entered the ferry-boat, the owner would have taken charge of him, had at least a journey of twelve miles on the road, and that hitherto unknown to him, for he was conveyed in the van to his destination. Who, after that, will deny the truth of the lines written by the late noble owner of Berkeley Castle upon a favourite dog, who lies buried under its walls, and whose inscription runs as follows: LOUIS. : Died Sept. 17, 1854. No cold philosophy, nor cynic sneer, Checks the unhidden and the honest tear. The accompanying extract, for which I am indebted to the courtesy of Messrs. Clowes, is taken from an authenticated letter from South Africa. This dog must at first have followed the tracks of the horses and waggon by sight, for all scent must have been dissipated after a lapse of three days in such a climate as that of South Africa. "I had a most pathetic letter from Richard yesterday (dated Aug. 30, 1865), written on the loss of a faithful dog. He says his dog was quite a companion and could understand almost anything he told him. The last time he went to Durham, a distance of about a hundred miles, his dog was left at his Farm chained up. After three days the man in charge let him loose because he would not feed, and to Richard's surprise he was awoke by the dog licking his face at Durham while sleeping in his waggon. The dog had never been there before; this poor faithful companion lost his life in the Bush by some animal.” CHAPTER IX. OME dogs display great eccentricity of character. My SOME late father, when residing at Moseley, near Birmingham, possessed a thick small spaniel, named Doll, she was of great beauty, red and white, with deep ears drooping to an extraordinary length for a dog of her colour. Her eyes were of a beaming hazel, nose short and well formed, stout but little sturdy legs, almost covered by the silky hair from her stomach. Doll always occupied the rug, and at dinner was called up when there was something for her. Bread she objected to; if she was offered a piece of dry bread she made a horrid face and turned away her head. If offered the dry bread a second time, she would go into a corner and sulk; and if a third time, she took the first opportunity of the door being opened to make off, and started for my grandfather's at West Bromwich, some six or seven miles on the other side of Birmingham, and altogether about ten or twelve miles from her home. When she got there, they would say, "Poor Doll! so they have not treated you well, you shall have some dinner." She would return to Moseley of her own accord when she liked, or when her master, of whom she was very fond, came over. Being so remarkably handsome she must have been adroit to avoid being stolen on her way through so large a town; but she was picked up at last to the great sorrow of the family. Doll was first-rate in the field; never chased hare; never ten yards from the gun even in a wood; would back pointers almost a quarter of a mile off; and was indefatigable through cover and swamp in pursuit of cock and snipe. If merely out for a walk, she would hunt for frogs, chase small birds, yelp vociferously after them, and play the fool to her heart's content. Let a gun, however, be taken in hand and Doll was a different dog; she was then all for business, and studious to kill. In addition to her sporting acquirements she possessed a drawing-room accomplishment-Doll could sing! When, wet and weary after a long day, she was reposing on the hearth-rug, and doubtless ruminating in her doggy mind over all her exploits in tangled wood, rushy fen, and sedgy brook, if her ear was pinched she would expostulate in a plaintive sound. This having been frequently repeated,. and the words "Sing, Doll," used, it was found that if the words alone were uttered, she would, though lying quite still, and as if fast asleep, nevertheless utter the same complaining notes, and even increase them if told to sing louder. A man with a wheelbarrow once run after Doll; from that time, whenever she saw him coming, she would run up stairs and from the sill of an open window bark vehemently at him. When the first child of Doll's master was born, Doll sat down by the lady who was holding it and kept looking up inquiringly at her and into her lap, she also walked round showing uneasiness, and as if wondering what she had got. On the baby being uncovered and shown her, she seemed quite satisfied and laid herself down. Doll gave the following proof of affection for her master :-Hearing a noise outside his bed-room door he got out of bed and opened it, and there found her presenting him one of her progeny. A servant was called to take her down stairs and make her comfortable. After this she occasionally carried up her puppies by the neck to show them to her master and mistress, and having done so carried them down again. The lapse of more than half a century has not obliterated the fond recollections of this beautiful animal, which still call up the transient smile and sigh for her, and happy days gone by! Bolt was a large rough Scotch terrier, slate in colour, with long back, very short legs, a stubby tail some three inches in length, and deep, beautiful glowing eyes looking out through long hair. Born in Ireland, near Dublin, at a year old he was left by his owner, who went to Australia, and given to another gentleman. His first exploit was in early life, when being chained with his mother in a stable, they quarrelled, and he after an obstinate combat, choked her. Fond of killing cats-one night his master, in whose room and on whose bed he slept, heard a great noise on the stairs, and on getting up the next morning found him outside the door with a dead strange cat, and the black house-cat, with whom he had never before been on friendly terms, sitting by his side. Much of his leisure time was given to fighting, particularly with dogs above his size, and a quarrel once established he always pertinaciously pursued it until he was acknowledged the better dog. On one occasion, when escorting three ladies, he fell in with a butcher's dog,— a buff dog, the colour of an old gentleman's waistcoat, and perhaps not liking the approach to orange, Bolt fell on him. They were separated after a long fight, but Bolt carried off His in triumph a piece of his antagonist's hide. His mode of fighting was peculiar, his first endeavour being to seize a hind leg. Symptoms, resembling it was thought those of hydrophobia, having at one time been observed in him, he was chained and locked up in a small room. Howls were heard in the night, and the morning revealed his midnight occupation. Some shoes, and the family Bible, were torn to bits; several things within reach were gnawn, including the lower part of the door, and one leg off the table; but a chest he was chained to, and which was his owner's property, was untouched. In the morning he was found sitting on it, looking complacent, and wagging his bit of tail! master's brother went out to dinner, taking Bolt and a large setter. The dogs were shut in the stable, but after dinner both were gone and a large hole found in the door, believed to be the work of Bolt exclusively, as he was accustomed to extricate himself from confinement in that manner, which was not the habit of his companion. A woman entering the house in a suspicious manner, and stooping to pick up some potatoes, was severely worried by him. For weeks, until she was cured, she was attended by his master, and during her visits, Bolt always sat by her side on the next chair, looking up in her face with commiseration during the dressing of her arm. She at last got fond of him. A dish of rice was one day cooked and put on the table to cool; his owner coming in found Mr. Bolt sitting on the table close to it, but pretending to be absorbed in catching flies to disguise his having been nibbling at the dish round the edges. Among his good deeds was his saving a servant from being burnt; the circumstance was thus related to me: |