DOGS : THEIR MANAGEMENT. 309 



tlog was mad. The man was at first wholly incredulous ; 

 whereon the writer requested him to look through a 

 chink, and say how the animal was employed. " He is 

 tearing a piece of wood to pieces, and munching it as 

 though he were very hungry. Poor thing, I must go to 

 him ! He has taken no victuals or drink these three 

 days." The author interposed, to prevent the master 

 from fulfilling his humane suggestion. With much diffi- 

 culty he was persuaded to wait the turn of events, and 

 not to unloose the door that night. The next morning 

 the butcher was thoroughly convinced. Neither he nor 

 his family had been able to get any rest on account of 

 the dog's cries ; and before that day expired, to antici- 

 pate the poor animal's fate, the unfortunate beast was 

 shot. 



In this case the dog exhibited no malice, neither did he 

 appear to be prompted solely by mischief. When the 

 muzzle was first lowered to the master's boot, the poor 

 animal doubtless was moved to that action by the irre- 

 sistible desire natural to the disease. The longing was to 

 bite something, no matter what ; any object must be 

 cooler than the heat that burnt within the wretched crea- 

 ture's throat and stomach. The teeth were impulsively 

 prepared to bite, but between the desire and its consum- 

 mation, reflection came. The affection natural to the dog 

 acted as a restraint. It was unable entirely to destroy 

 the prompting of disease, but it turned the bite which it 

 was prepared to give into a mumble, and the loved 

 master escaped. unhurt. 



