Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-10-08
NO. 23s
Misfellamfpus.
SIR WALTER SCOTT AND HIS DOGS.

never been sufficiently acknowledged. 1t
was with him kind of second nature. and
appears to have been implanted when as
child he was sent on to the house OF his
grandfather, Robert Scott, at Sandyknowe,
III the neighborhood of Dry burgh, Here,
amid flocks of sheep and lambs, talked TO
and fondled by sheperds and ewe-milkers,h h
and revelling with coolies, he was inn
pressed with degree of affectionate feel
ing for animals which lasted through life,
AT "a subsequent visit to Sandyknowe,
when his grandfather had passed away,
and the farm operations were administered
by Uncle Thomas,'l he was provided
with Shetland pony to ride upon. The
pony was little larger than many a New
toundland dog 1t walked freely into
the house, and was regularly fed from the
Buys hand. He soon learned to ride the lit
tie pony well, and often alarmed Aunt
Jenny" by cantering over the rough places
in the neighborhood. Such were the begin
nings of ScOtt's intercourse with animals.
Growing up, there was something extra
ordinary in his attachment to his dogs, his
horses, his ponies, and his cats,-all of
which were treated by him, each in its
own sphere, as agreeable companions, and
which were attached to him in return.
There may have been something feudal
and poetic in this kindly association with
humble adherents. but there was also
much of simple good-heartedness. Scott
added not a little to the happiness OF his
existence by this genial intercourse with
his domestic pets. From Lockhart's .'Me-
moirs OF Sir Walter" and other works,
we have occasionly bright glimpses of the
great mans familiarity with his fourfooted
iavorites. We can see that Scott did not,
as it Is too often the case, treat them ca
priclOusly, as creatures TO be made of at
one time, and spoken 10 harshly when
not in the vein tor amusement. On the
contrary, they were elevated TO the posi-
ton OF friends. They possess rights to be Q
respected, feelings which it would be
scandalous To outrage. AT all times he,
had IA soothing word and kind pat for
every one OF them. And that. surely, is
the proper way to behave toward the be-
ings who are dependent on US. aaoy
Among Sir Walters favorite dogs we
first hear OF Camp, a large bull-terrier.
that was taken with him wnen visiting the
Ellises for week at Sunninghill in lSO3
William Laidlaw, the friend and amanu-
ensis OF Scott, mentions in the "Abbots-
ford Notanda" remarkable instance of
the occasion OF party visiting wild cat
aract in Dumfries-shire, known as the
Gray Mares Tail. There was rocky
chasm to be ascended. upon which Scott
made his way with difficulty, on account
OF his lameness. Camp attended anxious
y on his master and when the latter came
TO Il difficult part OF the rock, Camp would,
jump down, look up to his masters face,
then spring up, lick his masters hand and
cheek, jump down again, and look up
ward, as ii to show the way and encour-
age him. We were greatly interested
with the scene.
Failing from old age. Camp was taken
by the family to Edinburgh, and there he
died about January 1909. He was buried
on Il fine moonlight night in the little gar
den behind the house, No. 80 Castle street,
immediately opposite the window where
Scott usually sat writing. His daughter,
Mrs. Lockhart. remembered ''the whole
family standing round the grave as her
father himself smoothed down the turf
above Camp with the saddest expression
oi face she had ever seen in him. He had
been engaged to dine abroad that day, but
apologized on account OF the death of q
dear old friend
In letter dated Abbotsford, 1916. writ.
ten to Terry, with whom he communicated
on literary and dramatic subjects, he says:
IL have got from my friend Glengarry the
nOblest dog ever seen ON the Border since
Johnnie Armstrong time. He is between
the wolf and deer hound, about six feet
long from the tip OF the nose to the tail,
and high and strong in proportion; he is
quite gentle and great favorite. Tell
WIN Erskine he will eat off his plate with
out being at the troable to put paw on
the table or chair. / showed him to
Matthews. who dned one day in Castle
Street before came here"
The staghound SO introduced was the
famous Mazda, which came upon the scene
when the Waverly novels were beginning
to set the world on fire. MAZDA was the
crack dog OF SCOTS life, and figures at his
feet in the well-known sculpture by Steel,
Mazda accompanied his master 10 town.
where he occupied the place of the la
mented Camp. In the sanctum at Castle
Street, Mazda lay on the hearth-rug, ready
when called on TO lay his head across his
masters knees, and to be caressed and
iondled. On the top step of a ladder for
reaching down the books from higher
shelf sat a sleek and venerable tomcat,
which Scott tacetiously called by the Ger
man aame OF Hins OF IInsfelt. LOckhart
mentions that Hins, mo longer very loco
motive, usually lay watching the proceed
ings OF his master and Mazda with an air
Ot dignited equanimity.
When Mazda chose to leave the party,
he siYnlfied his incinations bv beating
the door with his huge paw; Scott rose
and opened it for him with courteous alac-
rity--and then Hins came down purIing
from his perch. and mounted guard by the
tootstool, vice Mazda absent on furlough.
Whatever discourse might be passing was
broken. every now and then, by some af-
leclionate apostrophe TO these fonr-footed
friends. Dogs and cats, like children.
have some intallible tact for discovering
who is and who is not. really fond of their
company; and | venture to say. Scott
was never five minutes in any room be-
fore the little pets of the family. whether
dumb or lisping, had found out his kind
ness for all their generation" t
Mr., Adophus. visitor to Abbottsford
in 1880, when the health of the great writ
er Was breaking down under his honora-
BILE and terribly imposed taskwork, gives
TooNCLUpED ON FOURTH PAGK.l