


364 

? 
“general dealer” could not restore ‘“ Nep- 
tune.” He suggested that some of the Lon- 
don hands had been down, and that he had 
been sentto Town. The Electric Telegraph 
and “the Times” were set to work; but no 
news of poor “ Nep.’—until the third day, 
when Mr. Vandelour received a letter from 
town, stating that a dog with a piece of rope 
round his neck, answering the description 
given in “the Times,” had that day walked 
into the “ Senior United Service Club,’ in 
Piccadilly, where he now was, howling, and 
rushing at every gentleman that came in,— 
refusing to be turned out, in a most convinc- 
ing manner, peculiar to the canine race; and 
after looking well at, and sniffing their 
clothes, he then laid sulkily down before the 
fire. 
How he got there was for some time a 
puzzle to everybody, or where he had been 
during the three days; but on his being sent 
back to Brighton, according to Mr. Vande- 
lour’s orders, he was recognised by the engi- 
neer of the train, at the station, who, on 
learning to whom he belonged, called at our 
house, and stated that on Tuesday morning, 
as the train was about to start for London, a 
Newfoundland dog was noticed running about 
the platform as if in search of his owner, 
whom failing to find, he tried to gain admis- 
sion into several carriages, but the guard 
would not allow him. He then came to the 
engine, and fancying his master was in the 
train, | allowed him, said the engineer, to go 
to town with me, expecting some gentleman 
would own him on our arrival. But as no 
one inquired for him, I took him home with 
me, and a hard job I had to get him along. 
He pulled and fought witha giant’s strength. 
I offered him food; he would not touch it, 
but lay howling all night, so that I could not 
sleep. On Thursday I saw your advertise- 
ment in the Times, and went home, intending 
to take him down with me, but found no dog. 
He had gnawed the rope, jumped over our 
yard wall, and was off. Nor did I ever see 
him again until yesterday, when I recognised 
him on the platform, with your address on a 
ticket round his neck. He knew me, and 
seemed pleased to see me. I was on duty, 
or would then have gone with him to your 
house ; and fearing lest you might attribute 
a wrong motive if you heard of his going to 
town with me, I have taken the first oppor- 
tunity of calling to explain, and hope you 
will excuse me if I have caused you any 
anxiety. Iam fond of dogs, and could not 
help feeling for one in such evident distress. 
The delight was great in our establishment, 
when Neptune, the keepsake of the noble 
Major, was returned safe; but a gloom was 
spread over all, when it was discovered that 
he could not be prevailed upon to touch food 
of any kind. 
KIDD'S OWN JOURNAL. 
Every time we went out, | from the horizon. 


Neptune made off, as quick as his legs would 
carry him, to the Railway Station. Thus 
things went on for about ene week, every 
one trying to induce ‘‘Nep,” to eat; but all 
to no purpose. He was ever on the watch by 
the door—either expecting, or waiting an op- 
portunity to get out on the search for his 
late master. Of course he could not live 
if he would not eat; and he began to look 
like a perfect skeleton covered with hair. 
It was therefore decided to go to town for 
professional advice, and Dr.. KENT was again 
sent for to our house. Adieu, for the present. 
Yours, as ever, CHARLIE. 
December 14th, 1853. 
THE LIGHT OF THE STARS. 
THE LIGHT OF THE STARS is not uniform. 
The ray of Sirius, for instance, differs not 
merely in intensity, but in kind from the ray 
of Vega; and in countries where the atmos- 
phere is less humid and hazy than ours, the 
difference is striking to the naked eye—one 
star shining as an emerald, another as a 
ruby, and the whole Heavens sparkling as 
with various gems. 
The attribute of variety of color also 
characterises the double stars; but the most 
remarkable thing is that, in many instances, 
where one star is of one marked color, its 
companion is of the opposite. Instances 
abound in which a red and a green star are 
associated, or a yellow and blue. When the 
stars are of different degrees of brilliancy, 
this contrast may originate in an optical 
delusion—in that tendency which disposes 
the eye, when gazing on any bright color, to 
endow fainter objects near it with the oppo- 
site, or complimentary color, by way of 
relief. But the explanation is not universally 
borne out; imasmuch as many couples, in 
precisely similar circumstances, show no such 
contrasts. 
Sir John Herschell was at first decidedly 
inclined to attribute the phenomenon to an 
actual difference of color; and although he 
has since, perhaps on good grounds, half 
relinquished that conclusion, we have the 
acquiescing testimony of Struve, whose 
clearness has never yet been rivalled—so 
that we may not absolutely part with the 
early, pleasing speculations of the British 
astronomer. It may more easily be sug- 
gested in words (says Sir John), than con- 
ceived in imagination, what variety of 
illumination two stars—a red and a green, or 
a yellow and a blue one, must afford a planet 
circulating around either ; and what cheering 
contrasts, and graceful vicissitudes, (a red 
and a green day, for instance, alternating 
with a white one, and with darkness,) might 
arise from the presence or absence, or both, 









