190 CUR-BAPTISM. [PART n. 



timacy, to the lower regions, and in due course 

 of time subsided into a vulgar good-tempered 

 kitchen cat, in which capacity I believe she still 

 survives. 



Having alluded to my little dog "Crick," I 

 cannot refrain, before taking leave of him here, 

 from mentioning the original method in which 

 he used to resent the impertinences of a small 

 cur, which was continually insulting his dignity 

 by running up and barking at him. When this 

 happened Crick used to "go in" at the offender, 

 as if determined to chastise him, which he would 

 perhaps have done, had not the other at once 

 cried "peccavi" and deprecated his wrath by 

 lying down crouching on his back. I have heard 

 of a big dog under similar circumstances taking 

 up the small one, and dropping him into a dirty 

 puddle ; but Crick, instead of total immersion, 

 adopted another kind of baptism, the appliances 

 for which were always at hand, and which cer- 

 tainly served in a most unmistakable way to ex- 

 press his utter contempt for his tormentor ; walk- 

 ing off after it, back up and muscles all rigid, 

 without deigning another glance at his prostrate 

 victim. I have seen this happen over and over 

 again. 



