The Smooth-coated Sheep Dog. 143 



whose stupidity has been immortalized in verse, 

 perhaps neither Wordsworth nor Scott's pathetic 

 poems would ever have been written. 



Mr. Ridley, a young farmer of Wolsingham, in 

 Durham, was out on the fells looking after the 

 sheep. Unfortunately he slipped and broke his leg. 

 In great agony and unable to move, he lay at the 

 foot of a crag for a considerable time in the 

 expectation of someone approaching who could 

 hear his cries and so render assistance. No one 

 came. His faithful bitch Lassie lay by his side. 

 Night was coming on ; the young farmer thought it 

 would be unpleasant and dangerous to lay out on 

 the fells all night, so he attached a note to his 

 dog's neck and bid her " Away home, Lassie." 

 Although several miles from the farm, Lassie re- 

 quired no second order, and quickly was making a 

 great to-do in the kitchen. Then the paper on her 

 neck was noticed, and in due course assistance was 

 sent to the injured farmer, who was rescued from 

 an exposure that might have caused his death. And 

 when Lassie, who was a show dog as well as a sensible 

 creature, was stolen from some small exhibition, 

 whose secretary was sued for her loss, the County 

 Court judge gave Mr. Ridley ^"10 as the full value 

 of his dog. The original claim of ^50 was, I take it, 

 under the circumstances, an extremely moderate one. 



