52 
NATURE NOTES 
where he could sleep. The gardener, a kindly disposed man, 
said there was an old beehive in the stable, which, turned upside 
down and lined with hay, might make rather a snug bed for the 
wee doggie. So when bed-time came we put him in the 
impromptu bed and shut him up in the stables. We went to 
look at him later on, and of course he had scrambled out and 
was exploring the new home. No doubt he was searching for 
his mother and brothers ! How'ever, we put him back in his 
bed and left him for the night with a saucer of milk on the 
ground. 
The next morning he was off again on an exploring expedition 
when we visited him, and seemed none the worse for his first 
solitary night. He was allowed to wander about on the lawn, 
and soon learnt to follow us about and play with balls and our 
feet. There was a great discussion as to his name. Some one 
suggested Punch, and Punch he was called. 
He was allowed to come out on short walks with us : when 
he was tired he used to cry, and then we carried him. He was 
very fond of getting up into the arm-chairs where we were 
sitting and planting himself snugly between us and the soft arm 
of the chair. But as he grew he required more room, and we 
gradually found we were obliged to vacate the chairs as he kept 
pushing us with his soft paws, evidently intent on making 
himself comfortable whatever we might be ! In after years he 
preferred the best chairs and sofas, and used to wag his tail 
with great complacency when we came in and found him curled 
up in the best armchair. I fear he was dreadfully spoilt, but 
he was so fascinating, and such a beautiful little dog with his 
long curly brown ears, and so affectionate ! We had a visitor 
one day, and Punch celebrated her arrival by climbing upstairs 
and trotting into her room, d'here, alas, he found a soft pink 
velvet slipper, trimmed with white fur. He thought it lovely 
and a most delightful plaything. He shook it and worried it, 
till the pink slipper was hardly recognisable. He was told he 
was very naughty, but our visitor had fallen in love with him 
and he got more kisses than blows. Sometimes he was per- 
suaded to sit quietly in a toy-cart and be dragged round the 
lawn, and he enjoyed his rides in the perambulator. As he 
grew older he preferred his walks and drives with the grown-up 
members of the household. He would run for miles with the 
carriage, and was wild with excitement when he saw the pony 
being harnessed, jumping up and kissing the pony's nose. He 
had the most supreme contempt for low-bred dogs, and tramps 
he abhorred. Many a tramp has he frightened away from the 
house. He was never a big dog, but had a most impressive 
bark. One visitor was afraid to come to the door because she 
heard Punch barking inside. She wrote to apologise saying she 
had heard “ the bark of a large dog,” and was afraid to venture. 
Punch was very loyal. We were his master and mistress, 
therefore honour paid to others was wrong. Conseipiently after 
