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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/20741-8.txt b/20741-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..419b3bb --- /dev/null +++ b/20741-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2604 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Adventures of a Dog, and a Good Dog Too, by +Alfred Elwes + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Adventures of a Dog, and a Good Dog Too + +Author: Alfred Elwes + +Release Date: March 4, 2007 [EBook #20741] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ADVENTURES OF A DOG *** + + + + +Produced by David Edwards, Christine D. and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The University of Florida, The Internet +Archive/Children's Library) + + + + + + + + + + + +THE + +ADVENTURES OF A DOG, + +AND A GOOD DOG TOO + +BY ALFRED ELWES + +[Illustration: Cover] + +[Illustration: A FAMILY PARTY] + + + + +THE + +ADVENTURES OF A DOG, + +AND A GOOD DOG TOO. + +BY ALFRED ELWES, + +AUTHOR OF "THE ADVENTURES OF A BEAR," "OCEAN AND HER RULERS," ETC., ETC. + +WITH EIGHT ILLUSTRATIONS BY HARRISON WEIR. + + LONDON: + GEORGE ROUTLEDGE AND CO., FARRINGDON STREET, + AND 18, BEEKMAN STREET, NEW YORK. + +1857. + + LONDON: + THOMAS HARRILD, PRINTER, 11, SALISBURY SQUARE, + FLEET STREET. + + + + +CONTENTS. + + + PAGE + INTRODUCTION BY MISS MINETTE GATTINA 7 + EARLY DAYS 12 + CHANGES 18 + UPS AND DOWNS 25 + THE INUNDATION 37 + PAINS AND PLEASURES 46 + DUTY 55 + + + + +ILLUSTRATIONS. + + + PAGE + A FAMILY PARTY (FRONTISPIECE) 8 + LADY BULL 17 + GOOD DOG! 22 + A CANINE BUTCHER 36 + AFLOAT 45 + A WORTHY SUBJECT 54 + A SEVERE BLOW 60 + CONSOLATION 62 + + + + +PREFACE. + + +I love dogs. Who does not? It is a natural feeling to love those who love +us; and dogs were always fond of me. Thousands can say the same; and I +shall therefore find plenty of sympathy while unfolding my dog's tale. + +This attachment of mine to the canine family in general, and their +affection towards myself, have induced me, like the Vizier in the +"Arabian Nights," of happy memory, to devote some time to the study of +their language. Its idiom is not so difficult as many would suppose. +There is a simplicity about it that often shames the dialects of man; +which have been so altered and refined that we discover people often +saying one thing when they mean exactly the reverse. Nothing of the sort +is visible in the great canine tongue. Whether the tone in which it is +uttered be gruff or polished, sharp or insinuating, it is at least +sincere. Mankind would often be puzzled how to use it. + +Like many others, its meaning is assisted by gestures of the body, and, +above all, by the expression of the eye. If ever language had its seat in +that organ, as phrenologists pretend, it lies in the eye of the dog. Yet, +a good portion finds its way to his tail. The motion of that eloquent +member is full of meaning. There is the slow wag of anger; the gentle wag +of contentment; the brisker wag of joy: and what can be more mutely +expressive than the limp states of sorrow, humility, and fear? + +If the tongue of the dog present such distinctive traits, the qualities +of the animal himself are not less striking. Although the dispositions of +dogs are as various as their forms--although education, connections, the +society they keep, have all their influence--to the credit of their name +be it said, a dog never sullies his mouth with an untruth. His emotions +of pleasure are genuine, never forced. His grief is not the semblance of +woe, but comes from the heart. His devotion is unmixed with other +feelings. It is single, unselfish, profound. Prosperity affects it not; +adversity cannot make it swerve. Ingratitude, that saddest of human +vices, is unknown to the dog. He does not forget past favours, but, when +attached by benefits received, his love endures through life. But I shall +have never done with reciting the praises of this noble animal; the +subject is inexhaustible. My purpose now has narrower limits. + +From the archives of the city of Caneville, I lately drew the materials +of a Bear's Biography. From the same source I now derive my "Adventures +of a Dog." My task has been less that of a composer than a translator, +for a feline editoress, a Miss Minette Gattina, had already performed her +part. This latter animal appears, however, to have been so learned a +cat--one may say so deep a puss--that she had furnished more notes than +there was original matter. Another peculiarity which distinguished her +labours was the obscurity of her style; I call it a peculiarity, and not +a defect, because I am not quite certain whether the difficulty of +getting at her meaning lay in her mode of expressing herself or my +deficiency in the delicacies of her language. I think myself a tolerable +linguist, yet have too great a respect for puss to say that any fault is +attributable to her. + +The same feeling has, naturally, made me careful in rendering those +portions which were exclusively her own. I have preferred letting her +say little to allowing her to express anything she did not intend. Her +notes, which, doubtless, drew many a purr of approval from her own +breast, and many a wag of approbation from the tails of her choice +acquaintance, I have preferred leaving out altogether; and I have so +curtailed the labours of her paw, and the workings of her brain, as to +condense into half-a-dozen pages her little volume of introduction. The +autobiography itself, most luckily, required no alteration. It is the +work of a simple mind, detailing the events of a simple but not +uneventful life. Whether I have succeeded in conveying to my readers' +intelligence the impression which this Dog's Adventures made on mine, +they alone can decide. + + A. E. + + LYNDHURST ROAD, + PECKHAM. + + + + +INTRODUCTION. + +BY MISS MINETTE GATTINA. + + +It may seem peculiar to any but an inhabitant of this renowned city of +Caneville, that one of _our_ nation should venture on the task of +bringing to the notice of the world the memoir I have undertaken to edit. +But, besides that in this favoured place animals of all kinds learn to +dwell in tolerable harmony together, the subject of this biography had so +endeared himself to all classes and to every tribe by his kindness of +heart, noble devotion, and other dog-like qualities, that there was not a +cat, in spite of the supposed natural antipathy existing between the +great feline and canine races, who would not have set up her back and +fought to the last gasp in defence of this dear old fellow. + +Many a time has he saved me from the rough treatment of rude and +ill-conducted curs, when I have been returning from a concert, or +tripping quietly home after a pleasant chat with a friend. Often and +often, when a kitten, has he carried me on his back through the streets, +in order that I might not wet my velvet slippers on a rainy day: and +once, ah! well do I remember it, he did me even greater service; for a +wicked Tom of our race, who had often annoyed me with his attentions, had +actually formed a plan of carrying me off to some foreign land, and would +have succeeded too, if dear Doggy had not got scent of the affair, and +pounced on that treacherous Tom just as he was on the point of executing +his odious project. + +I can speak of these things _now_ without the slightest fear of being +accused of vanity. If I say my eyes were beautifully round and green, +they are so no longer. If I boast of the former lightness of my step, it +drags, alas! but too heavily now. If I dwell on the sweetness of my voice +and melody of my purr at one period, little can be said in their favour +at the present day, and I feel therefore less scruple in dilating on the +elegance of my figure, and the taste of my _toilette_, as, when speaking +of them, I seem to be referring to another individual Puss, with whom the +actual snuffy old Tabby has little or no connection. + +But, it will be said, these last matters have not much to do with the +object I have in hand. I must not attempt to palm off on my readers any +adventures of my own under the shadow of a dog. I must rather allow my +Cat's-paw to perform the office for which it has become noted, namely, +that of aiding in the recovery of what its owner is not intended to +participate. I must endeavour to place before the world of Caneville, to +be thence transmitted to the less civilized portions of the globe, those +incidents in our Dog's life which he has been too modest to relate +himself, in order that after-generations may fully appreciate all the +goodness of his character. To _greatness_, he had no pretension, although +few animals are aware how close is the relation between these two +qualities. + +I think I see the dear old Dog now, as it has been often my privilege to +behold him, seated in his large arm-chair, his hair quite silvered with +age, shading his thoughtful, yet kindly face, his pipe in his paw, his +faithful old friend by his side, and surrounded by a group of attentive +listeners of both sexes, who seemed to hang upon every word of wisdom as +it dropped from his mouth; all these spring to my mind when I recal his +image, and if I were a painter I think I should have no difficulty in +presenting to my readers this pleasant "family party." The very room in +which these meetings were held comes as strongly to my recollection as +the various young and old dogs who were wont to assemble there. Plainly +furnished, it yet boasted some articles of luxury; works of statuary and +painting, presented to old Job by those who admired his goodness, or had +been the objects of his devotion. + +One of these, a statuette representing a fast little dog upon a tasteful +pedestal, used often to excite my curiosity, the more because Job showed +no inclination to gratify it. I managed, however, at last to get at the +incident which made Job the possessor of this comical little figure, and +as the circumstance worthily illustrates his character, I will relate it +as the anecdote was told to me. + +It was once a fashion in Caneville, encouraged by puppies of the superior +classes, to indulge in habits of so strange a nature as to meet on stated +occasions for the express purpose of trying their skill and strength in +set combats; and although the most frightful consequences often ensued, +these assemblies were still held until put down by the sharp tooth of the +law. The results which ensued were not merely dangerous to life, but +created such a quarrelsome disposition, that many of these dogs were +never happy but when fighting; and the force granted them by nature for +self-defence was too often used most wantonly to the annoyance of their +neighbours. It one day happened that Job was sitting quietly on a steep +bank of the river where it runs into the wood at some distance from the +city, at one moment watching the birds as they skimmed over the water, at +another following the movements of a large fish, just distinguishable +from the height, as it rose at the flies that dropped upon the stream; +when three dogs, among the most celebrated fighters of the time, passed +by that way. Two of them were of the common class, about the size and +weight of Job; the other was a young puppy of good family, whose tastes +had unfortunately led him into such low society. Seeing the mild +expression of Job's face, and confident in their own prowess, they +resolved to amuse themselves at his expense, and to this end drew near to +him. Unobserved by their intended victim, with a rapid motion they +endeavoured to push him head foremost into the river, Master Puppy having +dexterously seized hold of his tail to make the somersault more complete. +Job, although thus unexpectedly set upon from behind, was enabled, by the +exertion of great strength, to defeat the object of his assailants. In +the struggle which ensued, his adversaries discovered that, in spite of +their boasted skill, they had more than found their match. One of them +got rolled over into the stream, out of which he managed to crawl with +considerable difficulty half a mile lower down; the second took to his +heels, with his coat torn, and his person otherwise disordered; and the +fashionable Pup, to his great horror, found himself seized in the +formidable jaws of the unoffending but own angry dog. Imagine how much +his terror was increased when Job, carrying him, as I would a mouse, to +the edge of the precipitous bank, held him sheer over the roaring river. +The poor fellow could not swim, he had a perfect antipathy to the water, +and he felt himself at that moment on the point of being consigned to +certain death without a chance of safety. But he did not know the noble +heart of the animal he had offended. Job let him feel for a few dreadful +seconds the danger to which he had been so thoughtlessly and in joke +about to consign himself, and then placed him in safety on the bank, with +the admonition to reflect for the future on the probable result of his +diversions before he indulged in them, and to consider whether, although +amusing to himself, such games might not be fatal to the animals on whom +they were played off. The shivering puppy was too much alarmed at the +time to attend either to the magnanimity of his antagonist or the wisdom +of his advice, but they were evidently not lost upon him. Many can bear +testimony to the change which that hour wrought in his character; and +some weeks after the event, Job received that statue of his little +adversary, which had so often struck me, executed by a native artist, +with a long letter in verse, a beautiful specimen of doggrel; indeed, +gifts both equally creditable to the sculptor and the writer, and most +honourable to the animal in whose favour they had been executed. + +My task will scarce be thought complete without a few words concerning +the personal appearance of my old friend; although, perhaps, few things +could be more difficult for me to describe. Dogs and cats are apt to +admire such very different forms of beauty, that the former often call +beautiful what we think just the reverse. He was tall, strong, and rather +stout, with a large bushy tail, which waved with every emotion of his +mind, for he rarely disguised his feelings. His features were considered +regular, though large, his eyes being particularly bright and full, and +the upper part of his head was broad and high. + +But none who knew Job ever thought of his being handsome or otherwise. +You seemed to love him for something more than you could see, something +which had little to do with face, or body, or tail, and yet appeared in +them all, and shone clearly out of his eyes; I mean the spirit of +goodness, which made him so remarkable, and was so much a part of Job, +that I do believe a lock of his hair worn near one's own heart would help +to make it beat more kindly to one's fellow creatures. This idea may be +considered too fanciful, too cat-like, but I believe it notwithstanding. + +Such was the Dog whose autobiography I have great pleasure in presenting +to the world. Many may object to the unpolished style in which his +memoirs are clothed, but all who knew him will easily pardon every want +of elegance in his language; and those who had not the honour of his +acquaintance, will learn to appreciate his character from the plain +spirit of truth which breathes in every line he wrote. I again affirm +that I need make no apology for attaching my name to that of one so +worthy the esteem of his co-dogs, ay, and co-cats too; for in spite of +the differences which have so often raised up a barrier between the +members of his race and ours, not even the noblest among us could be +degraded by raising a "mew" to the honour of such a thoroughly honest +dog. + + MINETTE GATTINA. + + THE UPPER MEWS, + CANEVILLE. + + + + +EARLY DAYS. + + +I was not born in this city of Caneville, but was brought here at so +young an age, that I have no recollection of any other place. I do not +remember either my father or my mother. An old doggess,[A] who was the +only creature I can recal to mind when I was a pup, took care of me. At +least, she said she did. But from what I recollect, I had to take most +care of myself. It was from her I learnt what I know about my parents. +She has told me that my father was a foreign dog of high rank; from a +country many, many miles away, called Newfoundland, and that my mother +was a member of the Mastiff family. But how I came to be under the care +of herself, and how it happened, if my parents were such superior +animals, that I should be forced to be so poor and dirty, I cannot tell. +I have sometimes ventured to ask her; but as she always replied with a +snarl or a bite, I soon got tired of putting any questions to her. I do +not think she was a very good temper; but I should not like to say so +positively, because I was still young when she died, and perhaps the +blows she gave me, and the bites she inflicted, were only intended for my +good; though I did not think so at the time. + +[Footnote A: I have preferred adopting this word in speaking of female +dogs, as it comes nearer to the original, _zaïyen_.] + +As we were very poor, we were forced to live in a wretched kennel in the +dampest part of the town, among dogs no better off than ourselves. The +place we occupied overhung the water, and one day when the old doggess +was punishing me for something I had done, the corner in which I was +crouched being rotten, gave way, and I fell plump into the river. I had +never been in the water before, and I was very frightened, for the stream +was so rapid that it carried me off and past the kennels I knew, in an +instant. I opened my mouth to call out for help; but as I was almost +choked with the water that got into it, I shut it again, and made an +effort to reach the land. To my surprise I found that, by moving my paws +and legs, I not only got my head well above the water, but was able to +guide myself to the bank, on to which I at length dragged myself, very +tired and out of breath, but quite recovered from my fear. I ran over the +grass towards the town as fast as I could, stopping now and then to shake +my coat, which was not so wet, however, as you would suppose; but before +I had got half way home I met the doggess, hopping along, with her tongue +out of her mouth, panting for breath, she having run all the way from the +kennel, out of which I had popped so suddenly, along the bank, with the +hope of picking me up somewhere. She knew, she said, that I should never +be drowned. But how she _could_ know that was more than I could then +imagine. + +When we met, after I had escaped so great a danger, I flew to her paws, +in the hope of getting a tender lick; but as soon as she recovered +breath, she caught hold of one of my ears with her teeth, and bit it till +I howled with pain, and then set off running with me at a pace which I +found it difficult to keep up with. I remember at the time thinking it +was not very kind of her; but I have since reflected that perhaps she +only did it to brighten me up and prevent me taking cold. + +This was my first adventure, and also my first acquaintance with the +water. From that day I often ventured into the river, and in the end +became so good a swimmer, that there were few dogs in Caneville who could +surpass me in strength and dexterity afloat. + +Many moons came and passed away, and I was getting a big dog. My appetite +grew with my size, and as there was little to eat at home, I was forced +to wander through the streets to look after stray bones; but I was not +the only animal employed thus hunting for a livelihood, and the bits +scattered about the streets being very few and small, some of us, as may +be imagined, got scanty dinners. There was such quarrelling and fighting, +also, for the possession of every morsel, that if you were not willing to +let go any piece you had seized upon, you were certain to have +half-a-dozen curs upon your back to force you to do so; and the poor +weakly dog, whose only hope of a meal lay in what he might pick up, ran a +sad chance of being starved. + +One of the fiercest fights I have ever been engaged in occurred upon one +of these occasions. I had had no breakfast, and it was already past the +hour when the rich dogs of Caneville were used to dine. Hungry and +disconsolate, I was trotting slowly past a large house, when a side-door +opened, and a