"As well as I remember, the girl was staying up much later than usual, baking bread; whilst sitting opposite the fire she fell asleep and her dress ignited, but being a woollen one it did not blaze. The fire was of peat, and in a grate. The girl's dress must have been smouldering for some time before Bolt was able to rouse his master, who was asleep; he always slept at the foot of his master's bed, but as my brother usually kept the door open, he could roam about the house as he wished. He succeeded in waking his master by running up and down the stairs from the kitchen to his room, and jumping on and off his bed, each time he did so pulling at the bed-clothes.

"When my brother awoke he lay quiet for some minutes wondering what could be the matter with the dog, who was then sitting on the ground looking up into his face, and appeared in such a state of excitement that, thinking something must be wrong, he got up. Then Bolt became quite quiet, and sat at the door wagging his tail. When his master went out on the stairs, he, as if to show him the way, ran down to the kitchen before him, and over to the fire where the girl was sitting fast asleep. On my brother entering the kitchen, Bolt was sitting beside her looking towards the door, and seeing his master he ran over to him, and then back again to the fire. I think it very likely that had it not been for Bolt the poor girl would have been burnt to death, or nearly so, for the kitchen was down two flights of stairs, and she was a very heavy sleeper."

"When Bolt's master was reading for his degree at College, it was his daily habit to take Bolt a walk with him. However, one day, when the examination was drawing

nigh, he determined to deny himself his stroll, and continue reading. This alteration did not, it appears, please his quadruped friend. When the hour arrived at which his master usually went out with him, down came Bolt to the room where he was studying, but finding that his master did not stir, he became restless and ran to the door and back to him again several times. My brother observing what the dog was about, wished to see what he would do, and continued reading. Judge his astonishment when in a few moments Bolt came over to the fire where he was sitting, jumped up and snapped the book out of his hand, threw it down, then ran to the door in great delight! Of course he gained his point, for his master could not resist his entreaties, and they had their walk together as usual."

My informant concludes Bolt's doings as follows:

"About a year and a half ago my mother and sister went to reside in lodgings at Mount Pleasant, in Dublin. Bolt had been staying with them in the lodgings they had just left, so he of course accompanied them to the new house; but the landlady on seeing the dog objected to him.

66

My mother then sent him to lodge a few doors off, where my brother, his master, had formerly been staying. There he made himself quite at home, and was so offended with the landlady who had turned him out that he would never after enter her house. My sister went almost every day to take him out for a walk, and on returning she usually brought him to the house she was staying at, thinking he would be glad to go in; however, she found to her astonishment, that nothing she could say or do could induce him to come inside

the door. He would sit on the door-step looking up into her face most piteously, evidently asking her not to go in either. After waiting for some time, and as if giving up all hopes of getting her to go with him, he would get up and walk back to his own lodgings. This went on for great part of a year, and during all that time the dog, who is devoted to my sister, and will never leave her except to go with his master, never once entered that house of his own will. When my mother and sister observed his dislike to go into the house they did everything they could to invite him in, but all of no use, he would not cross the doorstep. My sister once or twice carried him in, to see if he would remain, but the moment she put him down he would run and scrape at the door to be let out.

"Another remarkable thing about him was, when they moved from that house to one of my brother's, with whom they are now staying, my sister of course thought Bolt would be delighted to go and be with them, but he was so incensed, and his feelings so much hurt by their desertion, as he thought it, that he would not remain any time with them. Yet he was always glad to see my sister when she went for him, and would go home with her, have his dinner and stay a few hours at a time; but then he would be off to his lodgings again.

My sister does her best to keep him, but hitherto has not succeeded, though it is now nearly six months since they have left the house he was not admitted into.

"Doubtless you will laugh at this and think it is hardly worth relating, but as you have heard so much about Bolt you may as well hear this also.

VOL. I.

L

"You ask me, where Bolt stayed when he was so indignant? He remained at the lodgings that my mother sent him to when he was not admitted into the others that I told you of; he did not attach himself to any one at his own lodgings; there was no person in the house but the landlady and her servant. Upwards of seven months elapsed after my mother and sister left the house so obnoxious to him before he would consent to live with them at my brother's. However, he is now staying with them."

The remarkable intelligence of a dog of the name of Sharpie having attracted notice, Mr. Ross was communicated with, and he very obligingly at once wrote the accompanying interesting letter, which refers to the extract below from a Scotch newspaper :—

"SAGACITY OF A DOG.-In reference to a case of canine sagacity which appeared in our paper of the 2nd inst., one who has read the 'Courier' for a quarter of a century sends us the following, which deserves a niche in the temple of dog fame. The dog and its owner are both living, and if any one doubts the veracity of Sharpie's' wonderful wisdom, he may judge for himself. Mr. Donald Ross, ground-officer to the Earl of Moray, at Braemoray, will be glad to allow the dog to give ocular demonstration of the facts:-' Between Sharpie's residence and mine there runs a rapid mountain rivulet, which is often impassable for man or horse. At such times letters for the opposite side of the burn are left with me, but I have only to go to the water's edge and hold the letters in my hand, when the dog instantly plunges into the stream, takes them in his mouth, and carries them safely to

the other side. I have often had occasion to wade through this burn on stilts-Sharpie invariably accompanying me to bring them back; he is very careful to deposit them in a place high and dry above any flood marks. When the cowherd is at any distance from the house, Sharpie goes with his lunch tied in a napkin, and if a heavy shower happens to fall, the same faithful messenger will go with his plaid. He will go to the peat-stack and carry in any quantity of peats one by one. If the key of the barn, or of any other house, is left behind, Sharpie has only to be told, and immediately it is fetched. If a turnip is wanted for the broth, Sharpie goes to the turnip-field and brings home one in his mouth. A short time ago a stranger happened to be passing, and Sharpie, as is natural to the best of dogs, came out to give him a passing bark; the traveller took up a stone, but observing the dog's master, he put his hand and the stone into his pocket; the dog noticed this dodge, and springing up to the man, took his hand out of his pocket, when the stone fell out of his sleeve, after which Sharpie magnanimously shook his tail, and left the traveller to pursue his journey.""

"SIR,

Inverness Courier.

Auchendaun, Edinkillie, 12th Dec., 1863.

"I was favoured with yours of the 9th of November, which I should have answered much sooner but that I was laid up and indisposed for nearly two months (partly before and since I received your letter), with a leg which I got hurt. I now beg in reply to state all that you want to know regarding my dog Sharpie.

"The extract from the Inverness Courier' which was