Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1851-05-22


IN order TO discover whether could then
and thence educe a momentary occupation.
| imagine that a grateful odour must have
eShaled from the first neat little white paper
parcel that | uniolded for | had scarcely
deposited its contents in my lap, when the
lean, lank, uugainly dog walked slowly to-
wards nc, and demurey seated itself upon
its launches, about two yards from the bas-
kei, lis long tail lying stidy along the deck
and looking precisely (only not quite so
good a color like one of the brooms ere
while hawked about the streets of London
by the short peiticoated Bayarian girls.
There was a tranquil, II not altogether
graceful at home-ness about the animal
which made Us friends in moment; and |
handed a sugar-bscnit TO my seli-coatii,utcd
guest, without single miSgivng that
should lose the first Joint of my finger in re-
turn for the courtesy. Nor was my conf
dence misplaced, for the creature received
II as quietly rs 1t was offered and when the
delicate morsel was discussed, the dog con-
unned to lick its lips calmly at intervals, as
If TO imply that the quality Of the cake had
been duly appreciated and ultimately, with
much gravity, put forth its fore legs straight
matched exactly with that described by It's
tail and there it lay with its head slightly
inclined on one SIDE, aud its intelligent
eyes fixed on me, like 4 thug of stone, save
indeed, that do not believe any sculptor
would have selected such subject Oh which
to exercise his art.
BY degrees became interested in the pa
tcut and unobtrusive little animal, which
seemed as If thoroughly aware that II was
there on sulicrance, and did not venture one
gesture Of entreaty or irritation, the alore-
said licking of the lips, however, being to
me intended us palpably Ito remind" as
any duplicate card to an entertainment that
] ever received so Inscribed from party
giving acquaintance.
had Just renewed my ciyiity to my new
acquaintance, when | was suddenly startled
by gruh-' You are very kind, madame,
uttered close beside me- aud, raising my
eyes, saw the short, lnck set. weather
beaten. and usually taciturn helmsman, who
was At the wheel, standing hat IN hand
looking down with sort of complacent as
constituent upon myself aud the dog. OF
course comprehended the thing at once.
The ill-iayored cur was his properly. and he
was putting into words the gratitude which
the soft and speaking eyes Of his canine IA
vori,e had already expressed much more un-
equvocally.
B1ou' (what a bijoui thought y is not
used To SO much Kindness from stranger, ,
pursued the man, as if IN reply to my look ;
travellers who come abroad to see sights kick
han aside when be crosses them op tae deck
for they have no time 10 discover his good
qualities
Bot am convinced that he has good
qualities, seid IN my turn; eau see
them in his soft and beautiful eyes
The hemsman bowed gratefully, as tho
had paid him personal compliment
Nevertheless, added moment after,
the dog Is certainly not handsome.
The sailor gently shook his head-'Were
he 10 you, madame, what lie Is to me, he
said sadly, wife, aud child, and friend you
would think him beauty
And does BJou indeed hold so high a
ticker in the lottery of your life, my good
friend ? | asked, as | passed my hand ca
ressiugly over the head Of the animal which
had gradually crouched down closer beside
me, and now glanced upward towards his
master, Is though perfectly conscious that
II had become the subject of discourse. -
Surely, If You cared 10 Try, you might find
preuler wife, more graceful and endear-
ing children, and more sympalhlzlng
friend for, after all
Madame has said the very words, inter-
posed the man with melancholy energy /;
after aH-yes, it Is, indeed, after all IS
gone that | once loved so iondly, | learn
-, 81 tl,t
earth that cares for me
The tone IN which the words we're utter
ed excited my Interest at once aud 1t APP
peared to produce lis effect also upon the
dog, for the Creature turned ITS head to-
wards its master aud the long straight tail
moved slightly, more as 1t seemed III sym
| patty than IN pleasure. Ailer some time, |
elected the story of the helmsman's life,
and 1t was truly one of suffering and of sor-
row. He had lost his wlle aud three .alr
children IN the brief period OF two days
all (his) little ones at one fell swoop, by
an epidemic disease which ragged in Rottcr-
! dam some years previously. They all lay
! dead together IN the same narrow room
aud as his last hight went OUT, as the expir-
ing mother turned her glazed -ata failing
eye from the face of her husband to the bed
on which he had placed their cold and stiff
fleming infants IN one molionless aud CHASTITY
line, for the poor have no luxuries of cur
tanned coucheS TO Shroud from the gaze OF
agony the amount of their wTetchedness-
the bereaved man would have been alone,
utterly alone, with that fourlold death, had
not the dumb playmate of his lost little ones
still borne him company; but as ne sank
down, exhausted by watching and despair,
upon the body of his wife, the faithful dog
held It's place beside those of the innocent
beings, by whose joyous voices he was never
again to be summoned 10 sport-by whose
fond hands he was never again 10 be fed OF
fondledl It was a sad pic,ure--the utter
desola,ion of that widowed man, even sim,
ply and hurredly as he sketched lis outline
aud his thick tones became thicker, and hi,
thin lips quivered as he reverted TO his time
of trial.
After that, all was soon over he pur-
sued, at the close of momenlary pause
which had not found courage to break
the grave follows fast upon the death-groani
aud all that had loved best on earth was
taken from me, and shut from my sight for
ever. lie followed with me 10 see them