servant jerked a piece of meat into the road. In the +greatest joy I pounced upon the prize, but not so quickly but that two +ragged curs, who were no doubt as hungry as myself, managed to rush to +the spot in time to get hold of the other end of it. Then came a struggle +for the dainty; and those who do not know how hard dogs will fight for +their dinner, when they have had no breakfast, should have been there to +learn the lesson. After giving and receiving many severe bites, the two +dogs walked off--perhaps they did not think the meat was worth the +trouble of contending for any longer--and I was left to enjoy my meal in +peace. I had scarcely, however, squatted down, with the morsel between my +paws, than a miserable little puppy, who seemed as if he had had neither +dinner nor breakfast for the last week, came and sat himself at a little +distance from me, and without saying a word, brushed the pebbles about +with his ragged tail, licked his chops, and blinked his little eyes at me +so hopefully, that, hungry as I was, I could not begin my meat. As I +looked at him, I observed two tears gather at the side of his nose, and +grow bigger and bigger until they would no longer stop there, but tumbled +on to the ground. I could bear it no longer. I do not know even now what +ailed me; but my own eyes grew so dim, that there seemed a mist before +them which prevented my seeing anything plainly. I started up, and +pushing to the poor whelp the piece of meat which had cost me three new +rents in my coat and a split ear, I trotted slowly away. I stopped at the +corner to see whether he appeared to enjoy it, and partly to watch that +no other dog should take it from him. The road was quite clear, and the +poor pup quite lost in the unusual treat of a good meal; so I took my +way homewards, with an empty stomach but a full heart. I was so pleased +to see that little fellow enjoy his dinner so thoroughly. + +This sort of life, wherein one was compelled either to fight for every +bit one could get to eat or go without food altogether, became at last so +tiresome to me that I set about for some other means of providing for my +wants. I could not understand how the old doggess used to manage, but +though she never had anything to give me, she did not seem to be without +food herself. She was getting so much more cross and quarrelsome, perhaps +on account of her age and infirmities, that I now saw but little of her, +as I often, on a fine night, preferred curling myself up under a doorway +or beneath a tree, to returning to the kennel and listening to her feeble +growls. She never seemed to want me there, so I had less difficulty in +keeping away from her. + +Chance assisted me in the choice of my new attempt at getting a living. I +was walking along one of the narrow streets of Caneville, when I was +stopped by an old dog, who was known to be very rich and very miserly. He +had lately invented a novel kind of match for lighting pipes and cigars, +which he called "a fire-fly," the composition of which was so dangerous +that it had already caused a good deal of damage in the town from its +exploding; and he wanted some active young dogs to dispose of his wares +to the passers-by according to the custom of Caneville. As he expected a +good deal of opposition from the venders of a rival article, it was +necessary to make choice of such agents as would not be easily turned +from their purpose for fear of an odd bite or two. I suppose he thought I +was well fitted for the object he had in view. I was very poor--one good +reason, for his employing me, as I would be contented with little; I was +strong, and should therefore be able to get through the work; I was +willing, and bore a reputation for honesty--all sufficient causes for old +Fily (that was his name) to stop me this fine morning and propose my +entering his service. Terms are easily arranged where both parties are +willing to come to an agreement. After being regaled with a mouldy bone, +and dressed out in an old suit of clothes belonging to my new master, +which, in spite of a great hole in one of the knees, I was not a little +proud of, with a bundle of wares under my arm and a box of the famous +"fire-flies" in my paw, I began my commercial career. + +But, alas! either the good dogs of Caneville were little disposed to +speculate that day, or I was very awkward in my occupation, but no one +seemed willing to make a trial of my "fire-flies." In vain I used the +most enticing words to set off my goods, even going so far as to say that +cigars lighted with these matches would have a very much finer flavour, +and could not possibly go out. This I said on the authority of my +employer, who assured me of the fact. It was of no use; not a single +"fire-fly" blazed in consequence, and I began to fear that I was not +destined to make my fortune as a match-seller. + +At length there came sweeping down the street a party which at once +attracted me, and I resolved to use my best efforts to dispose, at least, +of one of my boxes, if it were only to convince my master that I had done +my best. The principal animal of the group was a lady doggess, +beautifully dressed, with sufficient stuff in her gown to cover a dozen +ordinary dogs, a large muff to keep her paws from the cold, and a very +open bonnet with a garden-full of flowers round her face, which, in spite +of her rich clothes, I did not think a very pretty one. A little behind +her was another doggess, not quite so superbly dressed, holding a puppy +by the paw. It was very certain that they were great animals, for two or +three dogs they had just passed had taken off their hats as they went by, +and then put their noses together as if they were saying something about +them. + +[Illustration: LADY BULL] + +I drew near, and for the first time in my life was timid and abashed. The +fine clothes, no doubt, had something to do with making me feel so, +but--I was still very young. Taking courage, I went on tiptoe to the +great lady, and begged her to buy a box of "fire-flies" of a poor dog who +had no other means of gaining his bread. Now, you must know that these +matches had not a pleasant smell--few matches have; but as they were +shut up in the box, the odour could not have been _very_ sensible. +However, when I held up the article towards her ladyship, she put her paw +to her nose--as though to shut out the odour--uttered a low howl, and, +though big enough and strong enough to have sent me head over heels with +a single blow, seemed on the point of falling to the ground. But at the +instant, two male servants, whom I had not seen, ran to her assistance, +while I, who was the innocent cause of all this commotion, stood like a +silly dog that I was, with my box in the air and my mouth wide open, +wondering what it all meant. I was not suffered to remain long in +ignorance; for the two hounds in livery, turning to me, so belaboured my +poor back that I thought at first my bones were broken; while the young +puppy, who, it appears, was her ladyship's youngest son, running behind +me, while I was in this condition, gave my tail such a pull as to cause +me the greatest pain. They then left me in the middle of the road, to +reflect on my ill success in trade, and gather up my stock as I best +could. + +I do not know what it was which made me so anxious to learn the name and +rank of the lady doggess who had been the cause of my severe punishment, +but I eagerly inquired of a kind mongrel, who stopped to help me collect +my scattered goods, if he knew anything about her. He said, she was +called Lady Bull; that her husband. Sir John Bull, had made a large +fortune somehow, and that they lived in a splendid house, had about +thirty puppies, little and big, had plenty of servants, and spent a +great deal of money. He could hardly imagine, he said, that it was the +odour of the "fire-flies" which had occasioned me to be knocked down for +upsetting her ladyship, as she had been a butcher's daughter, and was +used to queer smells, unless her nose had perhaps got more delicate with +her change of position. + +He said much more about her and her peculiarities than I either remember +or care to repeat; but, imagining he had some private reasons for saying +what he did, I thanked him for his trouble, and bid him good day. + +Whatever the cause of my failure, it seemed that I was not fitted for the +match-business. At all events, the experience of that morning did not +encourage me sufficiently to proceed. So, returning the unsold +"fire-flies" to old Fily, I made him a present of the time I had already +spent in his service, and, with a thoughtful face and aching bones, took +my way towards the kennel by the water-side. + + + + +CHANGES. + + +The sun was just going down as I came in sight of the river and the row +of poor kennels which stood on the bank, many of them, like our own, +projecting half over the water. I could not help wondering at the pretty +effect they made at a distance, with the blue river dancing gaily by +their side, the large trees of the wood on the opposite bank waving in +beauty, and the brilliant sun changing everything that his rays fell upon +into gold. He made the poor kennels look so splendid for the time, that +no one would have thought the animals who lived in them could ever be +poor or unhappy. But when the rich light was gone,--gone with the sun +which made it to some other land,--it seemed as if the whole place was +changed. The trees shivered as though a cold wind was stirring them. The +river ran dark and sullenly by the poor houses; and the houses themselves +looked more wretched, I thought, than they had ever appeared before. Yet, +somehow, they were more homelike in their dismal state than when they had +a golden roof and purple sides, so, resuming my walk, for I had stopped +to admire the pretty picture, I soon came near the door. + +It was open, as usual. But what was _not_ usual, was to hear other sounds +from within than the voice of the old doggess, making ceaseless moans. +Now it seemed as if all the doggesses of the neighbourhood had met in the +poor hut to pass the evening, for there was such confusion of tongues, +and such a rustling sound, as told me, before I peeped inside, that +there was a large party got together, and that tails were wagging at a +fearful rate. + +When I stood before the open door, all the scene broke upon me. On her +bed of straw, evidently at the point of death, lay my poor doggess. Her +eyes had almost lost their fierce expression, and were becoming fixed and +glassy--a slight tremor in her legs and movement of her stumpy tail, were +all that told she was yet living; not even her breast was seen to heave. + +I had not much reason to bear love to the old creature for any kindness +she had ever shown me, but this sight overcame me at once. Springing to +her aide, and upsetting half a dozen of the gossips by the movement, I +laid my paw on hers; and, involuntarily raising my head in the air, I +sent forth a howl which shook the rotten timbers of the old kennel, and +so frightened the assembled party as to make them scamper out of the +place like mad things. The sound even called back the departing senses of +the dying doggess. She drew me to her with her paws, and made an effort +to lick me. The action quite melted me. I put down my head to hers and +felt a singular pleasure mixed with grief whilst I licked and caressed +her, I could not help thinking then, as I have often thought since, of +how much happiness we had lost by not being more indulgent to each +other's faults, forgiving and loving one another. She also seemed to be +of this opinion, if I might judge by the grateful look and passive manner +in which she received my attentions. Perhaps the near approach of her end +gave a softness to her nature which was unusual to her; it is not +unlikely; but, of a certainty, I never felt before how much I was losing, +as when I saw that poor doggess's life thus ebbing away. + +Night had come on while I sat watching by her side. Everything about the +single room had become more and more indistinct, until all objects were +alike blended in the darkness. I could no longer distinguish the shape of +my companion, and, but that I _knew_ she was there, I could have thought +myself alone. The wind had fallen; the water seemed to run more gently +than it was wont to do; and the noises which generally make themselves +heard in the streets of Caneville appeared to be singularly quieted. But +once only, at another period of my life, which I shall speak of in its +proper place, do I ever remember to have been so struck by the silence, +and to have felt myself so entirely alone. + +The moon appeared to rise quicker that night, as though it pitied the +poor forlorn dog. It peeped over an opposite house, and directly after, +shone coldly but kindly through the open door. At least, its light seemed +to come like the visit of a friend, in spite of its showing me what I +feared, that I was _indeed_ alone in the world. The poor doggess had died +in the darkness between the setting of the sun and the moon's rise. + +I was sure that she was dead, yet I howled no more. My grief was very +great; for it is a sad, sad thing when you are young to find you are +without friends; perhaps sadder when you are old; but that, I fortunately +do not myself know, for I am old, and have many friends. I recollect +putting my nose between my paws, and lying at full length on the floor, +waiting till the bright sun should come again, and thinking of my forlorn +condition. I must have slept and dreamed--yet I thought I was still in +the old kennel with the dead doggess by my side. But everything seemed to +have found a voice, and to be saying kind things to me. + +The river, as it ran and shook the supports of the old kennel, appeared +to cry out in a rough but gay tone: "Job, Job, my dog, cheer up, cheer +up; the world is before you, Job, cheer up, cheer up." The light wind +that was coming by that way stopped to speak to me as it passed. It flew +round the little room, and whispered as it went: "Poor dog, poor dog, you +are very lonely; but the good need not be so; the good may have friends, +dear Job, however poor!" The trees, as they waved their heads, sent +kindly words across the water, that made their way to my heart right +through the chinks of the old cabin; and when morning broke, and a bright +sky smiled beautifully upon the streets of Caneville, I woke up, sad +indeed, but full of hope. + +Some ragged curs arrived, and carried the old doggess away. She was very +heavy, and they were forced to use all their strength. I saw her cast +into the water, which she disliked so much alive; I watched her floating +form until the rapid current bore it into the wood, and I stayed sitting +on the brink of the river wondering where it would reach at last, and +what sort of places must lie beyond the trees. I had an idea in my own +mind that the sun rested there all night, only I could not imagine how it +came up again in the morning in quite an opposite quarter; but then I was +such a young and ignorant puppy! + +After thinking about this and a good many other matters of no importance +to my story, I got upon my legs, and trotted gently along the bank, +towards a part of the city which I did not remember to have seen before. +The houses were very few, but they were large and handsome, and all had +pretty gardens in nice order, with flowers which smelt so sweet, that I +thought the dogs who could always enjoy such advantages must be very +happy. But one of the houses, larger than all the rest, very much struck +me, for I had never an idea of such a splendid place being in Caneville. +It was upon a little hill that stood at some distance from the river, and +the ground which sloped down from the house into the water was covered +with such beautiful grass, that it made one long to nibble and roll upon +it. + +While I was quietly looking at this charming scene, I was startled by a +loud noise of barking and howling higher up the river, and a confused +sound, as if a great many dogs were assembled at one place, all calling +out together. I ran at once in the direction of the hubbub, partly out of +curiosity and in part from some other motive, perhaps the notion of being +able to render some help. + +A little before me the river had a sudden bend, and the bank rose high, +which prevented me seeing the cause of the noise; but when I reached the +top, the whole scene was before me. On my side of the river a great crowd +had assembled, who were looking intently upon something in the water; +and on the opposite bank there was a complete stream of dogs, running +down to the hill which belonged to the beautiful house I had been +admiring. Every dog, as he ran, seemed to be trying to make as much noise +as he could; and those I spoke to were barking so loudly, and jumping +about in such a way, that I could at first get no explanation of what was +the matter. At last I saw that the struggling object in the water was a +young puppy, which seemed very nicely dressed, and at the same moment the +mongrel, who had helped me to pick up my matches the day before, came +alongside of me, and said: "Ah, young firefly, how are you? Isn't this a +game? That old Lady Bull who got you such a drubbing yesterday, is in a +pretty mess. Her thirty-second pup has just tumbled into the water, and +will certainly be drowned. Isn't she making a fuss? just look!" + +One rapid glance showed me the grand lady he spoke of, howling most +fearfully on the other side of the stream, while two pups, about the same +size as the one in the water, and a stout dog, who looked like the papa, +were sometimes catching hold of her and then running about, not knowing +what to do. + +I stopped no longer. I threw off my over-coat, and running to a higher +part of the bank, leapt into the water, the mongrel's voice calling after +me: "What are you going to do? Don't you know its the son of the old +doggess who had you beat so soundly? Look at your shoulder, where the +hair has been all knocked off with the blows?" Without paying the least +attention to these words, which I could not help hearing they were called +out so loudly, I used all my strength to reach the poor little pup, who, +tired with his efforts to help himself, had already floated on to his +back, while his tiny legs and paws were moving feebly in the air. I +reached him after a few more efforts, and seizing his clothes with my +teeth, I got his head above the water, and swam with my load slowly +towards the bank. + +As I got nearer, I could see Lady Bull, still superbly dressed, but +without her bonnet, throw up her paws and nose towards the sky, and fall +back into the arms of her husband; while the two pups by her side +expressed their feelings in different ways; for one stuffed his little +fists into his eyes, and the other waved his cap in the air, and broke +forth into a succession of infantile bow-wows. + +[Illustration: GOOD DOG!] + +On reaching, the bank, I placed my load at the feet of his poor mother, +who threw herself by his side and hugged him to her breast, in a way +which proved how much tenderness was under those fine clothes and +affected manners. The others stood around her uttering low moans of +sympathy, and I, seeing all so engaged and taken up with the recovered +dog, quietly, and, as I thought, unseen by all, slid back into the water, +and permitted myself to be carried by the current down the river. I +crawled out at some short distance from the spot where this scene had +taken place, and threw myself on to the grass, in order to rest from my +fatigue and allow the warm sun to dry my saturated clothes. What I felt I +can scarce describe, although I remember so distinctly everything +connected with that morning. My principal sensation was that of savage +joy, to think I had saved the son of the doggess who had caused me such +unkind treatment. I was cruel enough, I am sorry to say, to figure to +myself her pain at receiving such a favour from me--but that idea soon +passed away, on reflecting that perhaps she would not even know to whom +she owed her son's escape from death. + +In the midst of my ruminations, a light step behind me caused me to raise +my head. I was positively startled at the beautiful object which I +beheld. It was a lady puppy about my own age, but so small in size, and +with such an innocent sweet look, that she seemed much younger. Her dress +was of the richest kind, and her bonnet, which had fallen back from her +head, showed her glossy dark hair and drooping ears that hung gracefully +beside her cheeks. Poorly as I was dressed, and wet as I still was from +my bath, she sat herself beside me, and putting her little soft paw upon +my shoulder, said, with a smile-- + +"Ah, Job!