ANECDOTES,] 



THE DOG, AND ITS VAEIETIE^ 



[anecdotes. 



liad put the small end below the door, and 

 some one bad pulled it out. Ou the dog 

 being asked where it was, he looked very 

 guilty, and slunk away with his tail between 

 liis legs. This same dog has his provisions 

 brought to him in a tin can. Taking a walk, he 

 saw a child carrying a vessel exceedingly like 

 his; when he quietly seized it by the handle, and 

 carried it to his quarters, the child holding on, 

 and screaming all the way. When shown his 

 own he seemed quite ashamed of his mistake, 

 and allowed the frightened child to go with the 

 tin he had mistaken for his own. This animal 

 is in the habit of begging money from his 

 biped acquaintance, with which he marches to 

 a baker's shop and buys bread, which he car- 

 ries home and eats when hungry. 



It was but the other day that we read of an 

 anecdote strongly indicative of the fidelity of 

 an Irish dog towards his master, who, in the 

 city of Dublin, was overcome by the potent 

 beverage which, as it is a favourite liquor of 

 other parts of Ireland, so does it hold a high 

 place in the estimation of at least some of the 

 inhabitants of that city. A respectable- 

 looking man, belonging to the middle classes 

 of life, tottered down Donegal-street, appa- 

 rently oblivious to everything. A handsome 

 dog, of the caste known as spaniel, followed 

 at his heels, whining most mournfully, evidently 

 wishing him to retrace his steps, and dis- 

 j)laying a great deal more regard for the man 

 than he did for liimself. The man at last 

 tumbled down on the steps opposite the parish 

 church, his watch being thrown out of his 

 pocket by the fall. The dog, with an instinct 

 which, if inferior to the reason exhibited in 

 a higher order of beings, certainly exhibited 

 a mui-e exalted notion of affection than is 

 portrayed in many, lay down on his master's 

 breast, clutching the watch between his two 

 fore feet. A crowd gathered round the sense- 

 less man ; but the dog, considering himself his 

 protector, would let no one approach him. A 

 constable came up ; but the dumb animal, re- 

 cognising no person, would not let the police- 

 man go near hun, the dog guarding every poke 

 of the baton with his head. The barking of 

 the spaniel at last awakened the drunkard, who, 

 with much difficulty, got tl»e watch into his 

 pocket, and staggered ou, the faithful animal 

 barking and wagging his tail with delight. 

 384 



There is, perhaps, a still more extraordinary 

 instance of sagacity ; and, as it is of a rare 

 description, it merits a place in these pages. 

 It is i'rom the Hecollectiojis of a Sjwr/sman, by 

 Lord W. Lennox. " A short time ago, a dog, 

 well known to the railway officials, from his 

 frequent travelling with his master, presented 

 himself at one of the stations on the Meet- 

 wood, Preston, and Longridge line. After 

 looking round for some length of time among 

 the passengers, and in the carriages, just as 

 the train was about to start he leaped into one 

 of the compartments of a carriage, and laid 

 himself down under the seat. Arriving at 

 Longridge, he made another survey of the 

 passengers, and, after waiting until the station 

 had been cleared, he went into the railway 

 station hotel, searched all the places on the 

 ground-floor, then went and made a tour of 

 inspection over the adjoining grounds ; but, 

 being apparently unsuccessful, trotted back to 

 the train, and took his old position just as it 

 moved off. On reaching the station from 

 which he had first started, he again looked 

 round as before, and took his departure. It 

 seems that he now proceeded to the general 

 railway station at Preston, and, after repeating 

 the looking-around performance, placed him- 

 self under one of the seats in a train which he 

 had singled out of many that are constantly 

 passing in and out, and, in due time, arrived 

 in Liverpool. He now visited a few places 

 where he had been before with his master, of 

 whom, as it afterwards appeared, he was in 

 search. Of his adventures in Liverpool little 

 is known; but he remained all night, and visited 

 Preston again early the next morning. Still, 

 not finding his missing master, he, for the 

 fourth time, " took the train" — this time, how- 

 ever, to Lancaster and Carlisle ; at which latter 

 place the sagacity and faithfulness of the ani- 

 mal, as well as the perseverance and tact he 

 displayed in prosecuting his search, were re- 

 warded by finding his master." 



Of the spaniel races there are many recorded 

 instances of wonderful sagacity ; and to some of 

 them has been ascribed the possession of even 

 an organ of music. On a few of this family, fine 

 music has been known to produce an appa- 

 rently painful effect, causing them gradually tc 

 become restless, to moan piteously, and, finally, 

 to escape from its presence with every sign ot 



