44 



KIDD'S OWN JOURNAL. 



have been well, and she would (for that day 

 at least) have been most happy ; but she 

 read on. Her voice suddenly became lower, 

 so low that I could scarcely hear her speak. 

 And yet I saw her lips move, and her hands 

 tremble. She rose, as if to go down-stairs ; 

 but before reaching the door, fell insensible 

 upon the floor. I ran to her face, and barked 

 as loud as 1 could, in the hope of rousing 

 her. While so doing, my master and mistress 

 came rushing into the room, to see what it 

 was had caused such a noise. It was caused 

 by her fall. 



A doctor was sent for, and came with all 

 speed ; but ere he arrived, mortal had become 

 immortal. Miss Emily's spirit had departed. 

 She was gone where " the wicked cease from 

 troubling, and the weary are at rest," — dying 

 with his name upon her lips. The real cause 

 was not guessed at, until I ran from the 

 couch to the newspaper that lay where she 

 fell. Mrs. Vandelour noticing me, took up 

 the paper, and read, — " In following up his 

 victory, the Major fell covered with wounds 

 and honor, a bullet having passed through 

 his heart." With the " dear remains" we 

 came to England again ; and in due course 

 my poor young mistress was buried. No 

 doubt with all the pomp and ceremony usual 

 for persons moving in her station in life ; but 

 this I cannot speak positively about, as I 

 was not permitted to be present. She lies 

 at Kensall-Green. 



It was now the height of summer ; and 

 much I longed for my sweet lost mistress, 

 and the nice long rambles over the fields 

 about the little village of West End, where 

 we (i.e., the Major, Miss Emily, and I) used 

 often to spend hours in the cool of the 

 evening. Only one summer since ! 



But I must not leave my story to enlarge 

 on all, or even a thousandth part of the 

 thoughts that at this moment present them- 

 selves. One of the veterinarians who had 

 been called in to Neptune, was asked his 

 opinion and advice about me, and what must 

 be done to prevent me gnawing and tear- 

 ing everything that I came near ; also why 

 it was my breath was offensive. He said I 

 must be "wormed;" and that this would 

 cure me of my propensity for nibbling, and 

 also ward off fits ; and to sweeten my breath, 

 he ordered that I should have no animal food 

 of any kind, but be wholly fed on biscuits, 

 buns, &c. The biscuit diet was put in prac- 

 tice directly, and the next day I began on 

 " Huntley and Palmer's Pic Nics ; " but at 

 dinner-time could not help crying for a bit 

 of the glorious roast leg of mutton that hissed 

 on the table, when I was told that my doctor 

 had said I was not to have any ; it was not 

 good for me. 



My doctor ? No ! He never said any such 

 thing ; but on hearing of it, gave instructions 



that u I should have a little of any roast meat 

 once every day ; and if I required food twice 

 in a day, then I was to have a biscuit, — not 

 a sugared one, but a good, plain, and whole- 

 some captains 1 biscuit." You know how we 

 dogs express our joy. Mine, I fear, was 

 boisterous, since I was reproved fOr barking 

 so. It was after dinner when he told Mrs. 

 Vandelour this ; when I had turned away 

 almost choked at the sight of the diamonds 

 and circles placed for my meal, and after I 

 had cried for a bit of meat from the table. 



A plate of meat was instantly ordered, that 

 my doctor might say what was the proper 

 quantity to be given at a meal. Half was 

 taken away, and the plate put down to me. 

 That I ate it with so much zest, seemed to 

 surprise my mistress, as I had turned away of 

 late from my usual dinner without touching 

 it. But my doctor said that " in feeding, as 

 in keeping animals of whatever denomination, 

 nature should be followed as nearly as pos- 

 sible ; and that the teeth of a dog were car- 

 nivorous or flesh-tearing (not biscuit-crush- 

 ing), and the digestive organs short, com- 

 pared with herbivorous (grass-eating) animals, 

 or omnivorous (eaters of all things) ; thereby 

 proving that they were intended to live on 

 food easily and quickly converted into blood. 

 But that as nature was not followed in the 

 keeping, so the feeding might digress from 

 nature's rule in part, and biscuit form one 

 meal out of the two ; or they might be given 

 conjointly." " But," he said, " the system of 

 feeding wholly on biscuits is very injurious ; 

 since it renders the blood poor, the skin 

 harsh, and liable to diseases of many kinds, 

 at the same sime that it confines the bowels, 

 and makes it necessary to give biscuits with 

 one hand and pills with the other, — thus 

 turning the poor dog's inside into a walking 

 repository for damaged flour and medicine." 



About the " worming," I will tell you by- 

 and-bye ; but my interpreter, the dog's own 

 friend — my dear doctor, is now so busy with 

 his numerous little and large patients, that 

 he declares it is impossible to hold the pen 

 for me any longer. So let me remain, 



Jan. 15, 1854. 



Yours, as ever, 



Charlie. 



MARRIAGE 



If there he one hour, which more 

 Than any other craves a parent's presence, 

 'Tis that which gives his child away from him ! 

 She should go with his blessing warm upon her, 



breathed 

 With an attesting kiss ; then may she go 

 With perfect hope, and cheerly take with her 

 The benisons of all kind wishers else. 



Sheridan Knowles. 



