ARKIVAL OF PUPPIES AT THE KENNEL. 161 



SO she arrives at the kennel on the shoulders of a 

 labourer, her four legs held in front of him, her 

 stomach on the back of his neck, while her graceful 

 head nods to the variation of his footstep. Seventy 

 coujDle of puppies have come in, and it is amusing to 

 stand among them and read in their actions and 

 faces the variety of their dispositions. There is not 

 more study afforded by the physiognomy of a school 

 of boys and girls. Here is a group of careless crea- 

 tures at a game of boisterous play ; while in corners 

 sit the timid, as well as those regretful of the friends 

 they have left behind. Others walk about in surly 

 moods and challenge their new acquaintances to 

 fight; while the more forward ones begin to make 

 love to the ladies. But hush, Avhile we contemplate 

 those that are still arriving. There is a scuffle at the 

 kennel door ! A man appears, very hot, having, as 

 he assures us, " had a deuce of a job to get the 

 puppy along." He had to carry him, on to his 

 thumb it would seem, for there is a deep gash in it 

 where the holders of the puppy have met. The old 

 boiler Curnoch looks at it, and, because he boils 

 horses and lives among hounds, he is deemed " to 

 know summut of bites." Curnoch takes the wounded 

 labourer to the boiling house, sends to the stable for 

 some hot horse-oils, pours a spoonful into the wound 

 and rubs it well in, fastens up the lips of the scar with 

 some coblers' wax, sticks on a bit of old cord breeches, 

 and binds it tight with some tar twine. The man 

 then repairs to the Castle, gets a skinful of stronger 

 ale and cider than he is in the habit of drinking, with 

 a lot of cold meat, and rises to his work next morn- 

 ing cool and comfortable ! 



Harrogate was a great favourite of Mrs. Berkeley's, 



M 



