Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 82.djvu/177

Rh pick up the orange ribbon and take it to Dr. O." The horse picked up the ribbon, turned around, and did exactly as he was commanded; and in this case, neither the writer nor the observers could detect any cue word or signal which was used to guide the horse. It should be said that all the observers were much impressed with the directness with which the horse appeared to go to the individual whose name was mentioned in any of these tests, though when King was being introduced to a person he did not seem to pay any attention to him. A human being would look at any one to whom he was being introduced, so that in the future he could recognize him through having focalized some of his characteristics; but King's eyes never once focused on the person to whom he was being presented. During the ceremonies of introduction, King might be sniffing at the writer's hand, or nibbling at his coat, which would cause the trainer to exclaim,—" King, why don't you behave yourself? I will have to whip you." But still when the test came King seemed to most of the observers to have recognized each individual to whom he was introduced, and to have remembered his name.

Next the writer asked King to spell the word "horse." The trainer took him in hand, talking to him and stamping; and the horse went along the rack and, as with the figures, pushed off in order the letters h-o-r-s-e, pushing off also letters next to the correct ones in each case. Several other words were given him, all of which he "spelled" under the guidance of his trainer. Lastly the writer printed on the blackboard the words, "Take my gloves, and give them to Miss "W." The horse apparently searched around the body of the writer, but could not locate the gloves. The trainer gave the audience the impression that King was trying to find them; but while they could be seen extending out of the pocket, yet the horse did not take them. The effect created on the audience was that the horse was actually hunting for the gloves. It was noticed that as he was sniffing up and down the body, the trainer was repeating, "Do what the gentleman has asked you to do." It should be noted further that the writer stood directly before the horse, and it would be a simple matter for him to associate such a word as "gentleman" with taking something from his person. It is a frequent test for exhibitors with horses to have them take something, usually the hat from a man's head, and give it to some one in the audience.

These experiments having been concluded, the trainer and his assistants were asked to leave the building, and the horse was turned over to the writer. Before leaving, the trainer said, "The horse is very mischievous to-day, and you will have to look out for him." This had the desired effect, or at least it caused many of the observers to seek places of safety, which put them in a non-critical attitude toward the experiment. In this connection it should be mentioned that the trainer gave the writer before he took charge of King, and apparently in an incidental manner, a newspaper article which ran as follows: