THE " TOYS" 177 



is a serious matter, requiring to be removed 

 by drawing out one hair at a time. By no 

 means dare one resort to so rude a process as 

 brushing ; indeed, so delicate is the texture 

 that nothing more harsh than the softest 

 baby's brush must ever be used on this dainty 

 " creation " (to use the milliner's word that 

 seems most appropriate to him). If he has 

 the misfortune to get a spot on his precious 

 coat, no vulgar washing must remove it ; it 

 must be cleaned as carefully as the most deli- 

 cate fabric in madam's wardrobe. His regular 

 bath is by no means a common washing; it is 

 performed with a soft sponge, using a particu- 

 lar fluid made of fresh eggs and warm water, 

 and administered with extraordinary care, to 

 avoid tangles and colds, to which the pam- 

 pered beauty is exceedingly liable. 



The tail of the Maltese is beautiful as the 

 caudal plume of the Persian cat, and is carried 

 gracefully over the back, as the cat carries his. 

 His weight should never be over six pounds. 

 The whole animal looks more like a bit of 

 bric-a-brac to adorn a drawing-room than 

 like a dog. Yet the soul of the dog is there, 

 intelligent and quick, affectionate and full of 



