Talking Do^s 



275 



course a great lo\er of animals and has 

 studied them all her life, was told of 

 this and believed it in a sort of way, 

 but allowed rather a lot for our 

 imaginations. In one of her later books 

 she brings it in, but as soon as I read 

 it, I knew she didn't realize just how 

 phenomenal it was, so we insisted that 

 she come and visit us as soon as possible. 



When she did she was absolutely 

 dumb-founded, and could hardly be- 

 lieve that it was Noieand who said it. 



On different occasions also, when 

 father brought out-of-town men home 

 to dinner, their amazement has been 

 quite funny to watch, unfortunately 

 for them, they go home telling of this 

 talking dog and as one poor man from 

 the west told father, "Liar" was mild 

 to what they called him, and it has 

 been suggested that I ought to take 

 my dog and make a tour of the West 

 to redeem reputations lost on his 

 account. As for myself, I have learned 

 never to tell the story unless my old 

 dog is with me. It is only after reading 

 your article that I have the courage 

 to tell you, but having read it, I feel 

 that you will realize such a thing is 

 possible, and I should so like if ever 

 you are in Ottawa, where I live, (I am 

 just in Toronto during the school 

 terms) to have you come and see my 

 dog. You can always find out where I 

 am, or rather where Noieand is, from 

 father, who is the Deputy Minister of 

 Finance, anyone could direct you to 

 his office, and I know if he thought you 

 were interested, he would be only too 

 pleased to have you see Noieand as he 

 is just as proud of him as I am. 



I do very much hope that sometime 

 soon you will have occasion to visit 

 Ottawa, I am 



Yours very sincerely, 

 Laura M. Saunders. 



Indianapolis, Indiana, 

 March 16, 1922. 

 Mr. Alexander Graham Bell, 

 1331 Connecticut Ave., 

 Washington, D. C. 

 Dear Sir: — 



I was very much interested in reading 

 your article which appeared on page 34 



of the Indianapolis Sunday Star, Mar. 

 12, 1922, concerning your efforts to 

 teach a dog to talk. 



My reason for writing you is to tell 

 you that we have a female Boston 

 Terrier now past six years old, that 

 for about the last three years or more, 

 has been saying a few words. This 

 dog answers to the name of "Smarty." 

 Without any assistance, other than 

 being spoken to, she can plainly and 

 distinctly utter the word "Now" ; some- 

 times repeating it, in answer to the 

 question, "When do you want it," 

 and saying, "Now-now," or "Now-now- 

 now." Without much imagination, 

 you can understand that she tries to 

 say, "I want it now," "I want to go," 

 and "Want corn." 



She is unusually fond of corn-crisp 

 or cracker-jack, which we tell her is 

 corn. The word "Corn" is the most 

 difficult for her of any she attempts to 

 utter. She makes a very wonderful 

 effort, however, by opening her mouth 

 very wide as in a yawn, and expelling 

 the sound at the same time. 



We also have a French Poodle, and 

 sometimes when "Smarty" is playing 

 with this dog and becomes vexed with 

 it, or sometimes when playing with a 

 ball that happens to roll under any 

 article of furniture, she will talk volun- 

 tarily to herself and say, "Now-now." 



She is very fond of taking a walk 

 in the evening, and has a few times 

 when very anxious to go on one of 

 these trips, uttered intelligently the 

 words, "Go walk." 



Trusting the above may be of some 

 interest and pleasure to you and also 

 that I may hear from you when con- 

 venient concerning same, I am 



Yours very respectfully, 

 Emerson Brock. 



Indianapolis, Indiana. 

 May 12, 1922. 

 Mr. Alexander Graham Bell, 

 1331 Connecticut Ave., 

 Washington, D. C. 

 Dear Sir: — 



Received your communication of 

 March 23rd, in reply to my letter of 

 March 16th, in which I told vou of the 



