DOGS, AND THEIR CHARACTERISTICS. 373 



>ev fast disappearing ; a low, black hull as she plows 

 through the wild water, leaver behind it a troubled 

 wake. The dense, black smoke overshadows the dark- 

 ness of approaching night. On the dock there stands, 

 half crouched, as if debating whether or not to plunge 

 into the water, a spaniel one of the handsomest of its 

 kind. Every appearance denotes his utter despair. 

 Tfye winds blow wildly through his pendulous ears, and 

 twines around his legs the silken hair of his tail ; around 

 his neck he has a collar, fastened into this a rope, whose 

 ragged end trails on the dock, the ends show fine 

 .strands, indicating that he has gnawed it off. So he has- 

 Chained to his kennel he witnessed the departure of 

 his master; he tried in vain to follow him; he sought 

 to break the ties that bound him, but could not. Fierce- 

 ly he attacks the rope with his sharp teeth, and is free. 

 He rushes in the direction of his departing master, and 

 arrives at the dock, too late, as the vessel is far from 

 .shore. What he then does is depicted in these beauti- 

 ful lines : 



" He has strained the rope which bound him, and at last has broken 



free 



Too late ! for there the steamer bears his master out to sea. 

 He is but a dog. and yet he has the yearnings of his kind, 

 And his heart is fairly breaking, that he is left behind. 



With an effort he might reach him, if he struggles with a will ; 



The master has forgotten, but the dog remembers still, 



Plunge, the way is long and weary, and the distance grows more 



wide, 

 But he has one hope to guide him, just to reach his master's side. 



.Struggling, ever struggling onward, though the water beats him 



back, 



Struggling while his heart is failing, in the steamer's silver track; 

 Struggling with a last vain effort ; struggling till his strength is 



gone ; 

 JSo the blue waves close over him, and the twilight hastens on.'* 



