2o8 DOGS 



little humbugs were laughing at me all the time. 

 An hour afterwards, in the gay crowd at a garden 

 party, they were creeping, shamefaced, out of the 

 shrubs, knowing that I could not punch their heads 

 in the circumstances, and from experience of weak- 

 ness in the past, hoping for a free pardon. 



Dogs are sociable, and the most aristocratic in 

 their habits and tastes will on occasion take up with 

 low acquaintances. I don't take any exception to 

 that, for I daresay an ungainly cur may have many 

 good qualities and be a pleasant companion. What 

 I dislike is, that the aristocrat who enjoys his 

 humble friend's company on the sly will cut him 

 dead on occasion, in the most shameless fashion. 

 I knew a silken-coated Sussex spaniel, a lady's pet, 

 who got bored to death with long carriage-drives 

 and short strolls in the garden. The surly mastiff 

 chained in the stable-yard would have nothing to 

 say to him, and there was no other dog about the 

 place. A rat-catcher was engaged for a few days, 

 and the arrival of his scratch pack sent Fido into 

 exuberant spirits. It was pleasant to see him inciting 

 them to gambols about the flower-beds, knocking 

 the carnations about, and turning somersaults in 

 beds of pansies. Naturally when she went out 

 with her mistress, her poor friends came at her 

 with a rush, and her embarrassment would have 

 been pitiable if it had not been so contemptible. 

 It was the other dogs one was sorry for ; accus- 

 tomed to hard knocks, they were naturally modest, 

 but I did not envy Fido his feelings when she met 



