FIDELITY AND ATTACHMENT OF DOGS 



487 



of his beloved master. Mr. J died ; and amongst those who 



mourned his loss was Sim, the humblest, the most disinterested, and 

 the most intense mourner ; for he followed the body to the grave, and 

 when it was consigned to its kindred dust, no inducement, no entreaty- 

 could prevail on him to leave that master in death, to whom in life he 

 was so tenderly devoted. He lay on the grave day and night, 

 intimating his humble grief by low piteous whining ; and melancholy 

 indeed it was to see this faithful creature testifying after his manner 

 his sorrow at his irreparable loss. His new master finding all endeavours 

 to remove him vain, took Sim in his arms and carried him wet and dirty 

 as he was into his house — but to no purpose ; the creature escaped and 

 ran to resume his station on the grave, where he remained two days 

 and two nights, through storms of wind and rain, which made all 

 other animals forget every thing in the wish to find shelter ! The poor 

 dog on the third day was found dead, having actually pined to death 

 from grief at his dear master's death. Hard and unfeeling that heart 

 must be who could hear such an account and not be touched by so 

 great an instance of devotion. The clergyman of the parish kindly 

 gave a small piece of ground at the foot of the grave, that the poor 

 dog might rest by his beloved friend, and that even in death he might 

 not be parted from him he so fondly loved. 



Another instance of fidelity was proved by a large spotted dog of 

 ours : we had long wished to purchase him, as his beauty first attracted 

 our attention, he being at that time the property of a poor man 

 residing in the same place, and who being very fond of the animal, for 

 some time could not be prevailed on to sell him, though frequently 

 urged to do so. At last, however, pressed hard by poverty, and having 

 a very large family to maintain, he consented to sell the dog, which we 

 were glad to buy, and he was accordingly brought to our house, where 

 he found kind friends, both in his master and the coachman, whose 

 peculiar charge he was, as he was purchased for a coach dog, being too 

 large to bring into the house. Still, with every kindness and all our 

 coaxing, he never could be induced to become reconciled to his change 

 of abode, nor could he forget his former master. If he was chained but 

 for a moment, he ran away to his old home, and could only be brought 

 to remain with us by force ; and if we went out, he was obliged to be 

 tied under the carriage to make him learn to follow it. We left the 

 place at which we resided, and went to Ramsgate, and we imagined 

 that being so far removed from the home he so loved, he would cease to 

 think of it ; but far from forgetting his former friends, he thought 