--for I know that's your name--did you think you could get off +so quietly without any one seeing you, or stopping you, or saying one +single 'thank you, Job,' for being such a good noble dog as you are? Did +you think there was not one sharp eye in Caneville to watch the saver, +but that all were fixed upon the saved? That every tongue was so engaged +in sympathizing with the mother, that not one was left to praise the +brave? If you thought this, dear Job, you did me and others wrong, great +wrong. There are some dogs, at least, who may forget an injury, but who +never forget a noble action, and I have too great a love for my species +to let you think so. I shall see you again, dear Job, though I must leave +you now. I should be blamed if it were known that I came here to talk to +you as I have done; but I could not help it, I could not let you believe +that a noble heart was not understood in Caneville. Adieu. Do not forget +the name of Fida." + +She stooped down, and for a moment her silky hair waved on my rough +cheek, while her soft tongue gently licked my face. Before I could open +my mouth in reply--before, indeed, I had recovered from my surprise, and +the admiration which this beautiful creature caused me, she was gone. I +sprang on to my legs to observe which way she went, but not a trace of +her could I see, and I thought it would not be proper to follow her. When +I felt certain of being alone, I could hardly restrain my feelings. I +threw myself on my back, I rolled upon the grass, I turned head over +heels in the boisterousness of my spirit, and then gambolled round and +round like a mad thing. + +Did I believe all the flattering praises which the lovely Fida had +bestowed on me? I might perhaps have done so then, and in my inexperience +might have fancied that I was quite a hero. Time has taught me another +lesson. It has impressed upon me the truth, that when we do our duty we +do only what should be expected of every dog; only what every dog ought +to do. Of the two, Fida had done the nobler action. She had shown not +only a promptness to feel what she considered good, but she had had the +courage to say so in private to the doer, although he was of the poorest +and she of the richest class of Caneville society. In saving the little +pup's life, I had risked nothing; I knew my strength, and felt certain I +could bring him safely to the shore. If I had _not_ tried to save the +poor little fellow I should have been in part guilty of his death. But +she, in bestowing secret praise and encouragement upon a poor dog who had +no friends to admire her for so doing, while her action would perhaps +bring blame upon her from her proud friends, did that which was truly +good and noble. + +The thought of returning to my solitary home after the sad scene of the +night before, and particularly after the new feelings just excited, was +not a pleasant one. The bright sky and fresh air seemed to suit me better +than black walls and the smell of damp straw. Resolving in my mind, +however, to leave it as soon as possible, I re-crossed the river, and, +with a slower step than usual, took the road which led thither. + + + + +UPS AND DOWNS. + + +I should not probably have spoken of these last incidents in my life, as +the relation of them savours rather too much of vanity, but for certain +results of the highest importance to my future fortunes. + +When I reached the old kennel I found, waiting my return, two terrier +dogs in livery, with bulls' heads grinning from such a quantity of +buttons upon their lace coats that it was quite startling. They brought +a polite message from Sir John and Lady Bull, begging me to call upon +them without delay. As the servants had orders to show me the road, we +set off at once. + +I was very silent on the journey, for my companions were so splendidly +dressed that I could not help thinking they must be very superior dogs +indeed; and I was rather surprised, when they spoke to each other, to +find that they talked just like any other animals, and a good deal more +commonly than many that I knew. But such is the effect of fine clothes +upon those who know no better. + +We soon reached the grounds of the mansion, having crossed the river in a +boat that was waiting for us; and after passing through a garden more +beautiful than my poor dog's brain had ever imagined, we at last stood +before the house itself. I need not describe to you, who know the place +so well, the vastness of the building or the splendour of its appearance. +What struck me more even than the palace, was the number of the servants +and the richness of their clothes. Each of them seemed fine enough to be +the master of the place, and appeared really to think so, if I could +judge by the way they strutted about and the look they gave at my poor +apparel. I was much abashed at first to find myself in such a company and +make so miserable a figure; but I was consoled with the thought that not +one of them that morning had ventured, in spite of his eating his +master's meat and living in his master's house, to plunge into the water +to save his master's son. Silly dog that I was! it did not enter my head +at the same time to inquire whether any of them had learnt to swim. + +If the outside of the mansion had surprised me by its beauty, the +interior appeared of course much more extraordinary to my ignorant mind. +Every thing I was unused to looked funny or wonderful; and if I had not +been restrained by the presence of such great dogs, I should have +sometimes laughed outright, and at others broken forth into expressions +of surprise. + +The stout Sir John Bull was standing in the middle of the room when I +entered it, while the stouter Lady Bull was lying on a kind of sofa, that +seemed quite to sink beneath her weight. I found out afterwards that it +was the softness of the sofa which made it appear so; for sitting on it +myself, at my Lady's request, I jumped up in the greatest alarm, on +finding the heaviest part of my body sink lower and lower down, and my +tail come flapping into my face. + +Sir John and Lady Bull now thanked me very warmly for what I had done, +and said a great many things which it is not worth while to repeat. I +remember they were very pleasing to me then, but I am sure cannot be +interesting to you now. After their thanks, Sir John began to talk to me +about myself--about my parents--my wishes--what I intended to do--and +what were my means? To his great surprise he learnt that parents I had +none; that my only wishes were the desire to do some good for myself and +others, and earn my meat; that I had no notion what I intended doing, and +had no means whatever to do anything with. It may be believed that I +willingly accepted his offer to watch over a portion of his grounds, to +save them from the depredations of thieves, on condition of my receiving +good clothes, plenty of food, and a comfortable house to live in. It was +now my turn to be thankful. But although my heart was full at this piece +of good fortune, and I could _think_ of a great many things to say to +show my gratitude, not a single word could I find to express it in, but +stood before them like a dumb dog, with only the wave of my tail to +explain my thanks. They seemed, however, to understand it, and I was at +once ordered a complete suit of clothes and everything fitted for my new +position. I was also supplied with the most abundant supper I had ever +had in my life, and went to rest upon the most delightful bed; so that +before I went to sleep, and I do believe afterwards too, I kept saying to +myself, "Job, Job, you have surely got some other dog's place; all this +good luck can't be meant for you; what have you done, Job, that you +should eat such meat, and sleep on so soft a bed, and be spoken to so +kindly? Don't forget yourself, Job; there must be some mistake." But when +I got up in the morning, and found a breakfast for me as nice as the +supper, and looked at my clothes, which, if not so smart as some of the +others, were better and finer than any I could ever have thought I should +have worn, I was at last convinced, that although I was poor Job, and +although I did not, perhaps, deserve all the happiness I felt, that it +was not a dream, but real, plain truth. "As it is so," I said again, "I +must do my duty as well as I am able, for that is the only way a poor dog +like me can show his gratitude." + +After breakfast, I accompanied Sir John to the place of my future home. A +quarter of an hour's walk brought us to a gentle hill, which, similar to +the one whereon the mansion itself was situated, sloped downwards to the +water. One or two trees, like giant sentinels, stood near the top, and +behind them waved the branches of scores more, while beyond for many a +mile spread the dark mass of the thick forest of which I have more than +once made mention. Nearly at the foot of the hill, beneath a spreading +oak, was a cottage, a very picture of peace and neatness; and as we +paused, Sir John pointed out the peculiarities of the position and +explained my duties. It appeared that this part of his grounds was noted +for a delicate kind of bird, much esteemed by himself and his family, and +which was induced to flock there by regular feeding and the quiet of the +situation. This fact was, however, perfectly well known to others besides +Sir John; and as these others were just as fond of the birds as himself, +they were accustomed to pay nightly visits to the forbidden ground, and +carry off many of the plumpest fowl. The wood was known to shelter many a +wandering fox, who, although dwelling so near the city, could not be +prevailed on to abandon their roguish habits and live in a civilised +manner. These birds were particularly to their taste, and it required the +greatest agility to keep off the cunning invaders, for, though they had +no great courage, and would not attempt to resist a bold dog, they +frequently succeeded in eluding all vigilance and getting off with their +booty. Often, too, a stray cur, sometimes two or three together, from the +lowest classes of the population, would, when moved by hunger, make a +descent on the preserves, and battles of a fierce character not seldom +occurred, for, unlike the foxes, they were never unwilling to fight, but +showed the utmost ferocity when attacked, and were often the aggressors. +But those were not all. The grounds were exactly opposite that part of +the city of Caneville known as the "Mews," and occupied by the cat +population, who have a general affection for most birds, and held these +preserved ones in particular esteem. Fortunately, the water that +interposed was a formidable barrier for the feline visitors, as few +pussies like to wet their feet; but, by some means or other, they +frequently found their way across, and by their dexterity, swiftness, and +the quiet of their movements, committed terrible ravages among the birds. +When Sir John had told me all this, he led the way down the hill to the +small house under the tree. It had two rooms, with a kennel at the back. +The front room was the parlour, and I thought few places could have been +so neat and pretty. The back was the sleeping-room, and the windows of +both looked out upon the soft grass and trees, and showed a fine view of +the river. + +"This," said Sir John, "is your house, and I hope you will be happy in it +yourself, and be of service to me. You will not be alone, for +there"--pointing to the kennel at the back--"sleeps an old servant of the +family, who will assist you in your duties." + +He then called out "Nip," when a rumbling noise was heard from the +kennel, and directly after a lame hound came hopping round to the door. +The sight of this old fellow was not pleasant at first, for his hair was +a grizzly brown and his head partly bald; his eyes were sunk, and, +indeed, almost hidden beneath his bushy brows, and his cheeks hung down +below his mouth and shook with every step he took. I soon found out that +he was as singular in his manners as in his looks, and had such a dislike +to talking that it was a rare thing for him to say more than two or three +words at one time. Sir John told him who I was, and desired him to obey +my orders; commanded us both to be good friends and not quarrel, as +strange dogs were rather apt to do; and after some more advice left us to +ourselves, I in a perfect dream of wonderment, and "Nip" sitting winking +at me in a way that I thought more funny than agreeable. + +After we had sat looking at one another for some time, I said, just to +break the silence, which was becoming tiresome-- + +"A pretty place this!" + +Nip winked. + +"Have you been here long?" I asked. + +"Think so," said Nip. + +"All alone?" I inquired. + +"Almost," Nip replied. + +"Much work to do, eh?" I asked. + +The only answer Nip gave to this was by winking first one eye and then +the other, and making his cheeks rise and fall in a way so droll that I +could not help laughing, at which Nip seemed to take offence, for without +waiting for any farther questions he hopped out of the room, and I saw +him, soon after, crawling softly up the hill, as if on the look out for +some of the thieves Sir John had spoken of. + +I, too, went off upon the watch. I took my way along the bank, I glided +among the bushes, ran after a young fox whose sharp nose I spied pointed +up a tree, but without catching him, and finally returned to my new home +by the opposite direction. Nip came in shortly after, and we sat down to +our dinner. + +Although this portion of my life was, perhaps, the happiest I have ever +known, it has few events worth relating. The stormy scenes which are so +painful to the dog who suffers them, are those which are most interesting +to the hearer; while the quiet days, that glide peacefully away, are so +like each other, that an account of one of them is a description of many. +A few hours can be so full of action, as to require volumes to describe +them properly, and the history of whole years can be written on a single +page. + +I tried, as I became fixed in my new position, to do what I had resolved +when I entered it; namely, my duty. I think I succeeded; I certainly +obtained my master's praise, and sometimes my own; for I had a habit of +talking to myself, as Nip so rarely opened his mouth, and would praise or +blame myself just as I thought I deserved it. I am afraid I was not +always just, but too often said, "Well done, Job; that's right, Job;" +when I ought to have called out, "You're wrong, Job; you ought to feel, +Job, that you're wrong;" but it is not so easy a thing to be just, even +to ourselves. + +One good lesson I learned in that little cottage, which has been of use +to me all my life through; and that was, to be very careful about judging +dogs by their looks. There was old Nip: when I first saw him, I thought I +had never beheld such an ugly fellow in my life, and could not imagine +how anything good was to be expected from so cross a looking, ragged old +hound. And yet nothing could be more beautiful, more loveable than dear +old Nip, when you came to know him well. All the misfortunes he had +suffered, all the knocks he had received in passing through the world, +seemed to have made his heart more tender; and he was so entirely +good-natured, that in all the time we were together, I never heard him +say an unkind thing of living or dead animal. I believe his very silence +was caused by the goodness of his disposition; for as he could not help +seeing many things he did not like, but could not alter, he preferred +holding his tongue to saying what could not be agreeable. Dear, dear Nip! +if ever it should be resolved to erect a statue of goodness in the public +place of Caneville, they ought to take you for a model; you would not be +so pleasant to look on as many finer dogs, but when once known, your +image would be loved, dear Nip, as I learned to love the rugged original. + +It can be of no interest to you to hear the many fights we had in +protecting the property of our master during the first few moons after my +arrival. Almost every night we were put in danger of lives, for the curs +came in such large numbers that there was a chance of our being pulled to +pieces in the struggle. Yet we kept steady watch; and after a time, +finding, I suppose, that we were never sleeping at our post, and that our +courage rose with every fresh attack, the thieves gradually gave up open +war, and only sought to entrap the birds by artifice; and, like the foxes +and cats, came sneaking into the grounds, and trusted to the swiftness of +their legs rather than the sharpness of their teeth when Nip or I caught +sight of them. + +And thus a long, long time passed away. I had, meanwhile, grown to my +full size, and was very strong and active: not so stout as I have got in +these later years, when my toes sometimes ache with the weight which +rests on them, but robust and agile, and as comely, I believe, as most +dogs of my age and descent. + +The uniformity of my life, which I have spoken of as making me so happy, +was interrupted only by incidents that did not certainly cause me +displeasure. I renewed my acquaintance with "Fida," no longer _little_ +Fida, for she had grown to be a beautiful lady-dog. Our second meeting +was by chance, but we talked like old friends, so much had our first done +to remove all strangeness. I don't think the next time we saw each other +was quite by accident. If I remember rightly, it was not; and we often +met afterwards. We agreed that we should do all we could to assist one +another, though what _I_ could do for so rich and clever a lady-dog I +could not imagine, although I made the promise very willingly. On her +part, she did for me what I can never sufficiently repay. She taught me +to read, lending me books containing strange stories of far-off +countries, and beautiful poetry, written by some deep dogs of the city; +she taught me to write; and in order to exercise me, made me compose +letters to herself, which Nip carried to her, bringing me back such +answers as would astonish you; for when you thought you had got to the +end, they began all over again in another direction. Besides these, she +taught me to speak and act properly, in the way that well-behaved dogs +ought to do; for I had been used to the company of such low and poor +animals, that it was not surprising if I should make sad blunders in +speech and manners. I need not say that she taught me to love herself, +for that you will guess I had done from the first day I saw her, when I +was wet from my jump in the river, and she spoke to me such flattering +words. No; she could not teach me more love for herself than I already +knew. That lesson had been learnt _by heart_, and at a single sitting. + +Our peaceful days were drawing to a close. Sir John died. Lady Bull lived +on for a short time longer. Many said, when she followed, that she ate +herself to death; but I mention the rumour in order to deny it, for I am +sure it was grief that killed her. It is a pity some dogs will repeat +everything they hear, without considering the mischief such tittle-tattle +may occasion--although it has been asserted by many that in this case the +false intelligence came from the Cats, who had no great affection for +poor Lady Bull. Whatever the cause, she died, and with her the employment +of poor Nip and myself. The young Bulls who came into possession of the +estate, sold the preserves to a stranger; and as the new proprietor +intended killing off the birds, and did not require keepers, there being +no longer anything for them to do, we were turned upon the world. + +The news came upon us so suddenly, that we were quite unprepared for it; +and we were, besides, so far from being rich, that it was a rather +serious matter to find out how we should live until we could get some +other occupation. I was not troubled for myself; for, though I had been +used to good feeding lately, I did not forget the time when I was often +forced to go the whole day with scarce a bit to eat; but the thought of +how poor old