FROM THE "SPECTATOR." 245 



occurrence so displayed his power of thought 

 and reason that I cannot withhold it. My 

 usual haunt is my den, as I call it, a large 

 room at one end of our old rambling house. 

 There Sprig never came unless with his 

 mistresses, and indeed never was easy when 

 he was there. I had begun a large full- 

 length picture of my daughters, and Sprig 

 and Whisky, a small Skye puppy, were to be 

 painted lying at their feet. As the picture 

 progressed, Sprig seemed to understand all 

 about it, and paid me the compliment ot 

 wagging his tail at the portraits. One day 

 my girls had been sitting to me, and it was 

 now Sprig's turn to sit. I put him into the 

 proper position and told him to lie still, and 

 he proved a most patient sitter. When the 

 sketch of him was finished, I showed it to 

 him ; I think he was pleased with his like- 

 ness, for he licked my face ; but as he smelt 

 at his portrait, he did not like himself, and 

 growled. Whisky was now put into position, 

 but was very restless, although Sprig scolded 

 her by snarling at her. Next day I had put 

 the picture against the wall near the window, 



