THE LANGUAGE OF ANIMALS

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 27 May 1920, Page 4

THE LANGUAGE OF ANIMALS

fFiioM Sydney Bulletin-") (Concluded.) Twice a day he left open the door of Vox's bedroom-cornstore. Having permitted the billy to enter, lie followed him, caught him in the door, and, holding him so between the door and the frame, Kiexed William behind the ribs until William was beaten to a standstill. Released, William lay down for au hour to recover his wind, looKing the while at Beatty with the malevolent eye of a wioKed old man ; then having re» covered he waited for a fair opportunity to catch Vox stooping and butted him violently. Vox retaliated j with a big sticx, so that the goat scarcely had time to recover before he "was due for his corn-room act

again. Vox hated it and bore it ; for he was m debt. On that, first day he went to the creamery he had to buy pyjamas and underclothing at the •tore ; also an oilsicin coat to protect him from the rain that was general and the dews that were almost as heavy a? rain. His oil coat was a blacK one, and the oiler had discounted the lubricant by 50 per cent., so that it stucic to itself, or to the chairs or any other surface it touched. On the day of his purchase Vox sat down at the post office to Trait for the master's mail; and when he rose the coat said " Cre-eesh" as it left the chair, and Vox replied " Don't te&r it, Mr Draper, T'll take the piece," so that the pusimasier thought him crazy. Sitting in the cart on the way home Vox laughed as he experimented with the coat, which would scream but refused, to tear. " Listen to my jujube coat." said Vox, moving so that the coat said '•' Oranct! Oreesh ! Quark !" And so h# began to use his old ait, and found it bettered by disuse. He had been learning without Knowing it. The bellbird called him deceitfully from coppices of music and hazel, and unconsciously he found himself as good a mimic as any Australian bird. He tried a whinny on the horse, and the horse turned to him ;he essayed a growl on the dog and the dog looked bacK, his neck hair bristling for a moment. And every day or the vtay to the creamery and liomo again lie perfected his art, Knowing- that he must go bacic to his own life from this inter minable and souUdestroying slavery. He wonted the month and was out of debt; and then for another month for the money to redeem him by paying his railroad fare. But on domaud wages wore not payable. •' Y'll 'avo ter stay er cupplor inunce," said JJeatty, "au' then I'll pay y' orf." Knowirjg tho uselossuess of argument with this dull obstinacy Vox laughed so that he shouldn't foel miserable. He felt that if he could not break away by some violent means Boatty would maKo him prisoner for life. So he thought and I planned, and laughed as tho plan made itself look good to him. Selecting next early rising, and while Boatty stood near the carthouse, he knocked a dozen hens oil the shaft, the hens swearing in protest. "Watcher doin' t' tlier cIiooks?" shouted Beatty. "The damned loafers'" replied Vox. '1 get'up two hours before they do. Why don't they get up | early and lay eggs ?" •'Lcavemaloce," said Boatty. ''They don't unnerstaud. Fowls can't think any more'n monkey? can't talk." Waiting in the town storo that da} Vox picked up a fragment of the Arabian Nights with a pago of that excellent story —hut bowlerised of all its meaning—of the man who understood the language of animals. He chuckled to himself on the drive home, as he decided tho application. Beatty came to tho yard as Vox put up the horse, and gave him a half-measure of corn, driving away the fowls that attempted to rush the box. "Got out o'iihyou," said Vox, "you loafers. Go and lav eggs." Aud then to Beatty'i wonder a heavy, matronly hen—a buff Orping* ton with yellow trousers and feathers to her toes—clucked and answered, "Lay eggs! AVhat encouragement have I to lay eggs ? Just as soon as I !, got a clutch started old Beatty eat* 'em." Vox went away to laugh aud Boatt\ stayed to marvel. Also, next morning, whilo Beatt} milked, with his head against the port side of a cow and tho milking buektt between his knees. Vox it the ortposite stall suddenly punched his cosy's flack, and said, '"Give youi milk, you obstinate brnte." Beatty, looking over, saw tho cow turn her head to Vox and heard hei reply. "Give my milk ! You take i all. What's the good of having { calf ? Old Beatty's nose-ringed it t< a bit of sharp kerosene-tin, and when rtver the poor calf tries to suck a bi lof comfort it huits me so much that ] kick my own child." Beatty almost fell off the stool He rose and came over to Vox, am the smoliful gout made a strategic advance upon div uuguarilod milk pail. I (>\Y':ts v'l'.i tiilkiu' to the cow--, Fux"?' I "Oil. Ye*." \ "An' they unV'itstau' \ V tuu ?" I "Why, yes" II "How didger lo.ru it '?'' I "1 didn't learn il —it's a gift,"'

"Mus'n' teach the animals to be disref-pec'ful: but-- good Gord ; look at that goat !" He sprang from the milk pail, and the William, his head white with milk, upset the pail aud leaped to safety, so that the disembarrassed Vox wa« able to lean against, the cow and laugh till he cried. And he laughed so much that he let up on Beatty for a day. H« re opened hostilities as he was harnessing1 up the melancholy horse at the door of the corn-room, where;, in Beatty -was engaged in the light occupation of sewing up the full sacks. Beatty suddenly heard conversation and listened, with the needle in tho air. "You're a good horse," said Vox. " Now put this nice bit m your mouth." " I don't like it," said the horse. "Why, that's ungrateful. Mr Beatty bought )t for you to play with, and it's made of nice iron that won't breaic." "It hurt's my tongue," said the horse. " Now,- now, you musn't grumble, aud here's your collar and a prelty pair of hames for a necktie. It mightn't be all you want but we've all got some discomforts to bear." " I lixe you,' 1 said the horse. " I hope you like Mr Beatty, too, What! No answer? Now, now! Naughty! There's your saddle! Now lift up your tail for the pretty little crupper ! Poor old chap—is tho tail still sore ? " V Yes —Beatty drove me jesterday. But yoa're kind ; I like you. And Beatty stayed within, gaping and listening for more. Vox called the dog-. " Glad to come to tho creamery with me, Fido, alias Tiger ? " Fido, alias Tiger, opened his mou*;h and yawned, and then stretched hinisolf with his head on his paws. " Glad to come, Tiger?." " Yes," said tho dog. "Anywhere out of hero. If old Boatty kicks me any move, I'll bite his oar off. Beatty came out threateningly, and aud the dog slunk away, and the goats immediately mastheaded themselves on the tallest stumps by the cultivation paddocie. '' You're gottin' those animals inter bad 'abits, Fox, said Boatty. ''There's no respock no more than you 'aye respeck for the man that pays yer wages." " Well, I'm ready to go Mr Beatty. pay me up like a :mau uu~ less all the animals said of you ibtrue; and then you won't pay uo," " I'll pay yer, be cripes," said Beatty in cold rage. "An' yer can | getaway tor-day. Six pound it is."' '* Six pouuds twelve and six." " Orlright '. Orlright '. You got the cart ready, au' y'r swag, an' we'll get goiu'. An' —just v minit, Fox. If that billygoats says anything about mo he's a ilamin' liar." 1 j # ~ ... * t The greatest ventriloquist act on i record — ''The Tramp and tho 1 I Cockie," with real animals and fowls i that talk in a farmyard, "exterior set full extent," is booked ahead for 1 many a year—with props complete, - horses, cows, goat, fowls, the comf plaining boot and the coat that says ■ " C-r-r-r-e-o-B-h" when Vox the Second rises in a hurry.