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112 ANECDOTES OF ANIMALS. 



inhumanity of such wagers did not rest with him. He 

 was stolen more than once, and brought back when a 

 reward was advertised ; and the first time the signs of 

 suffering about him were very manifest. The beard 

 under the chin, the tufts of the ears, the fringes of the 

 legs, had all been cut off, and he had been rubbed with 

 red ochre to disguise him for sale. He was placed with 

 many others in a cellar, ready for shipping; and the dog- 

 dealer, or rather dog-stealer, who brought him to us, 

 said he thought he would have died of grief in a day or 

 two, for he refused to eat, and seemed to be insensible 

 either to kindness or anger. For three weeks he hung 

 his head and shrank into corners, as if he felt himself 

 degraded ; but at last our caresses and encouragement 

 brought back his usual bold and lively bearing. 



For the last three months of my mother's existence, 

 Peter was almost always on her bed, night and day ; 

 and during the final four weeks, when death was daily 

 expected, he was sad and dull, which was attributed 

 to the change in the habits of the family. Forty- eight 

 hours before all was over, Peter crept into a corner 

 under the bed, which had always been his place of refuge 

 when in trouble; and we with difficulty prevailed on 

 him to quit it, even when his mistress wished to see and 

 say farewell to him. On one occasion he hung his head 

 and appeared to be so miserable, that apprehensions of 

 malady on his part were entertained. He returned to 

 his corner, and was not thought of for some time. At 

 length all was quiet in the room, and I was about to 

 leave it, when I recollected Peter. He was with diffi- 

 culty prevailed on to leave his corner, where he lay 

 curled up and trembling. I lifted him up to take a 

 last look of his beloved mistress ; but he laid his head 



