Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-11-30

COmpnniOnS that Brought Solarc 10
the Hours OF the singers

pUMB PETS OF THE POETS.
Companion. that brought Solarc TO
the Hours OF the singers.
from Chambers Journall
Whether Shakespeare ever cherished
any animal pet, we do not know. ehas
been accused Of not sufficiently apprecia-
ting the worth of the most companions
BILE of animals, the dog. But that really
says nothing. We are not aware that
Dryden lauded the dog in verse, ample
reason as he had for so doing. Waylaid
by five footpads, the poet allowed himself
to be robbed of everything else but
when they would have taken his mothers
locket, lie cried: "Catch the rascals.
Dragon-catch them y and fled, leaving
the brave hound to settle matters with the
robbers unassisted. Finding some wood
cutters at an ale house, he persuaded them
to go back with him, and met his faithful
Dragon coming slowly along, bleeding
from wounds too many to count-wounds
Of which he died few weeks later his
mourning masters only consolation being
that two OF the rognes were caught and
hanged
Queen Elizabeth's godson, Sir John
Harrington, poet, courtier and statesman,
"hO '"hNN w hh'ihS opSht hio tIIiiV, Hio
fortune, and almost his honesty, to buy
shallow praise, false hopes and false
friends, had one true friend in his oddly
named Bungey, whose portrait graces the
title-pagc of Harrington's translation of
"Orlando Furioso." Bungey often trav-
eled between his masters house at ''the
Bath and Greenwich Palace, carrying
safely to court whatever was committed
to his care. Harrington, courtier like,
says that if he did not, like Alexander's
horse, bear great Prince on his back, he
often bore the words of a greater Princess
on hisneck.
Byron extolled lis beloved Newfound-
land as possessing beauty without vanity,
strength without insolencc, courage with
ont ferocity, and all the virtues of man,
without his vices. Mrs. Byrons Gilpin
was probably at one time Of different
opinion, since Boatswain never missed an
opportunity of worrying him SO that
when the latter was left in charge of the
poets mother, she thought it advisable
to send her own pet to Newstead, out of
harms way. Soon afterward, Boatswain
was missing for several hours and when
he returned, he brought Gilpin with him.
led him to the kitchen fire, lavishing upon
Inn every possible token of affection !;
and from that time forth the two were the
best of friends, and Boatswain had but to
hear Gilpin's voice raised in distress, to
fly to the rescue. He was but five years
old in November, 1908, when his master
wrote: "Boatswain is dead He ex-
pired in n state Of madness on the 18th,
after suffering much, yet retaining all the
gentleness of his nature to the last, never
attempting to do the least injury to any
one near him. l have now lost every
thing, except old Murray" Byron was
unlucky with his pets his bull-mastifl
Nelson, escaping from the house unmuz-
zled, fastened upon horse by the throat
and paying no attention to whacks from
sticks and whips, did not let go his hold
till he was shot through the head.
Of Scotts dogs and Cowper's harcs
sufficient has been said and written ; but
Cowper had other pets besides Puss, I'll
ney, Bess, and his spaniels Beau and
Marquis. He owned II cat sedate ant
grave, addicted to retiring into strange
nooks TO sit and think:
know not where she caught the trick
Nature, perhaps. herself hal cast her
In such mould phllosophque,
Or else she learned 1t Of hcr MASTER
This habit all but brought upon her th
fate of the heroine of Mistletoe Bouph
for the poet, one night reused from hi
bed by an inexplicable scratching ard
melancholy NEW, explored his slecpin
quarters, and discovered puss shut up i
the top drawer of tall chest, whence sh
emerged, modest, SOBER and cured of al
her EMOTIONS hyperbolical. A few pig
cons and couple ofgoldfinches, Tom an
Dick, made up the roll of Cowper's pets
goldtinch Dick being the subject OF tn
little poem entitled "The Faithful Bird,
relating how he escaped from his cage
but finding Tom could not follow his e,
ample, he "a prison with friend prefel
red to liberty without" and made no us
of the freedom he had won.
Mrs. Barrett Browning thus sang of Ii,
doves;
On my human hand
Their fearless heads they lean,
And almost seem TO understand
What human musings mean,
Their eager eyes, with such plaintlye shine
Are fastened upwardly TO mine.
But her pet of pets was dog with dar
brown body, silver-suited breast, al
eyes OF hazel bland, her peerless Flu!
OF whom his fond mistress wrote:
But OF thee 1t shall be said
This dog watched beside bed
Day aud night unweary;
Watched within acurtalncd room,
Where no sunbeam broke the gloom
Round the slck-and dreary.
Writing to friend of visit paid h
by Miss Milford and her favorite Flus
Mrs. Browning said. "Never in t
world was such another dog as my Flus
Just now, because, after reading yo
note, laid it down thoughtfully witho
taking anything else up, he threw hi
self into my arms, as much as to sa,
Now, it's my turn you are not ut
busy nowp He understands every thin
and would not disturb me for the worlt
Adding, with fine consideration for M
Mitford's feelings "Do not tell NJ
Milford, but her Flush is not to be co
parn1 m nina II 10 ou;to on;,o al o,1 IL