NEWFOUNDLANDS 29 



A gentleman in Newcastle has a Newfoundland 

 boasting constitutional principles, who, it is said, goes 

 out every morning to look at the newspaper contents 

 bills. When he sees the ' Journal ' placard he wags his tail 

 and shows great delight. When he glances at that of 

 the ' Chronicle ' he is not delighted, yet he looks knowing 

 and partially approving ; but when he comes to that of 

 the Gladstonian paper the dog looks, gives a low growl, 

 and walks away. 



Jesse relates a very amusing anecdote of a Newfound- 

 land who had learned the use of a pump. Whenever he 

 felt thirsty he would go into the kitchen, take up a pail 

 and carry it to the pump, and would wait there till one of 

 the servants passed, when he made gestures to show he 

 wanted the pail filled, and having had his drink would 

 carry the pail back to the kitchen and put it in its 

 place. 



Chambers, in his ' Anecdotes of Dogs,' relates that a 

 Newfoundland and a mastiff were enemies and fought 

 whenever they met. One day they had a fierce battle on 

 the pier, from the point of which they both fell into the 

 sea, from which they had no means of escape except by 

 swimming a considerable distance. 



Of course this had the effect of separating the com- 

 batants, and each began to make for the land as best 

 he could. The Newfoundland very speedily gained the 

 pier, on which he stood shaking himself and watching 

 the motions of his enemy, who, being no swimmer, was 

 struggling — exhausted — in the water and just about to 

 sink. 



The Newfoundland dashed in, took the other gently by 

 his collar, kept his head above water, and brought him 

 safely to shore. There was a complete reconciliation 

 between the dogs from that time ; they were always to- 

 gether, and when the Newfoundland had been accidentally 

 killed by a stone waggon on the railway passing over 

 him the mastiff languished and lamented for a long 

 time. 



