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sent to you is authentic, every word of it, although not written by me, but by a neighbour, who knows the dog well. I will now state some further particulars of the sagacity of the dog.

"He will shut the kitchen door in an instant, by whomsoever left open. He will fetch the broom to the Mrs. to sweep the house when bidden. He will come from the barn door for the key, if at any time forgotten, and fetch it cleverly. When I am driving home the peats from the moss, for every load I bring, Sharpie fetches his peat home in his mouth. When digging early potatoes, if the grape is left and required for any other purpose, he will run to the far end of the field for it, and if too fast in the earth to pull it up with his teeth, he will first knock it down with his paws, and then balance it in his mouth, and bring it. Whenever we are at work about the premises at diet time, when bidden, he will run for us, and bark, so that his errand cannot be mistaken.

"For some eighteen months back the Inverness and Perth railway works were going on in our neighbourhood, when we lodged some men, part of whom slept in an out-house about a hundred yards from our dwelling-house, and they wished to be awoke about five o'clock in the morning. The dog went every morning when bidden, and barked at their door, and would not desist until he saw a light struck within. If any of the family is from home, he watches their home coming, and meets them at some distance to welcome them, then runs to the house to tell the inmates, and is never satisfied unless he gets some one out to see the absent one is coming. If anything is lost or dropped purposely within any reasonable

distance, and say to Sharpie, 'I lost something,' he will run immediately on the track till he finds it, and bring it home. And strange, although only a colly, he will fetch any game or water-fowl shot on water out immediately, or dive for anything thrown into the water.

"And I now conclude by saying what must appear to yourself from the foregoing,-that it is impossible, without ocular demonstration, to tell all the proofs of extraordinary sagacity he possesses. But I may here refer you to an eyewitness, a son of mine, whose card I enclose you, who was here for about three months last summer.

"Do not be surprised if I may have here repeated anything about the dog which you may have already read, as I have not a copy beside me.

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The kindness of a lady has obliged me with the next account, and anecdotes of her favourite. The latter part is of unusual interest, and is one of many things demonstrating to the inquiring mind that there are more things in heaven and earth than are even dreamt of in our philosophy.

"The following precisely truthful account is only, as it were, a page from a biography, which would be well worth while writing more fully. The subject of it is a Newfoundland dog, with a cross in the breed, which may perhaps be the secret of his more than common intelligence and docility. Though the dog is the hero of the story, yet as the human proprietor is the divinity in whom the dog's faith and devotion

centre, it is necessary to premise that from a six weeks' old puppy I had exclusively the control and education of this animal. Being an only daughter, and having few associates, I made the dog, perhaps in an unusual degree, my almost constant companion, and indeed, my friend. I smile to think what a strict disciplinarian I was in those young days, exacting and receiving the most implicit obedience; but as I never deceived, or cheated, or teazed the noble animal, his faith in me was as implicit as his obedience.

"Sometime about the age of eight or nine years, an illlooking wart formed on the edge of the left eyelid. It grew to a size at once unsightly, and distressing to the eye itself, which it pressed upon, occasioning much discomfort. Our doctor very obligingly offered to take it off, but the dog being by nature savage, he required him to be muzzled, a process which Neptune hated, and against which he had for long so openly rebelled, that it was not safe for any one to attempt it but myself. I accordingly put on the muzzle, and held the dog's head while our good friend cut off the offending part with a disagreeable pair of surgical scissors. All this was very unpleasant to me.

"In the course of another year, the excrescence grew again, and became as troublesome as before, and the animal's comfort required that it should be again taken off. The repetition of the former process, with all its delay and commotion, was very disagreeable to contemplate, and I thought it would cost us all less pain and anxiety if I were to perform the operation myself, for then no muzzling or formal preparation would be required, and I resolved to make the attempt.

"In front of the bay window of our dining-room there stood a comfortable old-fashioned sofa, with a high back. This I chose for the operating chair; caused a basin of hot water, towels, sponge, scissors, and caustic to be put on the table before it, called in the dog, bade him get on the sofa, and lay his head on the high back, so that the light should fall well on the eye, then kneeling by the side, with my arm round him to keep him steady, I proceeded to operate. I had over estimated my resolution, nerve failed me in the horrid movement of cutting through the soft flesh. I did the work badly, gave the dog pain, and only half removed the evil. Consequently, in a very few months more it grew again, and this time larger than before, and was even more troublesome, almost blinding the eye. There was no escaping the conviction that the thing must be done over again, nor was there any escape from the conclusion that I was still the best person to do it, if only I could summon nerve to use a resolute hand, and close the scissors boldly-a simple thing in imagination, but very repulsive to do. However, it was quite necessary that the eye should be relieved, and it was clear that if to be done, ''twere well 'twere done quickly.'

"I well remember the morning when I came to the resolu tion to hesitate no longer. It was an Ash Wednesday, and the act of penance seemed an appropriate coincidence; so confiding the intention hurriedly to a dear and very old servant and friend, I bade her bring in a basin with warm water, a sponge, and towel, and then send in the dog. He came as usual, bounding joyfully into the room, and I invited him to get on the sofa, which he did readily enough; but that higher elevation revealing to him the ominous preparations,

which recalled to his mind the former affair, a sudden panic overcame him; he jumped hastily down, rushed to the shut door, and asked in his fashion to be let out, by barking most eagerly; and so great was his distress, that he scratched at the door, and tore up the carpet, trying all he could to force his way out. This was a most unexpected and perplexing turn of affairs. I would have given up the attempt instantly if it had been a less necessary case. For a moment I was quite at a loss what to do. I felt I must leave the matter to his free will. I would not coerce him. I could not have borne to drag him to his place of pain. With much concern, and very much in earnest, I went to him, and speaking as I would to a human friend, said, 'Why, Neptune, you know I would not harm you, it shall not be done if you don't like. You shall go if you wish. But don't go. Come, trust to me. Good dog; make up your mind and come.' The countenance with which the trembling animal listened was indescribably expressive and touching. Come,' I said once more, and put a finger in the iron ring of his collar, but not to draw or force. No force, indeed, was needed; he turned and walked gravely by my side, got up quietly on to the sofa, and laid his head on the back of it, as on the former occasion. I knelt down beside him as before, with the unconcealed scissors in hand, raised the eyelid, and had just prepared both heart and fingers to give the final cut, when I was interrupted, and all the arrangements were disordered for the moment, by his raising his head up from its right position to lick my face as I leaned over him. Naturally, I returned the salute, Lut this was only a momentary episode, for the melting mood was ill adapted to the work in hand, and with a very choking

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