( 242 ) 



PRINCE MORDGE: A TRUE 

 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH, 



CHAPTER L 



I CANNOT tell you how our dear old dog came by 

 the title of Prince Mordge. Our father -was in the 

 habit of conferring names upon every individual of his 

 acquaintance, and those names were always significant 

 of some peculiarity, attribute, or " weakness " in the 

 person designated. Although derivation of many such 

 titles was often obscure enough, yet we generally 

 understood and appreciated their significance ; but 

 regarding dog Slop's title I (at least) knew nothing 

 more than it conferred a certain dignity upon him, 

 which showed itself in his gait and the slow elevating 

 of tail and nose when he was addressed as Prince 

 Mordge. 



His true name and familiar appellation, however, 

 was Slop ; only his master or our father, during friendly 

 conversation, addressed him as Mordie. I conjecture 

 that he must have been perhaps three or four years my 

 junior. I distinctly recollect his home-coming. He 

 was then a small pup, and his welcome was uproarious. 



