The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-01-09

ers and sisters in the beautiful
islands called the Hebrides. The
Hebrides, you know, are islands off
the coast of Scotland, and they are
noted for their wild and romantic
scenery. But scenery, am sorry to
say, was something that l didn't
much appreciate when l was boy,
and would have given the whole of
it for some boys of my own age to
play with. My brothers were all
older and my sisters younger than l.,
SO l had to get my lessons and go to
the manse TO recite them by myself;
and very lonely work it was, too, until
one day my father brought me home
a blue Skye terrier, Lassie, just like
this little dog here.
From the first moment 1 saw her
| loved her almost better than any
thing in the world. She was so little
that | could take her about with me
everywhere I went, tucked away in
my plaid when we climbed the rocks
and went long distances, and she
always sat by me when did my les
sons, and | spent all my spare time
playing with her and teaching her
tricks. She could beg, and play dead,
and wink one eye, and sneeze, and
do mere things than 1 ever heard of
dogs doing before or since, and she
could understand everything l said
to her exactly like person, and al
together | was perfectly happy with
her up to the time Lady Jane came
to see us.
Lady Jane was cousin of my IA
theirs who was one of the Queen 8
ladies in waiting, and very grand
lady she was, indeed. She always
came with so many boxes and bundles
that we boys had sort of feeling it
would be polite for US to move out
and give the house to her, and she
also made us feel that everything she
said must be obeyed, because she
represented the Queen, and we had
been brought up to be very good and
loyal subjects. So you can imagine
how | felt one day when she said to
me: Tom, Pm going to take your
little dog back with me as present
for her Majesty. You've trained her
SO nicely, and you won't care, will
you? I'll send you something else
in its place.
"My very heart stood still at these
words. Lady Jane had way of hav-
ing her own way if she wanted it, and
none of us could stand out against her,
and so | went to my mother about it.
She wouldn't take Lassie, would she
mother?' | said, looking into her eyes
to try to read there what she thought.
And my mother said of course not,
and comforted me, and [ went off
for long walk and tried to think no
more about it. But | couldn't help
but feel uneasy, aud after that |
kept my dog out of the way as
much as possible until in little
while Lady Jane seemed to have for
gotten her. She was away nearly all
the time-on excursions or visiting at
the great houses in the neighborhood
so that we children seldom saw her,
and by-and by the last evening of
her stay came.
"There were fine doings at our
house that night. [ can see the big
hall now with roaring fire in the
chimney place at one end, throwing
it's light over the deer heads and odd
birds and trophies with which the
walls were hung.
And the Highlanders came up
with their bagpipes and played for
us all to dance Sir Roger de Cover
ley up and down the polished
floor, and Lady Jane and my father
danced jig, and my sisters sang,
and | put La-sie through her tricks,
and made her perform the celebrated
double somerset, which was the last
trick l had taught her. Everybody
laughed, Lady Jane the most of all,
and then she kissed us children
goodnight and babe us good by, and
l went up stairs happy. For Lady
Jane would be gone in the morning;
her trunks were strapped and in the
front hall now, and | went to sleep
with Lassie curled up by me, and a
lighter heart than | had since the
day when she first spoke to me about
the dog.
at seemed to me | had only slept
a moment when | began to dream of
icebergs, and then was walked up
suddenly be some ones pulling all
the bedclothes off from me. Then a
hand snatched up Lassie, and before
| could realize what was happening
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