When I was a small boy I lived with my parents in my grandfather’s home.
Here was grandfather’s large dog Rouse. He was the constant companion of
my uncle in his work on the farm. His great desire was to carry
something in his mouth when the team started for the field. He was often
given a singletree, with which he marched along, showing evident
satisfaction. One day he concluded to cut across a field instead of
going around the road. The fence was a high rail one and, burdened with
the weight of the heavy singletree, he could not jump over. After
several vain attempts he dropped his load, stood looking up and down the
road. Then looking at the singletree for a moment picked it up and put
it through between the rails. He then jumped over the fence, gathered up
the singletree and trotted on.
One thing he absolutely refused to carry was an iron wedge unless it was
put in a basket. On one occasion this same uncle lost the lash of the
whip he was using in driving a yoke of oxen. He had another at the
house, but it was nearly a mile distant. He wrote his want on a slip of
paper and giving it to Rouse said, “Take this to mother.” He was soon
scratching at the kitchen door. When the door was opened he dropped the
note on the floor, was given the whip lash and hurried away to the
field.
A certain dog belonged to a doctor. He often trotted along under the
buggy when the doctor went to call on his patients. On one occasion the
doctor rode horseback and hurriedly threw the bridle rein over a
hitching post where the visit was made. The horse threw up his head, the
bridle rein was freed from the post and the horse started down the road.
The dog saw the move and started after him. After some little difficulty
he caught the dangling rein, brought the horse back to the post and held
him there until the doctor came out.
On another occasion a horse was tied to a post of the porch at the
doctor’s house. He got restless and was soon standing with fore feet on
the porch. The dog saw it and, catching him by the tail, pulled until he
backed down and stood on the ground.
There is a big shepherd dog not far from where I live that watches for
the evening train. As soon as it appears he runs to a certain place
beside the track, where the mail clerk throws him a bundle of papers. He
never fails to be at his post or on the way.
A dog who was utilized to run a dog power churn at last grew tired and
resorted to various schemes to get out of the work. Just after the churn
had been made ready one day the lady heard the vigorous bawling of a
calf and looking out she saw the dog trying hard to get a calf into
position to do the churning. After this it was necessary to tie his
dog-ship the night before if he was to be used next day.
An Iowa dog who had suffered much from firecrackers on the Fourth always
disappeared soon after midnight of the third at the first shot of an
anvil or cannon cracker. He spent the day in the country far from town
and never returned until the noise had ceased.
A friend who was a photographer had a large Newfoundland dog who had a
great deal of curiosity about his make-up, as well as much sense. His
face was always the first to appear at the village postoffice window
when the mail was opened. The master was an oldtime photographer when
stronger water ammonia was much used in the preparation of paper. There
was an assistant in the gallery who liked to tease the dog and knowing
the trait of desiring to investigate every box or bottle that was
opened, played many tricks on him, but none of them seemed to cure him
or to lessen this desire until he got a good full whiff of stronger
ammonia, which laid him full length on the floor and made him less
anxious to look into everything with his nose.
His master had a book for the butcher and a different one for his
account with the grocer. When meat or groceries were wanted it was only
necessary to give him a book in which had been written the articles
desired and a basket and away he went. He knew where to go by the color
of the book. Often in coming home with meat he was set upon by other
dogs who tried to rob him. One day a large hound tried several times to
get the meat, but was kept away by very significant growls. Becoming
more determined he made a final dash, when Newfoundland set the basket
down and no hound ever got a sounder thrashing. Then with head and tail
held high the basket was carried home in triumph.
Alvin M. Hendee.