Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1873-04-25

others and the cOachman raised their bea0S,
and, upon seeing this strange sight, LEFT
their work and clustered up to LOOK. A
few more people attracted by the noise,
came and Joined us. We soon formed a
ring.
1t seemed to please the dog to see us all
tail to and fro, and put more spirit into his
exercise. He walked five times round on
his hinder legs, looking fxedly before him
like a soldier on duty, and doing his best,
poor dog II could see that-to make us
laugh. For my part, seeing the others re-
main speecbless in their astonishment, I
laughed aloud to encourage him but shall
| say the truth l felt more ready to cry.
There was something inexpressibly sad in
the serious expression of this lonely dog,
performing by himself few tricks that
some absent master had taught him, and
| doing so of his own accord, with some Sc
cret end in view that he himself only could
know of. After taking a few moments
rest he set to work again, but this time on
his forefeet, pretending to stand on bis
head. And what poor, intelligent head
it was, as almost shaving the ground it
look ed appealingly to us all, and seemed to
say: "Please do not play any pranks with
me. for really am not doing this for fun."
When he had walked round on his head
until he was weary, he laid down in the
midst of the ring and made believe he was
dead. He went through all the convul-
sions of a dying dog, breathing heavily,
painting, suffering his lower jaw to fall, and
then turning over motionless. And he did
this so well that stout, honest-faced wo-
man, who had been looking on without
laughing exclaimed "Poor beastv' and
drew her hand across her eyes.
The rain continued to fall, but not one Of
us thought of moving, only the dog, when
he had lain dead minute, got up and
shook himself, to show us that the perform
ance was ended. He had displayed the ex-
tent of what he knew, and now came for.
ward to receive his fee. He stood up on
his hind legs again, and walking to each
of us separately, assumed the posture that
is popularity known as "begging." I was
the first to whom he came. He gazed at
me inquiringly with his soft eyes wide
open, and following my hand patiently TO
my wastcoat pocket. The basket round
his neck was a round one with lid to il
tied down with a string, and little slit
in the lid through which to put in money.
1 dropped in shilling and stopped down
to read bit ofcrumpled paper I saw hang
ing loosely from the collar. II bore these
words, written in shaky hand: "This is
ha Of
he earns the bread of his master. Good
people, do not keep him from returning to
his home"
The dog thanked me for my offering by
wagging his tail, and then passed on TO nv
neighbor. Human nature must be kinder
than people think, for there was not one of
the spectators-not even he with the breech-
es and clay pipe, whose face had impressed
me upfavorably-but gave the dog some
thing. As for him, when he had gone his
round, he barked two or three times to say
goodbye, and then pattered contenedly
away at the same jog trot pace he had
come.
He went up the street AMI l followed
him, but when he had reached Oxford
street he quickened suddenly, and began
to run hard, as If his day was ended and
he wanted to get home. Evening had quite
fallen by this time, and felt II would be
useless to go after my four-legged mystery
on foot, so called a cab, aud said "Fol-
low that dog" very much to the drivers
astonishment
II is long way from the part of Oxford
street in which we ere to Tottenbam
Court Road, where the small dog led me.
But should understood the j,urney had
1t not been made at such furious pace.
The dog never once looked round. Twen-
ty times thought he would be crushed by
passing vans or carriages; but somehow
he got through it. He had an extraordina-
ry tact for finding passage between horses
hoofs, and like true London dog as he
was, he showed intimate familiarity with
all the nitric icies of crossings. Sill, it
was some relief to me, both on his own ac-
count and on mine, when saw him branch
off at last. l was beginning to fear that he
would never stop, that he had something of
the wandering Jew in him. 1t seemed i'm
possible that without taking any rest, with
out pausng even for an instant to draw
breath, such very lean dog should keen
on going so long. Tottenham Court Road
| this was about eighteen months ago) used
to be sort of fair at nighttime. 1t Is a
| lengthy highway running amidst tangled
network of sorry streets, The population OF
| which from dusk until the hour when the
| public houses close, used to spread hungry
| and idle amongst the countless booths
| which had not then been swept away, and
where shell fish, sour fruit, and indigesti-
ble-looking meat were sold by yelling cos
termongers. On the night in question,
when went there in pursuit of the dog, I
| foresaw that should be led to one of those
sickly nests of fever, where poverty, dis
ease and misery have their abodes set up
| in per manence; and was not wrong.
The dog running faster than ever now,
as If he felt more afraid for his bask ei
amongst these ravenous crowds, than he
had done at the West End, bolted sudden
ly up narrow side street, where there was
no room fora cab to pass. paid the driv-
er and jumped out. 1t was filthy street
but that was a secondary matter Where
the dog went l would go; and thus |
lodged after him, first down crooked al
ley, then through foul court, and lastly
up passage where II was pitch dark.
Here groped my way along damp wall
and stumbled upon the fl rst step of stair.
case. Being smoker, however, 1 had
some vesuvians about me. l struck one
lit piece of twisted paper with it, and by
the moments fame thus obtained desert
ed the dog making his way up creaky
flight OF wooden steps, battered In place,
aud rotten from mould. He barked wher
he saw the light, and growled uneasily