A CANINE RAZZIA. 115 



table — one after another all are knocked on the head. 

 Dog skins become a drug in a short time ; sportsmen 

 in want of gaiters look out and lay in stock; dogs with 

 proprietors hold np their heads and look proud ; and the 

 streets are again quiet. Then is the time of torture for 

 elderly ladies and their lap-dogs. Tlie chance, infinite- 

 simal though it be (considering that " Fanchon" is tied up 

 fast by a blue ribbon to the bed, and the roll called every 

 half-hour), that the dear little creature should get into the 

 street and be barbarously murdered, is enough to embitter 

 the spinster's days and disturb her nights imtil the edict 

 is recalled. Her momentary absence is enough to call out 

 the whole force of the household ; and when promenaded 

 in the sun, tied fast by her cord and collar, all benefit of 

 the walk is lost to her mistress, such is her excessive 

 anxiety and fear of all that approach her. Hydrophobia 

 is naturally frequent in France, from the number of loose 

 dogs such as I have mentioned, and it is therefore well to 

 take proper precautions. Sometimes, however, they carry 

 these to an undue degree, and prescribe a muzzle so ab- 

 surdly contrived as to be enough of itself to drive a dog 

 mad ; for the nature of the muzzle is always prescribed by 

 the decree. The other day, seeing a crowd about the 

 hotel-de-ville, I went up, and found an unhappy dog ex- 

 piating the crnne of having no master, and the accident of 

 having been called mad. He was no more mad than I 

 was, and really comported himself like a noble fellow. He 

 was tied by a •long rope to a pillar of the main entrance, 

 and two men with sticks were dodging about to get a safe 

 blow at him, as thev had been foolish enough to ffive him 



