PRINCE MORDGE. 265 



eyes said plainly, " Ah ! you have found better friends 

 than your old dog." Bella stopped to fondle him, and 

 I tried to tell him that the whole world could not give 

 us another Prince Mordge. He laid his paws upon 

 the stile when we passed over it, and while we were 

 in sight he remained there. After that he never came 

 farther than the door with us. He had given us into 

 other keeping. We have found none more trusty than 

 his own. 



And as he had lived he died — a brave, a leal, 

 a patient spirit. The infirmities of extreme old age 

 were upon him, yet he was Prince Mordge to the 

 last; and, when carried daily by a servant to con- 

 verse with our father after breakfast, never failed to 

 show that dignity of manner and respectful homage 

 which had always marked him. 



I was romping with my baby-boy on the lawn — 

 that lawn where Slop had romped with us, and a 

 generation which knew him not was drawing my 

 thoughts from the past to the present. The beloved 

 master, who had been to Slop in place of God, was 

 far away. Other companions of his youth had also 

 gone out to the battle of life. Like the tolling of 

 a knell, there broke on the baby's laughter a servant's 

 shrill voice, exclaiming, " If ye plase, I tink da auld 

 dog is deein' ! " 



I ran to the kitchen, and, kneeling by him, I cried, 

 " Slop ! Poor old Slop ! My dear good old dog ! " 



He could neither hear nor see, but the faithful 

 heart yet thrilled to the touch of a friendly hand. 



