126 



OUR DOGS. 



in fact she rolled over and over in a sulphur puddle, and 

 then, scampering off, rolled in ashes by way of cleaning 

 herself. We could not, however, leave her at home during 

 any of our excursions, and so had to make the best of 

 these imprudences. 



When at last the time came for us to leave Italy, we 

 were warned that Florence would not be allowed to travel 

 in the railroad cars in the French territories. All dogs, of 

 all sizes and kinds, whose owners wish to have travel with 

 them, are shut up in a sort of closet by themselves, called 

 the dog-car ; and we thought our nervous, excitable little 

 pet would be frightened into fits, to be separated from 

 all her friends, and made to travel with all sorts of strange 

 dogs. So we determined to smuggle her along in a bas 

 ket. At Turin we bought a little black basket, just big 

 enough to contain her, and into it we made her go, 

 very sorely against her will, as we could not explain to 

 her the reason why. Very guilty indeed we felt, with this 

 travelling conveyance hung on one arm, sitting in the 

 waiting-room, and dreading every minute lest somebody 

 should see the great bright eyes peeping through the holes 

 of the basket, or hear the subdued little whines and howls 

 which every now and then came from its depths. 



Florence had been a petted lady, used to having her own 

 way, and a great deal of it ; and this being put up in a 

 little black basket, where she could neither make her re- 