Nip would manage gave me some pain. + +Having bid adieu to the peaceful cottage, where we had spent such happy +times, we left the green fields and pleasant trees and proceeded to the +town, where, after some difficulty, we found a humble little house which +suited our change of fortune. Here we began seriously to muse over what +we should do. I proposed making a ferry-boat of my back, and, stationing +myself at the waterside near the "Mews," swim across the river with such +cats as required to go over and did not like to walk as far as where the +boat was accustomed to be. By these means I calculated on making enough +money to keep us both comfortably. Nip thought not. He said that the cats +would not trust me--few cats ever did trust the dogs--and then, though he +did not dislike cats, not at all, for he knew a great many very sensible +cats, and very good ones too, he did not like the idea of seeing his +friend walked over by cats or dogs, or any other animal, stranger or +domestic. Besides, there were other objections. Strong as I was, I could +not expect, if I made a boat of myself, that I could go on and on without +wanting repair any more than a real boat; but where was the carpenter to +put _me_ to rights, or take out _my_ rotten timbers and put in fresh +ones. No; that would not do; we must think of something else. + +It must not be imagined that Nip made all this long speech in one breath, +or in a dozen breaths. It took him a whole morning to explain himself +even as clearly as I have tried to do; and perhaps I may still have +written what he did not quite intend, for his words came out with a jump, +one or two at a time, and often so suddenly that it would have startled a +dog who was not used to his manner. + +Nip himself made the next proposal, and though I did not exactly like it, +there seemed so little choice, that I at once agreed to do my part in the +scheme. Nip was the son of a butcher, and though he had followed the +trade but a short time himself, he was a very good judge of meat. He, +therefore, explained that if I would undertake to become the seller, he +would purchase and prepare the meat, and he thought he could make it look +nice enough to induce the dogs to come and buy. + +Our stock of money being very small, a house-shop was out of the +question, so there was no chance of getting customers from the better +class,--a thing which I regretted, as I had little taste for the society +of the vulgar; but, again, as it could not be helped, the only thing to +do was to make the best of it. A wheelbarrow was therefore bought by Nip, +with what else was necessary to make me a complete "walking butcher," and +having got in a stock of meat the day before, Nip cut, and contrived, and +shaped, and skewered, in so quiet and business-like a way as proved he +knew perfectly well what he was about. With early morning, after Nip had +arranged my dress with the same care as he had bestowed upon the barrow +and its contents, I wheeled my shop into the street, and amid a great +many winks of satisfaction from my dear old friend, I went trudging +along, bringing many a doggess to the windows of the little houses by my +loud cry of "Me-eet! Fresh me-eet!" + +As I was strange in my new business, and did not feel quite at my ease, I +fancied every dog I met, and every eye that peeped from door and +casement, stared at me in a particular manner, as if they knew I was +playing my part for the first time, and were watching to see how I did +it. The looks that were cast at my meat, were all, I thought, intended +for me, and when a little puppy leered suspiciously at the barrow as he +was crossing the road, no doubt to see that it did not run over him, I +could only imagine that he was thinking of the strange figure I made, +and my awkward attempt at getting a living. Feelings like these no doubt +alarm every new beginner; but time and habit, if they do not reconcile us +to our lot, will make it at least easier to perform, and thus, after some +two hours' journeying through the narrow lanes of Caneville, I did what +my business required of me with more assurance than when I first set out. + +One thing, however, was very distasteful to me, and I could so little +bear to see it, that I even spoke of it aloud, and ran the risk of +offending some of my customers. I mean the _way_ in which several of the +dogs devoured the meat after they had bought it. You will think that when +they had purchased their food and paid for it, they had a right to eat it +as they pleased: I confess it; nothing can be more true; but still, my +ideas had changed so of late, that it annoyed me very much to see many of +these curs, living as they did in the most civilized city in this part of +the world, gnawing their meat as they held it on the ground with their +paws, and growling if any one came near as though there was no such thing +as a police in Caneville. I forgot when I was scolding these poor dogs, +that perhaps they had never been taught better, and deserved pity rather +than blame. I forgot too that I had myself behaved as they did before I +had been blessed with happier fortune, and that, even then, if I had +looked into my own conduct, I should have found many things more worthy +of censure than these poor curs' mode of devouring their food. + +The lane I was passing along was cut across by a broad and open street, +the favourite promenade of the fashionables of Caneville. There might be +seen about mid-day, when the sun was shining, troops of well-dressed dogs +and a few superior cats, some attended by servants, others walking alone, +and many in groups of two or three, the male dogs smoking cigars, the +ladies busily talking, while they looked at and admired one another's +pretty dresses and bonnets. + +By the time I had got thus far, I had become tolerably used to my new +work, and could imagine that when the passers-by cast their eyes on my +barrow, their glances had more to do with the meat than with myself. But +I did not like the idea of crossing the road where such grand dogs were +showing off their finery. After a little inward conversation with myself, +which finished with my muttering between my teeth, "Job, brother Job, I +am ashamed of you! where is your courage, brother Job? Go on; go on;" I +went on without further delay. + +I had got half-way across, and was already beginning to praise myself for +the ease with which I turned my barrow in and out of the crowd without +running over the toes of any of the puppies, who were far too much +engaged to look after them themselves when a dirty little cur stopped me +to buy a penn'orth of meat. I set down my load just in time to avoid +upsetting a very fat and splendidly dressed doggess, who must, if I had +run the wheel into her back, and it was very near it, have gone head +foremost into the barrow. This little incident made me very hot, and I +did not get cooler when my customer squatted down in the midst of the +well-dressed crowd, and began tearing his meat in the way I have before +described as being so unpleasant. At the same moment another dog by his +side, with a very ragged coat, and queer little face, held up his paw to +ask for "a little bit," as he was very hungry, "only a little bit." I +should, probably, have given him a morsel, as I remembered the time when +I wanted it as much as he seemed to do, but for an unexpected meeting. +Turning my head at a rustling just behind me, I saw a well-dressed dog, +with a hat of the last fashion placed so nicely on his head that it +seemed to be resting on the bridge of his nose, the smoke from a cigar +issuing gracefully from his mouth, and his head kept in an upright +posture by a very stiff collar which ran round the back of his neck, and +entirely prevented his turning round his head without a great deal of +care and deliberation, while a tuft of hair curled nicely from beneath +his chin, and gave a fine finish to the whole dog. But though I have +spoken of this Caneville fashionable, it was not he who caused the +rustling noise, or who most attracted my attention. Tripping beside +him, with her soft paw beneath his, was a lady-dog, whose very dress told +her name, at least in my eyes, before I saw her face. I felt sure that it +was Fida, and I wished myself anywhere rather than in front of that +barrow with an ill-bred cur at my feet gnawing the penn'orth of meat he +had just bought of me. Before I had time to catch up my load and depart, +a touch on my shoulder, so gentle that it would not have hurt a fly, and +yet which made me tremble more than if it had been the grip of a giant +animal, forced me again to turn. It _was_ Fida; as beautiful and as fresh +as ever, who gave me a sweet smile of recognition and encouragement as +she passed with her companion, and left me standing there as stupid and +uncomfortable as if I had been caught doing something wrong. + +[Illustration: A CANINE BUTCHER] + +You will say that it was very ridiculous in me to feel so ashamed and +disconcerted at being seen by her or any other dog or doggess in my +common dress, and following an honest occupation. I do not deny it. And +in telling you these things I have no wish to spare myself, I have no +excuse to offer, but only to relate events and describe feelings +precisely as they were. + + + + +THE INUNDATION. + + +That evening it seemed as if Nip and I had changed characters. It was he +who did all the talking, while I sat in a corner, full of thought, and +answered yes or no to everything he said, and sometimes in the wrong +place, I am sure; for once or twice he looked at me very attentively, and +winked in a way which proved that he was puzzled by my manner. + +The reason of his talkativeness was the success I had attained in my +first morning's walk, for I had sold nearly all the meat, and brought +home a pocket full of small money. The cause of my silence was the +unexpected meeting with Fida, and the annoyance I felt at having been +seen by her in such a position. This was the first time I had set eyes on +her for several days. When we left our pretty country lodging, I wrote +her a letter, which Nip carried as usual to her house, but he was told +that she had gone on a visit to some friends at a distance, but that the +letter should be given to her on her return. I had not, therefore, been +able to inform her of what we had been compelled to do, as I would have +wished; but thus, without preparation, quite unexpectedly, I had been met +by her in the public street, acting the poor dogs' butcher, with the +implements of my business before me, and a dirty cur growling and gnawing +his dinner at my feet. What made the matter more serious, for serious it +seemed to me, though I can but smile _now_ to think why such a thing +should have made me uncomfortable, was, that the whole scene had taken +place in so open a part, with so many grand and gay dogs all round, to be +witnesses of my confusion. I did not reflect that, of all the puppies who +were strutting past, there was probably not one who could have remembered +so common an event as the passing of a butcher's barrow; and if they +looked at me at all, it was, doubtless, for no other reason than to avoid +running against my greasy coat and spoiling their fine clothes. These +confessions will prove to you that I was very far from being a wise dog +or even a sensible one; all the books I had read had, as yet, served no +other purpose than that of feeding my vanity and making me believe I was +a very superior animal; and you may learn from this incident, that those +who wish to make a proper figure in the world, and play the part they are +called on to perform in a decent manner, must study their lesson in the +world itself, by mingling with their fellows, for books alone can no more +teach such knowledge than it can teach a dog to swim without his going +into the water. + +Nip and I had our dinner; and when it was over, my old friend went out to +procure a supply of meat for the next day's business. I sat at the window +with my nose resting on the ledge, at times watching some heavy clouds +which were rolling up the sky, as if to attend a great meeting overhead; +at another moment, looking at the curs in the streets, who were playing +all sorts of games, which generally turned into a fight, and often +staring at the house opposite without seeing a single stone in the wall, +but in their place, Fidas, and puppies with stiff collars, and barrows +with piles of meat, ready cut and skewered. I was awoke from this +day-dream by the voice of an old, but very clean doggess, inquiring if my +name was Mr. Job? I answered that I was so called, when she drew from her +pocket and gave me a pink-coloured note, which smelt like a nice garden, +and even brought one to my view as plainly as if it had suddenly danced +before me, and saying there was no reply, returned by the way she had +come. + +I did not require to be told by whom it was sent. I knew the writing too +well. The neat folding, the small but clean address assured me that a +lady's paw had done it all, and every word of the direction-- + + +---------------------------------------+ + | MASTER JOB, | + | | + | In the Little Dogs' Street, | + | | + | F. LOWER CANEVILLE. | + +---------------------------------------+ + +spoke to me of Fida, and did not even need the F. in the corner to +convince me of the fact. With her permission, I here give you the +contents:-- + + "MY DEAR JOB, + + + "I am sorry I was away from home when your letter arrived, and + would have told you I was going, but that I thought the news + might cause you pain, as I, by some mischance, had got my + tail jammed in a door, and was forced to leave home in order + to visit a famous doctor, who lives at some distance. He + fortunately cured me after a few days' illness, and the tail + wags now as freely as ever, although it was very annoying, as + well as ridiculous, to see me walking up and down the room + with that wounded member so wrapped up that it was as thick as + my whole body, and was quite a load to drag about. + + "But, dear Job, I do not write this to talk about myself, + though I am forced to give you this explanation of my silence: + what I wish is to say something about _you_. And to begin, as + you have always been a good, kind dog, and listened to me + patiently when I have praised, you must now be just as kind + and good, and even more patient, because I am going to scold. + + "Dear Job, when I met you this morning in your new dress and + occupation, I had not then read your letter. I had but just + returned, and was taking a walk with my brother, who had + arrived from abroad during my absence. I knew you at once, in + spite of your change of costume, and though I did not + particularly like the business you had chosen, I felt certain + you had good reasons for having selected it. But when I looked + in your face, instead of the smile of welcome which I expected + from you, I could read nothing but shame, confusion, and + annoyance. Why? dear Job, why? If you were _ashamed_ of your + occupation, why had you chosen it? I suppose when you took it + up, you resolved to do your duty in it properly; then why feel + _shame_ because _your friend_ sees you, as you must have + thought she would one day see you, since the nature of your + new business carries you into different parts of the city? + + "But, dear Job, I feel certain, and I would like you to be + equally sure, that there is no need of _shame_ in following + any busines which is _honest_, and which can be carried on + without doing injury to others. It is not the business, + believe me, dear Job, which lowers a dog; _he himself_ is + alone capable of _lowering_ himself, and one dog may be truly + good and noble, though he drive a meat-barrow about the + streets, while another may be a miserable, mean animal, though + living in a palace and never soiling his paws. + + "I have a great deal more to say, my dear Job, upon this + subject, but I must leave the rest till I see you. I have + already crossed and recrossed my note, and may be most + difficult to understand where I most want to be clear. Here is + a nice open space, however, in the corner, which I seize on + with pleasure to write myself most distinctly, + + + "Your friend, + + "FIDA." + +A variety of feelings passed through my mind as I read these lines. But +they were all lost in my wonder at Fida's cleverness in being able to +read my face, as if it had been a book. I was grateful to her for the +good advice she gave me, and now felt ashamed for having been ashamed +before. The best way I thought to prove my thankfulness would be to act +openly and naturally as Fida had pointed out, for I could not help +confessing, as my eyes looked again and again over her note, that she was +quite right, and that I had acted like a very silly animal. + +I was interrupted during my reflections by the bursting of rain upon the +house-roofs, and the stream which rose from the streets as the large +drops came faster and faster down. I went to the door to look for my old +friend, but not a dog was to be seen. I was surprised at the sight of the +sky where I had observed the clouds rising a little while before, for now +those same clouds looked like big rocks piled one above another, with +patches of light shining through great caverns. + +As I stared eagerly down the street, torrents of water poured from above, +which, instead of diminishing, seemed to be growing more terrible every +moment. I had never seen so fearful a storm. It did not appear like mere +rain which was falling; the water came down in broad sheets, and changed +the road into a river. I got more and more anxious about old Nip. It was +getting dark, and I knew he was not strong. My hope was that he had +taken shelter somewhere; but I could not rest, for I was sure he would +try and get home, if only to quiet me. While running in and out in my +anxiety--the water having meanwhile risen above the sill of the door, and +poured into our little house, where it was already above my paws--I spied +a dark figure crawling along the street, and with great difficulty making +way against the beating of the storm. I at once rushed out, and swimming +rather than running towards the object, I found my poor friend almost +spent with fatigue, and scarcely able to move, having a heavy load to +carry besides his own old limbs, which were not fit to battle with such a +tempest. I caught up his package; and assisting him as well as I was +able, we at length got to our cottage, though we were forced to get upon +the bench that stood by the wall to keep our legs out of the water. The +rain had now become a perfect deluge. A stream of water went hissing down +the street, and rushed in and out of the houses as if they had been +baths. + +When Nip recovered breath, he told me that terrible things were happening +in the parts of the city by the waterside. The river had swollen so much, +that some kennels had been carried away by the current, and it was +impossible to learn how many poor dogs had been drowned. This news made +me jump again from the bench where I had been sitting. + +"What is it?" said Nip. + +"I am going out, Nip," replied I. "I must not be idle here, when I can, +perhaps, be of use somewhere else." + +"That is true," said Nip; "but, Job, strong as you are, the storm is +stronger." + +"Yes, Nip," answered I; "but there are dogs weaker than myself who may +require such assistance as I can give them, and it is not a time for a +dog to sit with his tail curled round him, when there are +fellow-creatures who may want a helping paw. So good-bye, old friend; try +and go to sleep; you have done your duty as long as your strength let +you, it is now for me to do mine." Without waiting for a reply, I rushed +out at the door. + +It did not need much exertion to get through our street or the next, or +the next after that, for as they all sloped downwards, the water more +than once took me off my legs, and carried me along. Sad as Nip's news +had been, I was not prepared for the terrible scene which met my eyes +when I got near the river. The houses at the lower part of the street I +had reached had been swept away by the torrent, and a crowd of shivering +dogs stood looking at the groaning river as it rolled past in great waves +as white as milk, in which black objects, either portions of some kennel +or articles of furniture, were floating. Every now and then, a howl would +break from a doggess in the crowd, as a dead body was seen tossed about +by the angry water; and the same dolorous cries might be heard from +different quarters, mixed up with the roar of the river. + +While standing with a group of three or four, staring with astonishment +at the frightful scene, uncertain what to do, a howl was heard from +another direction, so piercing that it made many of us run to learn the +cause. The pale light showed us that the torrent had snapped the supports +of a house at some distance from the river's bank, but which the swollen +stream had now reached, and carried away at least half the building. By +some curious chance, the broken timbers had become fixed for the moment +in the boiling water, which, angry at the obstruction, was rushing round +or flying completely over them; and it was easy to see that in a very +short time the mass would be swept away. Upon the timbers thus exposed +were three little pups scarce two months old, yelping most dismally as +they crouched together, or crawled to the edge of their raft; while on +the floor of the ruin from which this side had been torn away, was their +poor mother, whose fearful howl had attracted us thither, and who was +running from side to side of the shattered hut as if she was frantic. + +Great as the danger was, I could not bear to think the wretched mother +should see her little ones swallowed up by the stormy water, before her +very eyes, without a single attempt being made to save them. Although I +could scarcely hope even to reach them in safety, and in no case could +bring more than one of them to land at once, if I even got so far, I +resolved to make the trial. Better save one, I thought, than let all die. + +Holding my breath, I launched into the current in the direction of the +raft, and soon found that I had not been wrong in calculating the +difficulties and dangers of the undertaking. It was not the water alone +which made the peril so great, though the eddies seemed at every moment +to be pulling me to the bottom, but there were so many things rushing +along with the stream as to threaten to crush me as they flew by; and had +they struck me, there is no doubt there would have been an end of my +adventures. Avoiding them all, though I know not how, I was getting near +the spot where the little pups were crying for their mother, when I felt +myself caught in an eddy and dragged beneath the water. Without losing +courage, but not allowing myself to breathe, I made a strong effort, and +at last, got my head above the surface again; but where was the raft? +Where were the helpless puppies? All had gone--not a trace was left to +tell where they had been--the river foamed over the spot that had held +them for a time, and was now rushing along as if boasting of its +strength. + +Seeing my intentions thus defeated, I turned my head towards the shore, +resolving to swim to land. To my surprise, I found that I made no +progress. I put out all my strength--I fought with the water--I threw +myself forward--it was in vain--I could not move a paw's breadth against +the current. I turned to another point--I again used every exertion--all +was useless--I felt my tired limbs sink under me--I felt the stream +sweeping me away--my head turned round in the agony of that moment, and I +moaned aloud. + +My strength was now gone--I could scarce move a paw to keep my head down +the river. A dark object came near--it was a large piece of timber, +probably a portion of some ruined building. Seizing it as well as my +weakness would permit me, I laid my paws over the floating wood, and, +dragging my body a little more out of the water, got some rest from my +terrible labours. + +[Illustration: AFLOAT] + +Where was I hurrying to? I knew not. Every familiar object must have been +long passed, but it was too obscure to make out anything except the angry +torrent. On, on I went, in darkness and in fear--yes, great fear, not of +death, but a fear caused by the strangeness of my position, and the +uncertainty before me; on, on, till the black shores seemed to fly from +each other, and the river to grow and grow until all land had +disappeared, and nothing but the water met my aching eyes. I closed them +to shut out the scene, and tried to forget my misery. + +Had I slept? And what was the loud noise which startled me so that I had +nearly let go my hold? I roused myself--I looked around--I was tossing up +and down with a regular motion, but could see nothing clearly, I was no +longer carried forward so swiftly as before, but the dim light prevented +me making out the place I was now in. + +Suddenly, a flash broke from the black clouds, and for a single moment +shed a blue light over everything. What a spectacle! All around, for +miles and miles and miles, was nothing but dancing water, like shining +hills with milky tops, but not a living creature beside myself to keep me +company, or say a kind word, or listen to me when I spoke, or pity me +when I moaned! Oh! who could tell what I then felt, what I feared, and +what I suffered! Alone! alone! + +When I think, as I often do now, of that terrible scene, and figure to +myself my drenched body clinging to that piece of timber, I seem to feel +a strange pity for the miserable dog thus left, as it seemed, to die, +away from all his fellows, without a friendly howl raised, to show there +was a single being to regret his loss--and I cannot help at such times +murmuring to myself, as if it were some other animal, "Poor Job! poor +dog!" + +I remember a dimness coming over my eyes after I had beheld that world of +water--I have a faint recollection of thinking of Fida--of poor Nip--of +the drowning puppies I had tried in vain, to save--of my passing through +the streets of Caneville with my meat-barrow, and wondering how I could +have been so foolish as to feel ashamed of doing so--and then--and +then--I remember nothing more. + + + + +PAINS AND PLEASURES. + + +When I again opened my eyes after the deep sleep which had fallen upon +me, morning was just breaking, and a grey light was in the sky and on the +clouds which dotted it all over. + +As I looked round, you may well think, with hope and anxiety, still +nothing met my view but the great world of water, broken up into a +multitude of little hills. I now understood that I was on the sea, where +I had been borne by the rushing river; that sea of which I had often +read, but which I could form no idea about till this moment. + +The sad thought struck me that I must stop there, tossed about by the +wind and beaten by the waves, until I should die of hunger, or that, +spent with fatigue, my limbs would refuse to sustain me longer, and I +should be devoured by some of the monsters of the deep, who are always on +the watch for prey. + +Such reflections did not help to make my position more comfortable, and +it was painful enough in itself without them. It was certain, however, +that complaint or sorrow could be of no service, and might be just the +contrary, as the indulging in either would, probably, prevent my doing +what was necessary to try and save myself should an opportunity offer. + +The grey light, in the meantime, had become warmer and warmer in its +tone, until the face of every cloud towards the east was tinged with +gold. While I was admiring the beautiful sight, for it was so beautiful +that it made me forget for a time my sad position, my eyes were caught +by the shining arch of the rising sun, as it sprang all of a sudden above +the surface of the sea. Oh! never shall I forget the view! Between me and +the brilliant orb lay a pathway of gold, which rose, and fell, and +glittered, and got at last so broad and dazzling, that my eyes could look +at it no longer. I knew it was but the sun's light upon the water, but it +looked so firm, that I could almost fancy I should be able to spring upon +it, and run on and on until I reached some friendly country. But alas! +there seemed little chance of such a thing happening as my ever reaching +land again. + +As the sun got high up, and poured his rays on to the sea, I began to +feel a craving for food, and, though surrounded with water, yet the want +of some to drink. When the thirst came upon me, I at first lapped up a +few drops of the sea-water with avidity, but I soon found that it was not +fit to drink, and that the little I had taken only made my thirst the +greater. In the midst of my suffering, a poor bird came fluttering +heavily along, as if his wings were scarce able to support his weight. +Every little object was interesting to me just then, and as I sat upon my +piece of timber I looked up at the trembling creature, and began +comparing his fate with my own. "Ah, Job," I said, half-aloud, "you +thought, perhaps, that you were the only unhappy being in the world. Look +at that poor fowl; there he is, far away from land, from his home, from +his friends, perhaps his little ones (for many birds have large +families), with tired wings, and not a piece of ground as broad as his +own tail for him to rest upon. He must go on, fatigued though he may be, +for if he fall, nothing can prevent his death; the water will pour among +his feathers, clog his wings, and not only prevent him ever rising more +into the air, but pull him down until his life is gone. So, Job, badly +off as you are just now, there is another, as you see, whose fate is +worse; and who shall say that in other places, where your eye cannot +reach, there are not others yet so very, very miserable, that they would +willingly, oh! how willingly! change places with you, or with that poor +fluttering bird?" + +This talk with myself quieted me for a time, and I felt a certain joy +when I saw the bird slowly descend, and having spied my uncomfortable +boat, perch heavily on the other end of it. He did not do so until he had +looked at me with evident alarm; and, worn out as he was, and his heart +beating as though it would burst through his yellow coat, he still kept +his eyes fixed upon me, ready to take wing and resume his journey, +wherever he might be going, at the least motion I should make. + +Some time passed over in this way; myself in the middle, and Dicky at the +end of the beam. We did not say a word to each other; for, as I spoke no +other language but my own, and he seemed about as clever as myself, we +merely talked with our eyes. + +A thought now came into my head. My thirst returned, and I felt very +hungry. What if I should suddenly dart on little Dicky, and make a meal +of him? I did not consider at the instant that, by so doing, I should be +acting a very base part, for Dicky had placed confidence in me; and +killing him for trusting to my honour, and eating him because he was poor +and unfortunate, would be neither a good return nor a kind action. +Luckily for Dicky, and even for myself, although he was not able to speak +foreign languages, he could read my meaning in my eyes; for when I turned +them slowly towards him, just to see my distance, he took alarm, and rose +into the air with a swiftness which I envied. I am sorry to say my only +thought at first was the having lost my dinner: but as I watched him +through the air, flying on and on, until he diminished to a misty speck, +and then disappeared, my better feelings came back to me and said, "Oh, +Job! I would not have believed this of you!" "But," replied my empty +stomach, "I am so hungry; without food, I shall fall in, and Job will +die." "Let Job die," said my better self again, in a cold, firm tone; +"let Job rather die, than do what he would live to feel ashamed of." + +As the day wore on, I began to think that death only could relieve me; +and the thought was very, very painful. Nothing before and around but the +salt waves--nothing above but the blue sky and hot sun--not even a cloud +on which to rest my aching eyes. The want of water which I could drink +was now becoming terrible. When I thought of it, my head began to turn; +my brain seemed to be on fire; and the public basins of Caneville, where +only the lowest curs used to quench their thirst, danced before me to add +to my torture; for I thought, though I despised them once, how I could +give treasures of gold for one good draught at the worst of them just +then. + +There is not a misfortune happens to us from which we may not derive good +if our hearts are not quite hardened, and our minds not totally +impenetrable. Great as my sufferings were during this incident of my +life, I learnt from it much that has been useful to me in after years. +But even if it had taught me no other truth than that we should despise +nothing which is good and wholesome, merely because it is ordinary, I +should not have passed through those sad hours in vain. We dogs are so +apt, when in prosperity, to pamper our appetites, and, commonly speaking, +to turn up our noses at simple food, that we require, from time to time, +to be reminded on how little canine life can be preserved. All have not +had the advantage of the lesson which I was blessed with; for it _was_ a +blessing; one that has so impressed itself on my memory, that sometimes +when I fancy I cannot eat anything that is put before me, because it is +too much done, or not done enough, or has some other real or supposed +defect, I say to myself, "Job, Job, what would you have given for a tiny +bit of the worst part of it when you were at sea?" And then I take it at +once, and find it excellent. + +As the sun got lower, clouds, the same in shape that had welcomed him in +the morning, rose up from the sea as if to show their pleasure at his +return. He sunk into the midst of them and disappeared; and then the +clouds came up and covered all the sky. I suffered less in the cool +evening air, and found with pleasure that it was growing into a breeze. +My pleasure soon got greater still, for, with the wind, I felt some drops +of rain! The first fell upon my burning nose; but the idea of fresh water +was such a piece of good fortune, that I dared not give loose to my joy +until the drops began to fall thickly on and around me, and there was a +heavy shower. I could scarcely give my rough coat time to get thoroughly +wet before I began sucking at it. It was not nice at first, being mixed +with the salt spray by which I had been so often covered; but as the rain +still came down, the taste was fresher every moment, and soon got most +delicious. I seemed to recover strength as I licked my dripping breast +and shoulders; and though evening changed to dark night, and the rain was +followed by a strong wind, which got more and more fierce, and appeared +to drive me and my friendly log over the waves as if we had been bits of +straw, I felt no fear, but clung to the timber, and actually gave way to +hope. + +I must have slept again, for daylight was once more in the sky when I +unclosed my eyes. Where was I now? My sight was dim, and though I could +see there was no longer darkness, I could make out nothing else. Was I +still on the rolling water? Surely not; for I felt no motion. I passed my +paw quickly across my eyes to brush away the mist which covered them. I +roused myself. The beam of wood was still beneath me, but my legs surely +touched the ground! My sight came back to me, and showed me, true, the +sea stretching on, on, on, in the distance, but showed me also that +_I_--oh, joy!--_I_ had reached the shore! + +When my mind was able to believe the truth, I sprang on to the solid land +with a cry which rings in my ears even now. What though my weakness was +so great that I tumbled over on to the beach and filled my mouth with +sand? I could have licked every blade of grass, every stone, in my +ecstacy; and when forced to lie down from inability to stand upon my +legs, I drove my paws into the earth, and held up portions to my face, to +convince myself that I was indeed on shore. I did not trouble myself much +with questions as to how I got there. I did not puzzle my brain to +inquire whether the wind which had risen the evening before, and which I +felt driving me on so freely, had at length chased me to the land. All I +seemed to value was the fact that I was indeed _there_; and all I could +persuade myself to say or think was the single, blessed word, SAVED! + +I must have lain some time upon the sand before I tried again to move, +for when I scrambled on to my legs the sun was high and hot--so hot, that +it had completely dried my coat, and made me wish for shelter. Dragging +myself with some trouble to a mound of earth, green and sparkling with +grass and flowers, I managed to get on top of it; and when I had +recovered from the effort, for I was very weak, looked about me with +curiosity to observe the place where I had been thrown. + +The ground was level close to where I stood, but at a little distance it +rose into gentle grassy hills, with short bushes here and there; and just +peeping over them, were the tops of trees still farther off, with +mountains beyond, of curious forms and rich blue colour. + +While considering this prospect, I suddenly observed an animal on one of +the hills coming towards me, and I lay down at full length on the grass +to examine who he might be. As he drew nearer, I was surprised at his +form and look (I afterwards learnt that he was called an ape), and +thought I had never beheld so queer a being. He had a stick in his right +hand, and a bundle in his left, and kept his eyes fixed on the ground as +he walked along. + +When he was quite close, I rose again, to ask him where I could procure +food and water, of which I felt great want. The motion startled him; and +stepping back, he took his stick in both hands as if to protect himself. +The next moment he put it down, and coming up to me, to my surprise +addressed me in my own language, by inquiring how I came there. My +astonishment was so great at first that I could not reply; and when I did +speak, it was to ask him how it happened that he used my language. To +this he answered, that he had been a great traveller in his day, and +among other places had visited my city, where he had studied and been +treated kindly for a long time; that he loved dogs, and should be only +too happy now to return some of the favours he had received. This speech +opened my heart; but before he would let me say more, he untied his +bundle, and spread what it contained before me. As there were several +savoury morsels, you may believe I devoured them with great +appetite--indeed, I hope Master Ximio's opinion of me was not formed from +the greediness with which I ate up his provisions. + +After I had refreshed myself at a spring of water, we sat down, and I +told him my story. He heard me patiently to the end, when, after a pause, +he exclaimed-- + +"Come, Job, come with me. A few days' rest will restore your strength, +and you can return to your own city. It is not a long journey over land; +and with stout limbs like those, you will soon be able to get back and +lick old Nip again." + +I need not dwell upon this part of my story, although I could fill many +pages with the narration of Master Ximio's dwelling, and above all of his +kindness; he kept me two or three days at his house, and would have +detained me much longer, but, besides that I was anxious to return to +Nip, I felt certain pains in my limbs, which made me wish to get back to +Caneville, as I did not like the idea of troubling my good friend with +the care of a sick dog. He was so kind-hearted, however, and showed me +such attention, that I was afraid to say anything about my aches, lest he +should insist on keeping me. He seemed to think it was quite natural I +should desire to get home; and when he saw my impatience to depart, he +assisted to get me ready. + +Having supplied me with everything I could want on my journey, and +pressed upon me many gifts besides, he led me by a little path through +the wood, until we came to the sea. "Along this shore," he said, "your +road lies. Follow the winding of the coast until you reach the mouth of a +broad river, the waters of which empty themselves into the sea. That +river is the same which runs through your city. Keep along its banks and +you will shortly arrive at Caneville, where I hope you may find +everything you wish--for I am sure you wish nothing that is unreasonable. +If pleasure awaits you there, do not, in the midst of it, forget Ximio. +If, against my hopes, you should find yourself unhappy, remember there is +a home always open to you here, and