Canine Guests. jy 



at dominoes was decidedly the prettiest instance of their 

 real knowledge, for they took up the numbers just as they 

 were asked for. It seems evident that an intelligent dog 

 might be taught to know a considerable variety of objects 

 by their names. 



M. du Rouil told us an anecdote of Blanche which may 

 be easily believed by any one who has made her acquaint- 

 ance. He was going home one night from Paris to 

 Neuilly, after a performance, and saw a man who was 

 seeking for some object that he had lost. "What are you 

 seeking .■" " he asked. The man answered that he had lost 

 280 francs. " Possibly my dog may be able to find them 

 for you ; have you any money left .' If you have, show 

 her a piece of gold. Allcz, cherchez, Blanche ! " The 

 dog set out and fetched first one piece of gold and then 

 another and then a banknote till the 280 francs were com- 

 pleted. Then followed many other anecdotes about dogs 

 of which I select these. A lady said that she had known 

 a dog that belonged to a celebrated publisher in Paris who 

 had a country-house at Auteuil. Every Friday his family 

 went to Auteuil, and always regularly found the dog there 

 on their arrival. He went alone, through Paris, from the 

 Rue de r Ancienne Comedie, and he never made a mistake 

 about the day. The family frequently went out on other 

 days, but on these occasions the dog stayed contentedly 

 at home. Another dog that she had also known had been 

 bred in a strictly Catholic family, and would never touch 

 meat on a Friday. Bets were made, and the greatest 

 temptations used to overcome his conscientious scruples, 

 but always in vain. He was shut up in a room during a 

 whole Friday with meat in his reach, but preferred to 

 suffer hunger rather than touch it. One of my friends 



Allez, cherchez, Blanche ! Go seek it, Blanche. 



