DOGS, AND THEIR CHARACTERISTICS. 871 
dog was always a “ pup ” in the eyes of the old hunter. 
And then, when the old man, sickened and enfeebled 
with age, and knowing he was soon to pass into the 
Valley of the Shadow of Death, among his last requests 
was one, that there be engraved on the lock of hig 
rifle a “hound’s ear” in remembrance of his honored 
dog. This volume of Cooper’s novels, “The Prairie,” 
has always been of great interest to me, for I believe I 
have hunted geese in the same territory where most of 
the incidents of that book are laid. 
The love of the dog for his master is not confined to 
those of blue-blood pedigree ; neither to those whose 
whole life has been passed where their every want has 
been anticipated and gratified ; but curs of low degree, 
who have been compelled to gain sustenance as best 
they could, beaten, kicked and half-starved, form an 
attachment that only dies with them. 
One of the most touching incidents of the faithful- 
ness of the dog that ever came to my attention occur- 
red in Chicago, and was made the subject of the fol- 
lowing notice in a local paper in that city : 
“ Those who have nothing but curses and kicks for 
dogs and are ever wishing their extermination, would, 
perhaps, be better citizens did they possess the same 
strong attachments and friendships often exhibited by 
them, and particularly by a large black and white 
Newfoundland dog a few days ago during the exces- 
sively cold weather. For some days he was noticed on 
the pier off Lincoln Park intently watching the water, 
and every now and then would go to the ice and water 
and scratch, as if endeavoring to dig up something. 
All through the bitter cold weather, night and day, he 
faced the wintry blasts of the lake, and could not be 
