THE DOG. 157 



Instance of attachment. 



one of my kindest and most valuable friends, had 

 a dog of the above endearing description. This 

 gentleman had an occupation which obliged him 

 to go a journey periodically, I believe every 

 month. His stay was short, and his departure 

 and return were regular, and without variation. 

 The dog always grew uneasy when first he lost 

 his master, and moped in a corner, but recovered 

 himself gradually as the time of his return ap- 

 proached ; which he knew to an hour, nay, to a 

 minute, as I shall prove. When convinced that 

 his master was on the road at no great distance 

 from home, he flew all over the house, and if the 

 street door happened to be shut, he would suffer 

 no servant to have any rest till it was opened. 

 The moment he obtained his freedom away he 

 went, and to a certainty met his benefactor about 

 two miles from town. He played and frolicked 

 about him till he had obtained one of his gloves^ 

 with which he ran or rather ftew home, entered 

 the house, laid it down in the middle of the 

 room, and danced round it. When he had suffi- 

 ciently amused himself in this manner, out of the 

 house he flew, returned to meet his master, an4 

 ran before him, or gambolled by his side, till he 

 arrived with him at home. 



" I know not how frequently this was repeated, 

 but it lasted till the old gentleman grew infirm, 

 and incapable of continuing his journies. The 

 dog by this time was also old, and became at 

 length blind : but this misfortune did not hinder 



