Year: 1879

TOUCHING INCIDENT.


The following is IL touching incident in
the life Of a collie dog: Some time ago,
the late Mr.. H possessed collie
shepherd dog, which was very clever in its
duty until it had litter, one of which
was spared to it. After this all the poor
animals affections seemed to he centcred
in her puppy, for she refused, or did most
unwillingly, the work she had to do,
which so vexed her master that he cruel
ly drowned the puppy before the mothers
eyes, covering the bucket in which he left
the body with sack. He then went
round the fields, followed by the old dog,
who from that moment resumed her
former usefulness.


On Mr.. lis return, after having
had his tea in the evening, he bethought
himself Of the bucket, and went to fetch
it to empty the contents into hole he
had made in the manure heap; he found
the bucket, covered as he had left it, but
on pouring out the contents there was
nothing but water. He questioned his
wife and her neicc, but neither knew any
thing about it.


The next morning Mrs. H was
struck with the pitcous expressions of the
poor animals face, and she said to her
'Scottie, tell me where you have taken
your puppy?' The dog Immediately ran
off, a distance Of quite a hundred yards to
the kitchen garden, jumped the fence and
went direct to the further end of the gar
den, to a spot situated between two rows
Of beans; there, where the earth had been
apparently recently moved, she sat and as
it were wept. Mrs. H went again in
to the house, and without mentioning
what had occurred, said to her niece
"Ask Scottie what she has done with her
puppie." The question was put, and
again the poor creature went through the
same performance. These circumstances
we're mentioned to Mr.. H, who pooh
poohcd the idea Of there being anything
out of the common; but, to satisfy his
wife, went to the spot, and dug down a
distance of three feet, and there, sure
enough, had the faithful, fond mother
carried and buried her little one.


FAITHFUL AND sAGACIOUs.


Here is another interesting narrative Of
a collie:
"1t is many years ago since I made the
acquaintance of Wanderer, very fine
collie, and the subject of the present
sketch. He lived ut small farm, was
the constant companion of his master, the
young farmer, and enjoyed the daily
walk to the post with his mistress, the
i orphan sister of Mr.. E sometimes
visited Miss B -- at the farm, and on
all occasions was attracted to Wanderc,
by the singular gentleness, sagacity and
quiet humor noticed in his conduct
Nothing delighted the handsome creature
so much as plunge into the little duck
pond in front of the house. He would
sail round and round, pretending to be
utterly unconscious Of the presence OF
forty or fifty fat ducks, who screamed and
quacked wildly at his appearance among
them. He meantime calmly dived under
the water or >darted into their very midst,
feigning sometimes to be in pursuit OF
one particular bird, and looking at us
with waggish expression all the time.
He went with his master all over the
fields, and lay at his feet in his own par
ticular sanctum watching his movements
in that sagacious way which was 50 COM
pietely his own. When the home at the
little farm was broken up, Wanderer
went with his master to a little
seaside cottage, where his canine atfec-
ton no doubt soothed many lonely
hour. During his masters last brief i'll
ness, Wanderer lay at his bedside watch
| ing jealously every one who went out and
in, and casting anxious eyes of affection
on the poor invalid. Wanderers eyes, by
the way, we're the most lovely in expires
sion ever saw, either in human being or
dogg-they were dark hazel, soft, lus-
trous, and plaintive.


"After his masters death, Wanderer
still lay in the solitary death-chamber
like an efectionate sentinel, and those
who come in to render the last offices
to the deceased did not care to turn the
faithful creature out, but left him-not
liking the look in the usually gentle ewes.
Gu the funeral day Wandcrer seemed to
comprehend that it was necessary to allow
his master to be removed, and silently
rising from the side of the bed he went
out to the outer door and joined the small
company Of mourners. Following the
hearse as closely as possible, the creature,
with look of solemn intelligence. wit
messed his dead master dere sited in his
last resting g-place, stood till the. little
group had dispersed, then quietly laid
down near the grave and. watched the
final arrangement Of the turf over it.