CHARACTER OF THE DOG. 7 



the inmates with his boding and ill-omened cry. 

 One may readily imagine the effect produced in 

 the sick chamber, or at the family fire-side, by 

 these disheartening sounds. If, like the wander- 

 ing harper, he intends his distracting discord as 

 an appeal to the sympathies of the good people 

 within, it is almost superfluous to say that his 

 expectations are illy repaid, since we have no 

 doubt that the reader will agree with us that there 

 hardly exists, within the range of the census, that 

 super-excellent Samaritan, who has ever opened 

 his heart or his doors to a stray cur. The 

 cry, however, like that of the famishing wolf, 

 appears to be a mere ebullition of despair. Some 

 dogs, however, whose dispositions, we are inclined 

 to think, are slightly tinged with romance, are 

 much in the habit of serenading " the refulgent 

 queen of night," in this interesting way. In 

 general, though, be it said, the dog's star is his 

 master's eye, and he wisely leaves the celestial 

 orbs to poets, lovers and astronomers, as those 

 whom they most concern. We have never heard 

 that the dog of our North American Indian dif- 

 fers at all from his civilized brother in this last 

 respect, although, in accordance with the untu- 

 tored creed of his master, he might, with great 

 consistency, cast an occasional glance towards the 



