CHARACTER OF THE DOG. 35 



The latter was once aroused, at the dead hour 

 of night, by a strange scratching at the door, 

 which being cautiously opened, old Hugo walked 

 slowly in, with his eyes wide open and a boot in 

 his mouth. He gravely deposited this at the 

 merchant's feet and started for its fellow, but, 

 upon being called back and reproved, seemed at 

 once to comprehend his mistake. 



He then took up the boot, and as the voice of 

 the watchman sounded the hour, looking ridicu- 

 lously enough, sneaked down stairs to bed again. 



This is the only case of somnambulism in the 

 brute creation, which we remember to have 

 heard of. 



The same person was afterwards attacked by 

 a fit of the gout, which confined him to his house 

 several weeks. 



On the morning succeeding the attack the 

 boots appeared in his chamber, as usual; the 

 invalid pointed to his swollen feet, swathed in 

 flannel and resting upon pillows, whereupon the 

 .poodle, mistaking his meaning, flew furiously at 

 the bandages, and commenced tearing them off, 

 giving the unfortunate sufferer the most exquisite 

 agony in his well-meant but injudicious attempts 

 to remove the embargo on the boots. 



But to come nearer home. Observe your dog 



