预知未来的狗
GimtheWonderDog
佚名 / Anonymous
In1925, SamVanArsdale, proprietoroftheRuffHotelinMarshall, Missouri, .
-natured, andSamwaspleasedwithhis "bargain".
Oneday, whenJimwasthreeyearsold, , andSamsaidtoJim, "Come, boy, let' sgoandrestalittleunderahickorytree."
Thereweremanytypesoftreesinthewoods, , SamsaidtoJim, "Showmeablackoaktree." WhenJimrantothenearestblackoakandputhisrightpawonthetree, ' tpossiblybetrue.
"Showmewalnuttree," hesaid, —astump, hazelbushes, acedartree, ?
Samwenthomeandtoldhiswifewhathadhappened.
Shesaidflatly, "SamVanArsdale, youcantellme, butdon' tgotellinganyoneelse." Sampersuadedhiswifetoaccompanythembacktothewoods, —Sam' scrazystorywastrue!
Overthenextfewdays, Samcouldn' .
Onemandidlisten, , noticingthatthemanhadparkedhiscaronthestreetafewyardsaway, .
, Jimwalkedtothecarinquestion.
Afterincidentslikethese, Jim' , hecoulddeterminewhatroomnumberstheyoccupiedinthehotel, itcouldidentifypeopleaccordingtotheclothestheywore, thecoloroftheirhair—inspiteofthefactthatdogsarethoughttobecolor-blind—theirprofession, and, inthecaseofthemilitary, theirrank.
Perhaps, theskepticssaid, ' sfriendsandassociatesquestionedhisintegrity, knowinghimtobeaplain-speakingmanwhowouldn' tdreamofdeceivingothers, ; , andtoldhimtodowhateveritsaid, , "He' sdoingit!" Thensheexplainedthattheinstructionwas, "Showusthemanwithrolledsocks."
Jim' , likeeveryoneelse, .
Jim' , whosaidthattherewasnothingunusualaboutJim—physically, .
Oneday, ? SamtookaninterestintheKentuckyDerby, , , andsoonforsevensuccessiveyears.
SamwasnotagamblingmanandneverattemptedtoprofitfromJim' ' , Samsaidhedidn' treallyneedthemoneyanddidn' twanttocommercializeJim.
Astimepassed, ' ' sabilitytodoanythingSamaskedwasjustonefacetofJim' sdeepdevotiontowardsSam.SowhenJimdiedattheageoftwelvein1937, , , wherehissmallwhiteheadstonereads: JimtheWonderDog.
萨姆·范·阿斯代尔是密苏里州马歇尔镇拉夫旅馆的老板。1925年,他从路易斯安那州买回了一只英国塞特小猎狗。他被认为是这窝小狗中最没前途的一只,并且几乎是以白送的价格卖的。这只小狗看上去毫无特别之处,像大多数狗一样,有着一双大爪子和一张丑陋的嘴脸。萨姆决定叫他“吉姆”。
吉姆渐渐成为萨姆的亲密伙伴,他机灵、温顺,萨姆对这个“便宜货”很满意。
吉姆3岁的一天,他们路过一片林地。天气闷热,萨姆对吉姆说:“过来,小家伙!我们到一棵山核桃树下休息一会儿。”
林子中长有许多不同品种的树,吉姆却径直朝一棵山核桃树跑去。萨姆不禁有些惊讶,他想,一定是巧合。他一时来了兴致,对吉姆说:“告诉我哪棵是黑橡树?”吉姆跑到最近的那棵黑橡树前,并把前爪搭在树上,萨姆大为吃惊,他简直不敢相信这是真的。