dock, went on board the steamer, remained there until she reached the city, and then wended his way home like any other traveler. In commenting upon the last-mentioned dog, Dr. Prime says his master lived in Hudson street and that in those days the Nacky steamer started from the foot of Robinson street. The questions that arise are, how could he fix upon the time ot, the boat’s starting, find his way there, and wiiy did he not stop at some other place instead of Nyack? How did he know when to leave Mr. Tallman’s to secure a passage home? These questions which occurred to Dr. Prime he does, not pretend to answer except by asking another, as follows: “ Does there not seem to be a near.approach to the divine gift of reason in all this? I believe it, and that coming ages will develop stranger facts upon this point “ than we have dreamed of in ous>|}hi losophy.’ ” «