1 66 AUNT ESTHER'S STORIES. 



puppies while the barn-door was open, and was now crying 

 lo get out and go back to her poor master. It suddenly 

 occurred to the man that Pero might find the body, and 

 in fact, when she started off, he saw a little path which 

 her small paws had worn in the snow, and, tracking after, 

 found the frozen body. This poor little friend had nestled 

 the snow away around the breast, and stayed watching 

 and waiting by her dead master, only taking her way 

 back occasionally to the barn to nurse her little ones. I 

 cannot help asking whether a little animal that can show 

 such love and faithfulness has not something worth respect- 

 ing and caring for in its nature. 



At this time of the year our city ordinances proclaim 

 a general leave and license to take the lives of all dogs 

 found in the streets, and scenes of dreadful cruelty are 

 often enacted in consequence. I hope, if my stories fall 

 under the eye of any boy who may ever witness, or be 

 tempted to take part in, the hunting down and killing a 

 poor dog, that he will remember of how much faithfulness 

 and affection and constancy these poor brutes are capable, 

 and, instead of being their tyrant and persecutor, will try 

 to make himself their protector and friend. 



