68 EEMINISCEXCES OF A SPOETSMA^". 



There are some very interesting anecdotes of the Irish 

 Wolf Dog: — 



" War with the wolf he loves to wage, 

 And never quits if he engage ; 

 But praise him much and you may chance 

 To put him out of countenance ; 

 And having done a deed so brave, 

 He looks not sullen, yet looks grave. 

 No fondKng play-fellow is he. 

 His master's guard he wills to be ; 

 Willing for him his blood be spent. 

 His look is never insolent. 

 Few men to do such noble deeds have learn' d, 

 Nor having done, could look so unconcern' d." 



Mrs. Catherine; Pnirrps. 



" At the hard-fought battle of Aughrim of Bidconnel, 

 an Irish officer was accompanied by his wolf hound. This 

 gentleman was killed and stripped in the battle, but the 

 dog remained by his body both day and night. He fed 

 upon some of the other bodies with the rest of the dogs, 

 yet he would not allow them or anything else to touch 

 that of his master. When all the others were consumed 

 the other dogs departed, but this one used to go into the 

 adjacent villages for food, and presently to return again 

 to the place where his master's bones were only left. 

 This he continued to do from July, when the battle was 

 fought, until the January following, when a soldier be- 

 ing quartered near, and going that way by chance, the 

 dog, fearing he came to disturb his master's bones, 

 flew upon the soldier, who, being surprised at the sud- 

 denness of the attack, unslung his carbine, (he having 

 been thrown on his back,) and killed the noble animal. 

 He expired with the same fidelity to the remains of his 

 unfortunate master, as that master had shown devotion 

 towards the cause of his unhappy country." 



