THE COMMON-SENSE VIEW 163 



he was an exceedingly agreeable and clever canine, 

 active in all the affairs of the farm. He knew the 

 old homestead by heart, and he took about as 

 much interest in having everything go right as 

 anybody more, perhaps, even than we boys did. 

 He chased the pigs out of the orchard without 

 being asked to do so, and guarded the house at 

 night with the vigilance of a hired watchman. He 

 seemed to realise the demands of everyday situa- 

 tions about as well as any of us. He could dis- 

 tinguish between neighbours who were accustomed 

 to come on the premises and strangers who were 

 not. He always knew when company came, for 

 he invariably attempted to profit by the fact. He 

 had been taught early the propriety of keeping in 

 the background when his tyrants were feeding, 

 and ordinarily on such occasions he slept dutifully 

 by the kitchen stove. But just as sure as a guest 

 sat at table, Fido would turn up, and, tapping the 

 visitor gently to get his attention, would sit up 

 perfectly straight, with his paws pendent and a 

 peculiar grin on his face, in expectation of a 

 morsel. Dear old Fido ! How much he thought 

 of all of us ! And how meagerly, as I know now, 

 were his matchless love and services requited ! 

 On Sundays sometimes the human members of 

 the household would go away and stay all day, 

 and Fido and the cat would be left alone to get 

 along the best way they could. He knew as well 

 as any of us when these days came around, and 

 he dreaded them. I suppose he had learned from 

 experience to associate cessation of farm work and 



II 2 