a friend who will do his best to +make you forget sorrow. Farewell!" + +I was greatly moved at his words and the memory of his kindness. We +licked each other tenderly--murmured something, which meant a good deal +more than it expressed--and then we parted. I turned my head often as I +went, and each time beheld Ximio waving his hand in the air; at last a +dip in the ground hid him from my sight, and I continued my journey +alone. + +It was fortunate I had been well furnished with provisions by my good +friend, for as I proceeded, I found the pains in my limbs so great that I +could scarce drag one leg after the other, and should probably have died +of hunger, as I had no strength left to procure food, and did not meet +with any more Ximios to assist me had I stood in need. With long rests, +from which I rose each time with greater difficulty,--with increasing +anxiety as I drew near my home, to learn all that had taken place during +my absence,--and yet with legs which almost refused to carry me; after +many days that seemed to have grown into months,--they were so full of +care and suffering,--I toiled up a hill, which had, I thought, the power +of getting steeper as I ascended. At length I reached the top, and to my +joy discovered the well-known city of Caneville, lying in the plain +beneath me. The sight gave me strength again. I at once resumed my +journey, and trotted down the hill at a pace which surprised myself. As I +got warm with my exertions, the stiffness seemed by degrees to leave my +limbs; I ran, I bounded along, over grass and stone through broad patches +of mud which showed too plainly to what height the river had lately +risen, out of breath, yet with a spirit that would not let me flag, I +still flew on, nor slackened my speed until I had got to the first few +houses of the town. There I stopped indeed, and fell; for it then seemed +as if my bones were all breaking asunder. My eyes grew dim; strange +noises sounded in my ears; and though I fancied I could distinguish +voices which I knew, I could neither see nor speak; I thought it was my +dying hour. + +From the mouths of Nip and others I learnt all which then occurred, and +all that had passed after my supposed loss on the night of the +inundation. How my noble conduct (for so they were kind enough to call +it, though I only tried to do my duty, and failed) had been made known to +the great dogs of Caneville, and how they had sought after me to thank me +for it;--how they had offered rewards to those who assisted in my +recovery;--how, when it was supposed that I was dead, they took Nip from +our modest home, and placed him in this present house, fitted with +everything that could make him comfortable for life;--how, when all hope +was gone, my unexpected appearance brought a crowd about me, each one +anxious to assist me in my distress, though some maliciously said, in +order to lay claim to the reward;--and how I was finally brought again to +my senses through the care of our clever canine doctors, and the kind +nursing of dear old Nip. + +It was long, however, before I recovered my legs sufficiently to be able +to use them without support. My long exposure at sea, the want of food, +and the trouble I had gone through, during my involuntary voyage, had all +assisted to weaken me. But my anxiety to enjoy the fresh air again, took +me out into the streets directly it was thought safe for me to do so, and +with a pair of crutches beneath my arms, I managed to creep about. + +Never shall I forget the first time this pleasure was allowed me. The +morning was so fresh and bright; the sun shone so gaily upon the houses; +the river, now reduced to its usual size, ran so cheerily along, that I +got into my old habit, and began to think they were all talking to me and +bidding me welcome after my long illness. Kind words were soon said to me +in right earnest, for before I had got half-way down the street, with old +Nip just behind me,--his hat still adorned with the band which he had +unwillingly put on when he thought me dead and gone, and which he had +forgotten to take off again,--the puppies ran from different quarters to +look up in my face and say, "How do you do, Job? I hope you are better, +Job." Many a polite dog took off his hat to bid me good morrow; and +praises more than I deserved, but which I heard with pleasure, came +softly to my ear, as I hobbled slowly along. Nip told me afterwards, that +there had been another in the crowd who kept a little back, and who, +though she said nothing, seemed to be more glad to see me than all the +rest. I had not seen her, nor did he mention her name, but that was not +necessary. My heart seemed to tell me that it could only have been Fida. + +[Illustration: A WORTHY SUBJECT] + + + + +DUTY. + + +The idle life which I was compelled to spend gave me time for reflection, +and I believe my mind was more active during the few months my body was +on crutches than it had been for years previous. My thoughts received +little interruption from Nip, who, after having recounted the events +which had taken place during my absence, had little more to say. The +kindness of the great city dogs having removed all fear of want, or even +the necessity of labour, from our comfortable home, produced at first a +pleasing effect upon me; but as my strength returned, and I managed to +walk about the room without assistance, a desire for active employment +became quite necessary to my happiness. + +"What have I done, Nip?" I would often say, as I took my usual exercise +in our modest parlour; "what have I done, Nip, that I should be clothed, +and fed, and housed, without labouring for such advantages, like the rest +of dog-kind? These paws, large and strong as they are, were never +intended for idleness; this back, broad as it is, was meant for some +other purpose than to show off a fine coat; this brain, which can reflect +and admire and resolve, had not such capabilities given to it in order +that they might be wasted in a life of ease. Work, Nip, work; such work +as a dog _can_ do should be sought after and done, for nothing can be +more shocking than to see an animal's powers, either of body or mind, +wasted away in idleness." + +Nip replied but little, although he winked his eyes very vigorously. I +was used to his manner now, and could understand his meaning without the +necessity of words. Both his looks and gestures told me that he thought +as I did, and I only waited till I could use my own legs freely, to set +about a resolution I had been forming in my mind. + +It was a happy day when I could again mix in the bustle of the streets, +and find my strength once more restored. The first use I made of it was +to go to the great house where the chief dogs of Caneville are accustomed +to sit during a certain time of the day to judge matters relating to the +city. When I arrived, they were almost alone, and I was therefore able to +present myself without delay, and explain my business. + +I began by thanking them for what they had done for me and my old friend +Nip, in providing us with a house and with so many comforts. I told them, +although the goodness of Nip rendered him worthy of every attention, as +he had grown old in a useful and laborious life, I had no such claims. I +was still young--my strength had come back to me--I had no right to eat +the food of idleness where so many dogs, more deserving than I, were +often in want of a bone, but whose modesty prevented them making known +their necessities. I would still thankfully enjoy the home, which the +kindness of the great animals of Caneville had furnished me, but they +must permit me to work for it--they must permit me to do something which +might be useful to the city in return, for I should devour the fare +provided for me with a great deal more appetite, if I could say to myself +when I felt hungry, "Job, brother Job, eat your dinner, for you have +_earned_ it." + +The assembly of dogs heard me with great attention to the end; not a bark +interrupted my little speech, not a movement disturbed my attention. I +was pleased to see that tails wagged with approbation when I had +concluded, and was charmed to hear the chief among them, who was white +with age, express himself _delighted_, yes, that was the word, delighted +with my spirit. + +"We are pleased, Job," he said, at the end of his reply, "we are pleased +to observe that there are yet _true dogs_ in Caneville; there have been +animals calling themselves so, whose character was so base, and whose +manner was so cringing, that they have brought disrepute upon the name; +and we are sorry to say that in many countries the title of a _dog_ is +given to the vilest and most worthless creatures. All the finer qualities +of our race have been lost sight of, because a few among us have been +mean or wicked; and a whole nation has been pointed at with scorn, +because some of its members have acted badly. We are happy, Job, to find +in you a 'worthy subject,' and we shall be glad to give you all +assistance in choosing an occupation in which you may employ your time, +and be of use to your fellow-creatures." + +I should not have repeated this to you, as it is not, perhaps, necessary +for my story, but that I wished to correct an error, which many have +made, concerning the character of this very dog. He has been described by +several as cold, and proud, and sometimes cruel; and yet to me he was +warm, and friendly, and most kind. Do not you think when we hear animals +grumbling against their fellows, it would be just as well to think who +the grumblers are, before we form our opinions? or, at least, hear the +opinions of many before we decide ourselves? + +I need not tell you all that passed between us, and what was said by this +dog and by that, about the choice of my occupation. It was agreed at last +that I should be appointed chief of the Caneville police, as the place +had become vacant through the death of a fine old mastiff some days +previous. I wonder whether he was a relation of my own, for I have +already told you my mother belonged to that great family. He had received +some severe wounds when trying to capture a fierce beast of the name of +Lupo, the terror of the city, and he had died from the effects of them in +spite of all the care of the doctors. What made the matter worse, was the +fact that Lupo was yet at liberty, and many dogs were afraid to go out +at night for fear of meeting with this terrible animal. + +To tell the truth, I was rather pleased than otherwise that Lupo had +still to be taken. It was agreeable to me to think that work, difficult +work, was to be done, and that _I_ was called upon to do it. I felt proud +at the idea that the animals of the great city of Caneville would look up +to me, _to me_, poor Job, as the dog chosen to releive them of their +fears, and restore security to their streets. "Job," I cried out to +myself, in a firm tone, "Job, here is a chance of being useful to your +country; let no danger, no fear, even of death, stop you in the good +work. Job, you are called upon to perform a duty, and let nothing, mind +_nothing_, turn you from it." + +After I had become acquainted with all the dogs who were under my +command, I spent much time each day in exercising them, and in +endeavouring by kind words, and by my own example, to make them attend +strictly to their work. I was pleased to observe that I succeeded. Some, +who were pointed out to me as difficult to manage, became my most +faithful followers, and I had not been two months in my employment before +all were so devoted to me, that I believe they would have died to serve +me. + +In all this time, nothing had been heard of the terrible Lupo, and all my +inquiries procured no information concerning where he was to be found. I +learned that he was not a native of Caneville, although his father once +belonged to the city. He was born in a country beyond the great wood, and +his mother came from a fierce tribe of wolves, who, although they a +little resemble dogs in appearance, and speak a very similar language, +are much more ferocious, and seem to look upon the whole canine family as +natural enemies. + +The opinion began to spread in Caneville that Lupo had at length left the +city, and the inhabitants, by degrees, recovered their usual quiet; when, +suddenly, the alarm spread more widely than before; as, two nights in +succession, some rich dogs were robbed and ill-treated, and one of them +was lamed by the ferocity of the chief of the terrible band who had +attacked them, and whose description convinced me it was Lupo. + +These accounts caused me much pain, as I had neither been able to prevent +the attacks, nor discover the animals who had made them. In my desire to +find out and capture the robbers, I could scarcely take food or rest. I +managed to sleep a little in the day-time, and at night, dressed in the +simplest manner, so as to excite no attention, I wandered quietly from +street to street, stopping to listen to the slightest noise, and going in +any direction that I heard a murmur. One or two of my dogs generally +followed at a distance, ready to assist me if I called for help. + +It was a fine night. The moon and stars were brilliant in the sky, and +made the blue all the deeper from their own bright rays. I had been +already two hours crawling through the lower parts of the city, and was +mounting the hill which led to a fine building where my steps often +carried me--sometimes without my intending it--in order to watch over the +safety of those who slept within. It was the house of Fida--that Fida who +had been to me so kind, so tender; that Fida, who so patiently softened +down my rudeness, and had tried to teach me to know what was good by +letting me become her friend. + +I had nearly reached the top of the hill, and paused an instant to +observe the bright light and dark shadows which the house displayed, as +the moon fell upon it, or some portion of the building interposed. +Profound sleep had fallen upon the city. The river might be seen from the +spot where I was standing, running swiftly along; and so deep was the +silence that you could even hear the gush of the water as it fretted +round some large stones in the centre of the stream. + +Suddenly there rose into the air from the ground above me, the sharp, +clear howl of a female voice, and at the same instant the sound of a +rattle broke upon my ear as a signal of alarm. I sprang up the few feet +which were between me and the house with the speed of lightning, and +turning rapidly the corner of the building, reached the principal +entrance. One look told me everything: at an upper window, in a loose +dress, was Fida herself, springing the rattle which she held in her paw, +with a strength that fear alone could have given her; and below, where I +myself stood, were four or five dogs differently engaged, but evidently +trying to get into the house. + +A kick from my right leg sent one of them to the ground, and, with my +clenched paw, I struck a blow at the second. Never do I remember feeling +such strength within me, such a resolution to attack twenty dogs if it +were necessary, although the next minute I might be torn in pieces. I +have sometimes asked myself whether the presence of Fida had anything to +do with it, or if a sense of duty only inspired me. I have never been +able to reply to the question in a satisfactory manner. I only know that +the fact was as I say, and that the blow I gave was surprising even to +myself; my paw caught the animal precisely under his chin, and sent him +flying backwards, with his nose in the air and his hat behind him; and as +the moon shone brilliantly upon his upturned face, I recognised the +features described to me as those of Lupo. He lay so still upon the +ground that I thought he must be killed; so, leaving him for a moment, I +pursued some others who were running off in the distance, but did not +succeed in catching them. I said a few cheering words to Fida at the +window, and returned to the spot of my encounter with Lupo; but instead +of that terrible beast, found some of my own followers, the father of +Fida, and one or two servants, who had been roused by the tumult, and had +come out to learn the cause. Lupo was nowhere to be seen. He had either +partly recovered from the blow, and had managed to crawl away, or had +been dragged off by some of his troop. + +Nothing could have been more fortunate to me than this night's adventure. +The father of Fida, who had seen the attack from his window, was the head +of one of the best families of dogs in Caneville, and being, besides, +very rich, he enjoyed great power. He was so pleased with what I had +done, that he not only took a great liking to me himself, but he spoke +of my conduct in the highest terms to the great assembly. I received +public thanks; I was admitted to the honour which I now hold, that of +forming one of the second assembly of the city; I was loaded with rich +presents, and equally rich praise; and I may also date from that night, +the obtaining the richest gift of all, the gift which has made the +happiness of my best years; I mean the possession of my wife, the +beautiful Fida. + +[Illustration: A SEVERE BLOW] + +It is true that I did not procure that felicity at once. There were many +difficulties to be got over before the noble spaniel would think of +allowing his daughter to become the wife of plain Mr. Job. His son, also, +of whom I have spoken previously, could not bear, at first, the idea of +his sister not marrying some one as noble as herself, and thought, very +naturally, that she was far too good to have her fortunes united with +mine. Fida herself, however, was so firm, and yet so tender; so +straightforward, and yet so modest, that she finally broke down all +opposition. She persuaded her father that no title could be more noble +than the one I had acquired, that of "Honest Job;" she won over her +brother, by slily asking him, which among his grand companions could have +met a whole band of fierce dogs, with Lupo at their head, and, +single-pawed, could have conquered them all? By degrees, every objection +was cleared away, and Fida became mine. + +The chief interest of my life terminates here; for although, in my +position as head of the police, I had many other adventures, they were +too much alike, and of too common an order, to be worth relating. Before +I close, however, I must mention a circumstance which occurred shortly +after my battle with the robbers, as it is curious in itself, and refers +to an animal of whom I have before spoken. + +I was quietly walking along a bye-street of Caneville, when a miserable, +thin, little puppy came behind me, and gently pulled my coat. On turning +round to ask him what he wanted, he begged me in the most imploring tone +to come and see his father, who was very ill. + +"And who is your father, little pup?" I inquired. + +"His name is Lupo," said the thin dog, in a trembling voice. + +"Lupo!" I cried out in surprise. "But do you not know who I am, and that +I am forced to be your father's greatest enemy?" + +"I know, I know," the pup replied; "but father told me to come and seek +_you_, for that you were good, and would not harm him, if you knew he was +so miserable." And here the little dog began howling in a way which moved +me. + +"Go on," I said, after a moment; "go on; I will follow you." + +As the little dog ran before, through some of the low and miserable parts +of the city, the idea once came into my head that perhaps this was a +scheme of Lupo's to get me into his power. But the puppy's grief had been +too real to allow me to believe, young as he was, that he could be acting +a part; so with a stout resolution I went forward. + +We arrived at a low and dirty kennel, where only the greatest misery +could bear to live. We passed through a hole, for so it appeared, rather +than a doorway, and I found myself in a little room, lit by a break in +the wall. On the single poor bed lay a wretched object, gasping for +breath, while a ragged pup, somewhat older than my little guide, had +buried his face in the clothes at the bottom of the bed. Three other tiny +creatures, worn to the bone with poverty and want of food, came crowding +round me, in a way that was piteous to behold; and with their looks, not +words, for they said nothing, asked me to do something for their +miserable parent. I procured from a neighbouring tavern a