Rensselaer Union, Volume 7, Number 47, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 August 1875 — An Educated Dog. [ARTICLE]

An Educated Dog.

The London Spectator contains the foblowing account of the wonderful performances of an educated dog; “ Minos” is a skye ot the long-haired, silky kind, only that he turns his little feathered fore paws out in an odd way, which reminds one of the hands of certain lecturers when they are emphatic; his large brown eyes are inquiring, serious and closely attentive; his little black nose twitches with a variety of expressions very curious to observe, as the several problems of his arithmetical examination are presented to him; and to see him lift his head wi|k. a sharp air of questioning, and slightly shake it w hen he has been answered to his satisfaction, is the prettiest and quaintest sight possible. He was deposited on a large table by his mistress, and mildly regarded so many of the company as were within easy reach, but he betrayed no vulgar curiosity, while he waited until Mme. Hager’s preparations were complete. She conversed with him cheerfully, as she arranged a- number of cards bearing the numerals 1,2, 8 and so bn. and several double figures. With a gentle shake of one paw, the little creatine began bis “ exercises.” He picked but a dozen cards in succession, named by various persons among the audience, the number being distinctly repeated to him by his mistress, and then she asked anyone present to name a sum in addition wliich “Minos,” who had just brought the card marked 6 iu his mouth to her, would work. A lady said: “ Let him add 12 to it.” “Ajoute douze, ‘Minos,’ cherche, apporte!” He gave his mistress a long look, twitched his nose, ambled gently over to the spread cards, without displacing them, and presently returned, carrying in his mouth the card marked 18. Several experiments of the same kind were suggested, and in every instance “ Minos” made the calculation correctly. Then came exercises in subtraction, during which his gravity, consideration and frequent reference by questioning looks to Mme. Hager were very pretty to see. He never once failed to briug her the correct card, though some puzzling numbers were proposed to him (if, indeed, there be any question of degree in so phemonenal a performance), and only once did he “ give it up,” on which occasion he had all the sympathies of the audience with him. This was when a gentleman requested him to find “ the half of twenty-seven.” “Minos’’ paused, looked at his mistress, shook his right paw, twitched his right ear, and walked straight across the table to a card with 0 upon it, ans laid it before Mme. Hager. He was modestly conscious of the applause elicited by this - brilliant failure, but not elated; indeed, throughout the entertainment, although quite free from the oppressed and misanthropic weariness characteristic of almost all “ performing” animals, and particularly noticeable in beari, he had a humorous air of restrained cleK.r' Q ss, an “ we could an’ if we would" expression, especially pleasant at little confidential moments between his mistress and himself, when he nibbled tiny shreds of pink sweetmeat, and was told that he had been “ paresseuz” yesterday, but was “charmant” on the present occasion. He would sometimes sit up with his funny fore-paws turned up in front of him, ana survey the audience with a benignant gaze, as of a dog who said: “ Good people, you are amused because you do not understand me and my kind. We know all about you, but you know little about us. You might learn great deal from the mere fact that a little creature like myself exists.” lie conversed with his mistress freely in short barks, in winks, in twitches, perfectly to their mutual satisfaction, and was penitently sensible that he had slightly committed himself by lying down before company, in an idle moment, during the substitution of photographs for the numbered cards. Mme. Hager explained that “ Minos” was susceptible to the drowsy influence of the weather, and had been going out a good deal. From that moment he assumed a delightful briskness, and he entered into the game of picking out the photographs which were named iu succession with much spirit, turning his soft, brown head about in eager expectation of the next order, and exchanging looks with his mistress which people present said were “quite human.” Every one Wanted to know “ how it was done.” Few were contented to receive Mme. Hager’s assurances that the feat is entirely one of memory when “ Minos” picks out an individual 'anions the royal and princely personages of ’Europe (he even crosses (lie line in favor of the Sevyid of Zanzibar) at the request of any member of the audience. A favorite theory was that Mme. Hager conveyed an indication to him by changes of voice in Repeating the name after the chance nominator. But even if it were so that would be a more surprising exercise of memory, because it would require its employment on countless inflections of one voice, and the connection of them with the pictures, of which he is said to recognize 400. He picked out twenty-five without any difficulty, and when the titles of the Queen of England and the Princess of Wales .were changed to “the august mamma” and the “august wife” of'‘the Prince of Wales (who is a special patron of “Minos;” indeed he came to London at the Express invitation of His Royal Highness), he found the portraits just as readily. The spectacle was a charming one, not only because of the extraordinary sagacity and memory of the little performer, out because ot something exquisitely gentle, trustful and loving in his look and movements which went to people’s hearts. When he had found every photograph that was asked for a pack of playing-cards was produced, a handkerchief was thrown over the dog’s head, and three persons among the anai-

once were asked to select cards, which were afterward replaced in the pack, unseen by Mmo. Hager—a deiail of no real importance, because she could not teach die dog anything in the time or unobserved—and the whole distributed over the surface of the table. • “17 ext un peu norcier," said Mine. Hager, as she withdrew the handkerchief. The brown eyes and black nose turned up again, and “Minos” started on the first of the three perquisitions, which were all successful. It may lx; as well to mention that of the three persons who selected the cards two are well known to the present writer, and the third is a distinguished lady, a compatriot of “ Minos,” but who hail the pleasure of meeting him op this occasion for the first time. To such of our readers as already know or shall divine how this feat is performed, it will furnish a proof of the marvelously fine and exceptional organization of “ -Minos;” such as do not know, or cannot guess, must “ burst in ignorance,” for our information has been received from “ Minos” himself, and is strict ly private and confidential. Ilis distinguished compatriot was requested to write a word in their common language on a sheet of paper, to be shown to “ Minos.” She, with the neat politeness ©flier nation, wrote “ esprit ” and “ Minos” having attentively inspected the writing brought the letters e, h, p, r , i, t, in their proper succession, and arranged them on a book. Thjs achievement terminated the performance, and then the little dog, with unabated gravity and gentleness, received the personal congratulations of the audience, who afterwarcThadrilie pleasure of .seeing him running about on a croquet-lawn, sniffing at the balls; inspecting the mallets, and inspiring all observers with the conviction that he could croquet everybody if he only gave his very superior mind to it.