94 HOUNDS 



and hunt at his own sweet will is allowed. 

 We all know what mischief the fox-hound 

 puppy, like the human puppy, is capable 

 of ; and many of us have had expensive, if 

 entertaining, experiences of his youthful 

 manners. We have seen our turkey hens, 

 our peacocks, or our poultry the victims of 

 his sporting proclivities. We have seen our 

 tablecloths, curtains, and doormats worried 

 and tattered in a manner prophetic of the 

 style in which the miscreant, when he grows 

 into a hound, will treat poor Reynard ; we 

 have wrung our hands while he drew the 

 flower-garden ; and yet, while we have soundly 

 rated him, we have laughed over these 

 domestic tragedies. I love to see a wild 

 puppy ; I like to see him with a leveret in 

 his mouth after he has tow-rowed throuoh 