bason of broth +with which I succeeded in reviving the once terrible Lupo; but it was +only a flash before life departed for ever. In broken words, he +recommended to my care the poor little objects round. Bad as he was, he +still had feeling for them, and it was easy to observe that at this sad +moment his thoughts were more of _them_ than of himself; for when I +promised to protect them, he pressed my paw with his remaining strength +to his hot lips, moaned faintly, and expired. + +[Illustration: CONSOLATION] + +My tale is over. Would that it had been more entertaining, more +instructive. But the incidents of my career have been few, and my path, +with the one or two exceptions I have described, has been a smooth one. I +have heard it said that no history of a life, however simple, is without +its lesson. If it be so, then perhaps some good may be derived from mine. +If it teach the way to avoid an error, or correct a fault; if any portion +of it win a smile from a sad heart, or awake a train of serious thought +in a gay one, my dog's tale will not have been unfolded in vain. + +THE END. + +London; Thomas Harrild, Printer, 13, Salisbury Square, Fleet Street. + + + + +NEW JUVENILE PUBLICATIONS. + + +ROUTLEDGE'S NEW TWO-SHILLING PRESENT OR GIFT-BOOKS, + +_In Fcap. 8vo, cloth gilt, with Illustrations by GILBERT, WARREN, +CORBOULD, &c.; or with gilt edges, price Two Shillings and Sixpence._ + +LIST OF THE SERIES, VIZ.: + + 1. TALES FOR MY CHILDREN. GUIZOT. + 2. TEN MORAL TALES. GUIZOT. + 3. JUVENILE TALES & STORIES. M'INTOSH. + 4. CONQUEST & SELF-CONQUEST. M'INTOSH. + 5. EVENING AT DONALDSON MANOR. M'INTOSH. + 6. PRAISE AND PRINCIPLE. M'INTOSH. + 7. GRACE AND ISABEL. M'INTOSH. + 8. CHARMS & COUNTER-CHARMS. M'INTOSH. + 9. GERTRUDE AND EULALIE. HULSE. + 10. ROBERT AND HAROLD. ANON. + 11. STORY OF AN APPLE. CAMPBELL. + 12. CABIN BY THE WAYSIDE. CAMPBELL. + 13. MEMOIRS OF A DOLL. BESSET. + 14. THE BLACK PRINCESS. BESSET. + 15. EMIGRANT'S LOST SON. G. H. WALL. + 16. ROBINSON THE YOUNGER. HICK. + 18. AMY CARLTON; OR, FIRST DAYS AT SCHOOL. ANON. + 19. LAURA AND ELLEN. ALLEN. + 20. ROBINSON CRUSOE. DEFOE. + 23. LAURA TEMPLE. BOWMAN. + 24. LITTLE FOUNDLING. MRS. MYRTLE. + 25. SPIRIT OF THE HOLLY. MRS. OWEN. + 26. POETRY OF THE BEST AUTHORS. BOWMAN. + 27. HARRY AND HIS HOMES. ANON. + 28. VIOLET. M'INTOSH. + 29. THE LAMPLIGHTER. CUMMINS. + 30. THE LOFTY AND LOWLY. M'INTOSH. + 31. OUR NATIVE LAND. WILSON. + + +ROUTLEDGE'S TWO-AND-SIXPENNY REWARD OR GIFT-BOOKS. + +_Or, with gilt edges, price Three Shillings. Fcap. 8vo. Illustrated by +the best artists. Cloth extra, and gilt._ + + 1. ARBELL. By JANE W. HOOPER. Illustrated by GODWIN. + 2. EDA MORTON AND HER COUSINS. By M. BELL. Illustrated by BIRKET FOSTER. + 3. ALLEN'S LIFE OF NELSON. With Steel Portrait. + 4. MACFARLANE'S LIFE OF WELLINGTON. Illustrated by JOHN GILBERT. + 5. MACFARLANE'S LIFE OF MARLBOROUGH. Illustrated by JOHN GILBERT. + 6. OSLER'S LIFE OF LORD EXMOUTH. With Steel Portrait and Maps. + 7. GILBERT THE ADVENTURER. By PETER PARLEY. With Engravings. + 8. KALOOLAH: OR, AFRICAN ADVENTURES. With Coloured Plates. + + +ROUTLEDGE'S EIGHTEENPENNY JUVENILES. + +_Square 16mo, cloth gilt. Illustrated by John Gilbert, Absolon, Foster, +etc._ + + 1. Peasant and the Prince, by Harriet Martineau. + 2. Crofton Boys, by Harriet Martineau. + 3. Feats on the Fiord, by Harriet Martineau. + 4. Settlers at Home, by Harriet Martineau. + 5. Holiday Ramblers, or the School Vacation, by Elizabeth Grant. + 6. Little Drummer, a Tale of the Russian War. + 7. Frank, by Maria Edgeworth. + 8. Rosamond, by Maria Edgeworth. + 9. Harry and Lucy, Little Dog Trusty, The Cherry Orchard, etc. by Maria + Edgeworth. + 10. A Hero, or Philip's Book, by the author of Olive. + +LONDON: GEORGE ROUTLEDGE AND CO., FARRINGDON STREET. + + + Transcriber's notes: + + No changes to the original spelling were made. + + The following duplicated words were corrected. + Page 16: who who corrected to who. + Page 44: near near corrected to near. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Adventures of a Dog, and a Good +Dog Too, by Alfred Elwes + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ADVENTURES OF A DOG *** + +***** This file should be named 20741-8.txt or 20741-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/0/7/4/20741/ + +Produced by David Edwards, Christine D. and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The University of Florida, The Internet +Archive/Children's Library) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Adventures of a Dog, and a Good Dog Too + +Author: Alfred Elwes + +Release Date: March 4, 2007 [EBook #20741] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ADVENTURES OF A DOG *** + + + + +Produced by David Edwards, Christine D. and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The University of Florida, The Internet +Archive/Children's Library) + + + + + + +</pre> + + + + + +<h1>THE<br /> +<span class="smcap">ADVENTURES of a DOG</span>,</h1> + +<h2>AND A GOOD DOG TOO</h2> + +<h3>BY ALFRED ELWES</h3> +<div class="padding"> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 386px;"> +<img src="images/001.png" width="388" height="500" alt="" title="" /> +</div></div> + +<p><a name="A_FAMILY_PARTY" id="A_FAMILY_PARTY"></a></p> +<div class="padding"> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 403px;"> +<img src="images/006.png" width="398" height="500" alt="A FAMILY PARTY" title="" /> +<span class="caption">A FAMILY PARTY</span> +</div></div> + + +<div class="padding"> +<h4>THE</h4> +<h1>ADVENTURES OF A DOG,</h1> +<h2>AND A GOOD DOG TOO.</h2> +</div> +<div class="padding"> +<h2><span class="smcap">By</span> ALFRED ELWES,</h2> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Author of "The Adventures of a Bear," "Ocean and her Rulers," etc., etc.</span></p> +</div> +<div class="padding"> +<p class="center">WITH EIGHT ILLUSTRATIONS BY HARRISON WEIR.</p> +</div> +<div class="padding"> +<p class="center"> +LONDON:<br /> +GEORGE ROUTLEDGE AND CO., FARRINGDON STREET,<br /> +AND 18, BEEKMAN STREET, NEW YORK.<br /> +1857.</p></div> + +<p class="center"> +LONDON:<br /> +THOMAS HARRILD, PRINTER, 11, SALISBURY SQUARE,<br /> +FLEET STREET.<br /> +</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CONTENTS" id="CONTENTS"></a>CONTENTS.</h2> + +<div class='center'> +<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary=""> +<tr><td align='left'></td><td align='right'>PAGE</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>INTRODUCTION BY MISS MINETTE GATTINA</td><td align='right'><a href="#INTRODUCTION">7</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>EARLY DAYS</td><td align='right'><a href="#EARLY_DAYS">12</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>CHANGES</td><td align='right'><a href="#CHANGES">18</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>UPS AND DOWNS</td><td align='right'><a href="#UPS_AND_DOWNS">25</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>THE INUNDATION</td><td align='right'><a href="#THE_INUNDATION">37</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>PAINS AND PLEASURES</td><td align='right'><a href="#PAINS_AND_PLEASURES">46</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>DUTY</td><td align='right'><a href="#DUTY">55</a></td></tr> +</table></div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="ILLUSTRATIONS" id="ILLUSTRATIONS"></a>ILLUSTRATIONS.</h2> + + +<div class='center'> +<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary=""> +<tr><td align='left'></td><td align='right'>PAGE</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>A FAMILY PARTY (<span class="smcap">Frontispiece</span>)</td><td align='right'><a href="#A_FAMILY_PARTY">8</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>LADY BULL</td><td align='right'><a href="#LADY_BULL">17</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>GOOD DOG!</td><td align='right'><a href="#GOOD_DOG">22</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>A CANINE BUTCHER</td><td align='right'><a href="#A_CANINE_BUTCHER">36</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>AFLOAT</td><td align='right'><a href="#AFLOAT">45</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>A WORTHY SUBJECT</td><td align='right'><a href="#A_WORTHY_SUBJECT">54</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>A SEVERE BLOW</td><td align='right'><a href="#A_SEVERE_BLOW">60</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>CONSOLATION</td><td align='right'><a href="#CONSOLATION">62</a></td></tr> +</table></div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_iii" id="Page_iii">[Pg iii]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="PREFACE" id="PREFACE"></a>PREFACE.</h2> + + +<p>I love dogs. Who does not? It is a natural feeling to love those who love +us; and dogs were always fond of me. Thousands can say the same; and I +shall therefore find plenty of sympathy while unfolding my dog's tale.</p> + +<p>This attachment of mine to the canine family in general, and their +affection towards myself, have induced me, like the Vizier in the +"Arabian Nights," of happy memory, to devote some time to the study of +their language. Its idiom is not so difficult as many would suppose. +There is a simplicity about it that often shames the dialects of man; +which have been so altered and refined that we discover people often +saying one thing when they mean exactly the reverse. Nothing of the sort +is visible in the great canine tongue. Whether the tone in which it is +uttered be gruff or polished, sharp or insinuating, it is at least +sincere. Mankind would often be puzzled how to use it.</p> + +<p>Like many others, its meaning is assisted by gestures of the body, and, +above all, by the expression of the eye. If ever language had its seat in +that organ, as phrenologists pretend, it lies in the eye of the dog. Yet, +a good portion finds its way to his tail. The motion of that eloquent +member is full of meaning. There is the slow wag of anger; the gentle wag +of contentment; the brisker wag of joy: and what can be more mutely +expressive than the limp states of sorrow, humility, and fear?<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_iv" id="Page_iv">[Pg iv]</a></span></p> + +<p>If the tongue of the dog present such distinctive traits, the qualities +of the animal himself are not less striking. Although the dispositions of +dogs are as various as their forms—although education, connections, the +society they keep, have all their influence—to the credit of their name +be it said, a dog never sullies his mouth with an untruth. His emotions +of pleasure are genuine, never forced. His grief is not the semblance of +woe, but comes from the heart. His devotion is unmixed with other +feelings. It is single, unselfish, profound. Prosperity affects it not; +adversity cannot make it swerve. Ingratitude, that saddest of human +vices, is unknown to the dog. He does not forget past favours, but, when +attached by benefits received, his love endures through life. But I shall +have never done with reciting the praises of this noble animal; the +subject is inexhaustible. My purpose now has narrower limits.</p> + +<p>From the archives of the city of Caneville, I lately drew the materials +of a Bear's Biography. From the same source I now derive my "Adventures +of a Dog." My task has been less that of a composer than a translator, +for a feline editoress, a Miss Minette Gattina, had already performed her +part. This latter animal appears, however, to have been so learned a +cat—one may say so deep a puss—that she had furnished more notes than +there was original matter. Another peculiarity which distinguished her +labours was the obscurity of her style; I call it a peculiarity, and not +a defect, because I am not quite certain whether the difficulty of +getting at her meaning lay in her mode of expressing herself or my +deficiency in the delicacies of her language. I think myself a tolerable +linguist, yet have too great a respect for puss to say that any fault is +attributable to her.</p> + +<p>The same feeling has, naturally, made me careful in rendering those +portions which were exclusively her own. I have preferred<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_v" id="Page_v">[Pg v]</a></span> letting her +say little to allowing her to express anything she did not intend. Her +notes, which, doubtless, drew many a purr of approval from her own +breast, and many a wag of approbation from the tails of her choice +acquaintance, I have preferred leaving out altogether; and I have so +curtailed the labours of her paw, and the workings of her brain, as to +condense into half-a-dozen pages her little volume of introduction. The +autobiography itself, most luckily, required no alteration. It is the +work of a simple mind, detailing the events of a simple but not +uneventful life. Whether I have succeeded in conveying to my readers' +intelligence the impression which this Dog's Adventures made on mine, +they alone can decide.</p> + +<p class='right'>A. E.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Lyndhurst Road,<br /> + Peckham.</span></p> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[Pg 7]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="INTRODUCTION" id="INTRODUCTION"></a>INTRODUCTION.</h2> + +<p class='center'>BY MISS MINETTE GATTINA.</p> + + +<p>It may seem peculiar to any but an inhabitant of this renowned city of +Caneville, that one of <i>our</i> nation should venture on the task of +bringing to the notice of the world the memoir I have undertaken to edit. +But, besides that in this favoured place animals of all kinds learn to +dwell in tolerable harmony together, the subject of this biography had so +endeared himself to all classes and to every tribe by his kindness of +heart, noble devotion, and other dog-like qualities, that there was not a +cat, in spite of the supposed natural antipathy existing between the +great feline and canine races, who would not have set up her back and +fought to the last gasp in defence of this dear old fellow.</p> + +<p>Many a time has he saved me from the rough treatment of rude and +ill-conducted curs, when I have been returning from a concert, or +tripping quietly home after a pleasant chat with a friend. Often and +often, when a kitten, has he carried me on his back through the streets, +in order that I might not wet my velvet slippers on a rainy day: and +once, ah! well do I remember it, he did me even greater service; for a +wicked Tom of our race, who had often annoyed me with his attentions, had +actually formed a plan of carrying me off to some foreign land, and would +have succeeded too, if dear Doggy had not got scent of the affair, and +pounced on that treacherous Tom just as he was on the point of executing +his odious project.</p> + +<p>I can speak of these things <i>now</i> without the slightest fear of being +accused of vanity. If I say my eyes were beautifully round and green, +they are so no longer. If I boast of the former lightness of my step, it +drags, alas! but too heavily now. If I dwell on the sweetness of my voice +and melody of my purr at one period,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[Pg 8]</a></span> little can be said in their favour +at the present day, and I feel therefore less scruple in dilating on the +elegance of my figure, and the taste of my <i>toilette</i>, as, when speaking +of them, I seem to be referring to another individual Puss, with whom the +actual snuffy old Tabby has little or no connection.</p> + +<p>But, it will be said, these last matters have not much to do with the +object I have in hand. I must not attempt to palm off on my readers any +adventures of my own under the shadow of a dog. I must rather allow my +Cat's-paw to perform the office for which it has become noted, namely, +that of aiding in the recovery of what its owner is not intended to +participate. I must endeavour to place before the world of Caneville, to +be thence transmitted to the less civilized portions of the globe, those +incidents in our Dog's life which he has been too modest to relate +himself, in order that after-generations may fully appreciate all the +goodness of his character. To <i>greatness</i>, he had no pretension, although +few animals are aware how close is the relation between these two +qualities.</p> + +<p>I think I see the dear old Dog now, as it has been often my privilege to +behold him, seated in his large arm-chair, his hair quite silvered with +age, shading his thoughtful, yet kindly face, his pipe in his paw, his +faithful old friend by his side, and surrounded by a group of attentive +listeners of both sexes, who seemed to hang upon every word of wisdom as +it dropped from his mouth; all these spring to my mind when I recal his +image, and if I were a painter I think I should have no difficulty in +presenting to my readers this pleasant "family party." The very room in +which these meetings were held comes as strongly to my recollection as +the various young and old dogs who were wont to assemble there. Plainly +furnished, it yet boasted some articles of luxury; works of statuary and +painting, presented to old Job by those who admired his goodness, or had +been the objects of his devotion.</p> + +<p>One of these, a statuette representing a fast little dog upon a tasteful +pedestal, used often to excite my curiosity, the more because Job showed +no inclination to gratify it. I managed, however, at<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</a></span> last to get at the +incident which made Job the possessor of this comical little figure, and +as the circumstance worthily illustrates his character, I will relate it +as the anecdote was told to me.</p> + +<p>It was once a fashion in Caneville, encouraged by puppies of the superior +classes, to indulge in habits of so strange a nature as to meet on stated +occasions for the express purpose of trying their skill and strength in +set combats; and although the most frightful consequences often ensued, +these assemblies were still held until put down by the sharp tooth of the +law. The results which ensued were not merely dangerous to life, but +created such a quarrelsome disposition, that many of these dogs were +never happy but when fighting; and the force granted them by nature for +self-defence was too often used most wantonly to the annoyance of their +neighbours. It one day happened that Job was sitting quietly on a steep +bank of the river where it runs into the wood at some distance from the +city, at one moment watching the birds as they skimmed over the water, at +another following the movements of a large fish, just distinguishable +from the height, as it rose at the flies that dropped upon the stream; +when three dogs, among the most celebrated fighters of the time, passed +by that way. Two of them were of the common class, about the size and +weight of Job; the other was a young puppy of good family, whose tastes +had unfortunately led him into such low society. Seeing the mild +expression of Job's face, and confident in their own prowess, they +resolved to amuse themselves at his expense, and to this end drew near to +him. Unobserved by their intended victim, with a rapid motion they +endeavoured to push him head foremost into the river, Master Puppy having +dexterously seized hold of his tail to make the somersault more complete. +Job, although thus unexpectedly set upon from behind, was enabled, by the +exertion of great strength, to defeat the object of his assailants. In +the struggle which ensued, his adversaries discovered that, in spite of +their boasted skill, they had more than found their match. One of them +got rolled over into the stream, out of which he managed to crawl with +considerable difficulty half a mile lower<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</a></span> down; the second took to his +heels, with his coat torn, and his person otherwise disordered; and the +fashionable Pup, to his great horror, found himself seized in the +formidable jaws of the unoffending but own angry dog. Imagine how much +his terror was increased when Job, carrying him, as I would a mouse, to +the edge of the precipitous bank, held him sheer over the roaring river. +The poor fellow could not swim, he had a perfect antipathy to the water, +and he felt himself at that moment on the point of being consigned to +certain death without a chance of safety. But he did not know the noble +heart of the animal he had offended. Job let him feel for a few dreadful +seconds the danger to which he had been so thoughtlessly and in joke +about to consign himself, and then placed him in safety on the bank, with +the admonition to reflect for the future on the probable result of his +diversions before he indulged in them, and to consider whether, although +amusing to himself, such games might not be fatal to the animals on whom +they were played off. The shivering puppy was too much alarmed at the +time to attend either to the magnanimity of his antagonist or the wisdom +of his advice, but they were evidently not lost upon him. Many can bear +testimony to the change which that hour wrought in his character; and +some weeks after the event, Job received that statue of his little +adversary, which had so often struck me, executed by a native artist, +with a long letter in verse, a beautiful specimen of doggrel; indeed, +gifts both equally creditable to the sculptor and the writer, and most +honourable to the animal in whose favour they had been executed.</p> + +<p>My task will scarce be thought complete without a few words concerning +the personal appearance of my old friend; although, perhaps, few things +could be more difficult for me to describe. Dogs and cats are apt to +admire such very different forms of beauty, that the former often call +beautiful what we think just the reverse. He was tall, strong, and rather +stout, with a large bushy tail, which waved with every emotion of his +mind, for he rarely disguised his feelings. His features were considered +regular, though large, his<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</a></span> eyes being particularly bright and full, and +the upper part of his head was broad and high.</p> + +<p>But none who knew Job ever thought of his being handsome or otherwise. +You seemed to love him for something more than you could see, something +which had little to do with face, or body, or tail, and yet appeared in +them all, and shone clearly out of his eyes; I mean the spirit of +goodness, which made him so remarkable, and was so much a part of Job, +that I do believe a lock of his hair worn near one's own heart would help +to make it beat more kindly to one's fellow creatures. This idea may be +considered too fanciful, too cat-like, but I believe it notwithstanding.</p> + +<p>Such was the Dog whose autobiography I have great pleasure in presenting +to the world. Many may object to the unpolished style in which his +memoirs are clothed, but all who knew him will easily pardon every want +of elegance in his language; and those who had not the honour of his +acquaintance, will learn to appreciate his character from the plain +spirit of truth which breathes in every line he wrote. I again affirm +that I need make no apology for attaching my name to that of one so +worthy the esteem of his co-dogs, ay, and co-cats too; for in spite of +the differences which have so often raised up a barrier between the +members of his race and ours, not even the noblest among us could be +degraded by raising a "mew" to the honour of such a thoroughly honest +dog.</p> + +<p class='right'> +MINETTE GATTINA. </p> + +<p><span class="smcap">The Upper Mews,<br /> + Caneville.</span></p> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="EARLY_DAYS" id="EARLY_DAYS"></a>EARLY DAYS.</h2> + + +<p>I was not born in this city of Caneville, but was brought here at so +young an age, that I have no recollection of any other place. I do not +remember either my father or my mother. An old doggess,<a name="FNanchor_A_1" id="FNanchor_A_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_A_1" class="fnanchor">[A]</a> who was the +only creature I can recal to mind when I was a pup, took care of me. At +least, she said she did. But from what I recollect, I had to take most +care of myself. It was from her I learnt what I know about my parents. +She has told me that my father was a foreign dog of high rank; from a +country many, many miles away, called Newfoundland, and that my mother +was a member of the Mastiff family. But how I came to be under the care +of herself, and how it happened, if my parents were such superior +animals, that I should be forced to be so poor and dirty, I cannot tell. +I have sometimes ventured to ask her; but as she always replied with a +snarl or a bite, I soon got tired of putting any questions to her. I do +not think she was a very good temper; but I should not like to say so +positively, because I was still young when she died, and perhaps the +blows she gave me, and the bites she inflicted, were only intended for my +good; though I did not think so at the time.</p> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_A_1" id="Footnote_A_1"></a><a href="#FNanchor_A_1"><span class="label">[A]</span></a> I have preferred adopting this word in speaking of female +dogs, as it comes nearer to the original, <i>zaïyen</i>.</p></div> + +<p>As we were very poor, we were forced to live in a wretched kennel in the +dampest part of the town, among dogs no better off than ourselves. The +place we occupied overhung the water, and one day when the old doggess +was punishing me for something I had done, the corner in which I was +crouched being rotten, gave way, and I fell plump into the river. I had +never been in the water before, and I was very frightened, for the stream +was so rapid that it carried me off and past the kennels I knew, in an +instant. I opened my mouth to call out for help; but as I was almost +choked with the water that got into it, I shut it again, and made an +effort<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</a></span> to reach the land. To my surprise I found that, by moving my paws +and legs, I not only got my head well above the water, but was able to +guide myself to the bank, on to which I at length dragged myself, very +tired and out of breath, but quite recovered from my fear. I ran over the +grass towards the town as fast as I could, stopping now and then to shake +my coat, which was not so wet, however, as you would suppose; but before +I had got half way home I met the doggess, hopping along, with her tongue +out of her mouth, panting for breath, she having run all the way from the +kennel, out of which I had popped so suddenly, along the bank, with the +hope of picking me up somewhere. She knew, she said, that I should never +be drowned. But how she <i>could</i> know that was more than I could then +imagine.</p> + +<p>When we met, after I had escaped so great a danger, I flew to her paws, +in the hope of getting a tender lick; but as soon as she recovered +breath, she caught hold of one of my ears with her teeth, and bit it till +I howled with pain, and then set off running with me at a pace which I +found it difficult to keep up with. I remember at the time thinking it +was not very kind of her; but I have since reflected that perhaps she +only did it to brighten me up and prevent me taking cold.</p> + +<p>This was my first adventure, and also my first acquaintance with the +water. From that day I often ventured into the river, and in the end +became so good a swimmer, that there were few dogs in Caneville who could +surpass me in strength and dexterity afloat.</p> + +<p>Many moons came and passed away, and I was getting a big dog. My appetite +grew with my size, and as there was little to eat at home, I was forced +to wander through the streets to look after stray bones; but I was not +the only animal employed thus hunting for a livelihood, and the bits +scattered about the streets being very few and small, some of us, as may +be imagined, got scanty dinners. There was such quarrelling and fighting, +also, for the possession of every morsel, that if you were not willing to +let go any piece you had seized upon, you were certain to have +half-a-dozen curs upon<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</a></span> your back to force you to do so; and the poor +weakly dog, whose only hope of a meal lay in what he might pick up, ran a +sad chance of being starved.</p> + +<p>One of the fiercest fights I have ever been engaged in occurred upon one +of these occasions. I had had no breakfast, and it was already past the +hour when the rich dogs of Caneville were used to dine. Hungry and +disconsolate, I was trotting slowly past a large house, when a side-door +opened, and a servant jerked a piece of meat into the road. In the +greatest joy I pounced upon the prize, but not so quickly but that two +ragged curs, who were no doubt as hungry as myself, managed to rush to +the spot in time to get hold of the other end of it. Then came a struggle +for the dainty; and those who do not know how hard dogs will fight for +their dinner, when they have had no breakfast, should have been there to +learn the lesson. After giving and receiving many severe bites, the two +dogs walked off—perhaps they did not think the meat was worth the +trouble of contending for any longer—and I was left to enjoy my meal in +peace. I had scarcely, however, squatted down, with the morsel between my +paws, than a miserable little puppy, who seemed as if he had had neither +dinner nor breakfast for the last week, came and sat himself at a little +distance from me, and without saying a word, brushed the pebbles about +with his ragged tail, licked his chops, and blinked his little eyes at me +so hopefully, that, hungry as I was, I could not begin my meat. As I +looked at him, I observed two tears gather at the side of his nose, and +grow bigger and bigger until they would no longer stop there, but tumbled +on to the ground. I could bear it no longer. I do not know even now what +ailed me; but my own eyes grew so dim, that there seemed a mist before +them which prevented my seeing anything plainly. I started up, and +pushing to the poor whelp the piece of meat which had cost me three new +rents in my coat and a split ear, I trotted slowly away. I stopped at the +corner to see whether he appeared to enjoy it, and partly to watch that +no other dog should take it from him. The road was quite clear, and the +poor pup quite lost in the unusual<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</a></span> treat of a good meal; so I took my +way homewards, with an empty stomach but a full heart. I was so pleased +to see that little fellow enjoy his dinner so thoroughly.</p> + +<p>This sort of life, wherein one was compelled either to fight for every +bit one could get to eat or go without food altogether, became at last so +tiresome to me that I set about for some other means of providing for my +wants. I could not understand how the old doggess used to manage, but +though she never had anything to give me, she did not seem to be without +food herself. She was getting so much more cross and quarrelsome, perhaps +on account of her age and infirmities, that I now saw but little of her, +as I often, on a fine night, preferred curling myself up under a doorway +or beneath a tree, to returning to the kennel and listening to her feeble +growls. She never seemed to want me there, so I had less difficulty in +keeping away from her.</p> + +<p>Chance assisted me in the choice of my new attempt at getting a living. I +was walking along one of the narrow streets of Caneville, when I was +stopped by an old dog, who was known to be very rich and very miserly. He +had lately invented a novel kind of match for lighting pipes and cigars, +which he called "a fire-fly," the composition of which was so dangerous +that it had already caused a good deal of damage in the town from its +exploding; and he wanted some active young dogs to dispose of his wares +to the passers-by according to the custom of Caneville. As he expected a +good deal of opposition from the venders of a rival article, it was +necessary to make choice of such agents as would not be easily turned +from their purpose for fear of an odd bite or two. I suppose he thought I +was well fitted for the object he had in view. I was very poor—one good +reason, for his employing me, as I would be contented with little; I was +strong, and should therefore be able to get through the work; I was +willing, and bore a reputation for honesty—all sufficient causes for old +Fily (that was his name) to stop me this fine morning and propose my +entering his service. Terms are easily arranged where both parties are +willing to come to an agreement. After being regaled with a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</a></span> mouldy bone, +and dressed out in an old suit of clothes belonging to my new master, +which, in spite of a great hole in one of the knees, I was not a little +proud of, with a bundle of wares under my arm and a box of the famous +"fire-flies" in my paw, I began my commercial career.</p> + +<p>But, alas! either the good dogs of Caneville were little disposed to +speculate that day, or I was very awkward in my occupation, but no one +seemed willing to make a trial of my "fire-flies." In vain I used the +most enticing words to set off my goods, even going so far as to say that +cigars lighted with these matches would have a very much finer flavour, +and could not possibly go out. This I said on the authority of my +employer, who assured me of the fact. It was of no use; not a single +"fire-fly" blazed in consequence, and I began to fear that I was not +destined to make my fortune as a match-seller.</p> + +<p>At length there came sweeping down the street a party which at once +attracted me, and I resolved to use my best efforts to dispose, at least, +of one of my boxes, if it were only to convince my master that I had done +my best. The principal animal of the group was a lady doggess, +beautifully dressed, with sufficient stuff in her gown to cover a dozen +ordinary dogs, a large muff to keep her paws from the cold, and a very +open bonnet with a garden-full of flowers round her face, which, in spite +of her rich clothes, I did not think a very pretty one. A little behind +her was another doggess, not quite so superbly dressed, holding a puppy +by the paw. It was very certain that they were great animals, for two or +three dogs they had just passed had taken off their hats as they went by, +and then put their noses together as if they were saying something about +them.</p> +<p><a name="LADY_BULL" id="LADY_BULL"></a></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 391px;"> +<img src="images/024.png" width="393" height="500" alt="LADY BULL" title="" /> +<span class="caption">LADY BULL</span> +</div> + +<p>I drew near, and for the first time in my life was timid and abashed. The +fine clothes, no doubt, had something to do with making me feel so, +but—I was still very young. Taking courage, I went on tiptoe to the +great lady, and begged her to buy a box of "fire-flies" of a poor dog who +had no other means of gaining his bread. Now, you must know that these +matches had not a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</a></span> pleasant smell—few matches have; but as they were +shut up in the box, the odour could not have been <i>very</i> sensible. +However, when I held up the article towards her ladyship, she put her paw +to her nose—as though to shut out the odour—uttered a low howl, and, +though big enough and strong enough to have sent me head over heels with +a single blow, seemed on the point of falling to the ground. But at the +instant, two male servants, whom I had not seen, ran to her assistance, +while I, who was the innocent cause of all this commotion, stood like a +silly dog that I was, with my box in the air and my mouth wide open, +wondering what it all meant. I was not suffered to remain long in +ignorance; for the two hounds in livery, turning to me, so belaboured my +poor back that I thought at first my bones were broken; while the young +puppy, who, it appears, was her ladyship's youngest son, running behind +me, while I was in this condition, gave my tail such a pull as to cause +me the greatest pain. They then left me in the middle of the road, to +reflect on my ill success in trade, and gather up my stock as I best +could.</p> + +<p>I do not know what it was which made me so anxious to learn the name and +rank of the lady doggess who had been the cause of my severe punishment, +but I eagerly inquired of a kind mongrel, who stopped to help me collect +my scattered goods, if he knew anything about her. He said, she was +called Lady Bull; that her husband. Sir John Bull, had made a large +fortune somehow, and that they lived in a splendid house, had about +thirty puppies, little and big, had plenty of servants, and spent a great +deal of money. He could hardly imagine, he said, that it was the odour of +the "fire-flies" which had occasioned me to be knocked down for upsetting +her ladyship, as she had been a butcher's daughter, and was used to queer +smells, unless her nose had perhaps got more delicate with her change of +position.</p> + +<p>He said much more about her and her peculiarities than I either remember +or care to repeat; but, imagining he had some private reasons for saying +what he did, I thanked him for his trouble, and bid him good day.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</a></span></p> + +<p>Whatever the cause of my failure, it seemed that I was not fitted for the +match-business. At all events, the experience of that morning did not +encourage me sufficiently to proceed. So, returning the unsold +"fire-flies" to old Fily, I made him a present of the time I had already +spent in his service, and, with a thoughtful face and aching bones, took +my way towards the kennel by the water-side.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHANGES" id="CHANGES"></a>CHANGES.</h2> + + +<p>The sun was just going down as I came in sight of the river and the row +of poor kennels which stood on the bank, many of them, like our own, +projecting half over the water. I could not help wondering at the pretty +effect they made at a distance, with the blue river dancing gaily by +their side, the large trees of the wood on the opposite bank waving in +beauty, and the brilliant sun changing everything that his rays fell upon +into gold. He made the poor kennels look so splendid for the time, that +no one would have thought the animals who lived in them could ever be +poor or unhappy. But when the rich light was gone,—gone with the sun +which made it to some other land,—it seemed as if the whole place was +changed. The trees shivered as though a cold wind was stirring them. The +river ran dark and sullenly by the poor houses; and the houses themselves +looked more wretched, I thought, than they had ever appeared before. Yet, +somehow, they were more homelike in their dismal state than when they had +a golden roof and purple sides, so, resuming my walk, for I had stopped +to admire the pretty picture, I soon came near the door.</p> + +<p>It was open, as usual. But what was <i>not</i> usual, was to hear other sounds +from within than the voice of the old doggess, making ceaseless moans. +Now it seemed as if all the doggesses of the neighbourhood had met in the +poor hut to pass the evening, for there was such confusion of tongues, +and such a rustling sound, as<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</a></span> told me, before I peeped inside, that +there was a large party got together, and that tails were wagging at a +fearful rate.</p> + +<p>When I stood before the open door, all the scene broke upon me. On her +bed of straw, evidently at the point of death, lay my poor doggess. Her +eyes had almost lost their fierce expression, and were becoming fixed and +glassy—a slight tremor in her legs and movement of her stumpy tail, were +all that told she was yet living; not even her breast was seen to heave.</p> + +<p>I had not much reason to bear love to the old creature for any kindness +she had ever shown me, but this sight overcame me at once. Springing to +her aide, and upsetting half a dozen of the gossips by the movement, I +laid my paw on hers; and, involuntarily raising my head in the air, I +sent forth a howl which shook the rotten timbers of the old kennel, and +so frightened the assembled party as to make them scamper out of the +place like mad things. The sound even called back the departing senses of +the dying doggess. She drew me to her with her paws, and made an effort +to lick me. The action quite melted me. I put down my head to hers and +felt a singular pleasure mixed with grief whilst I licked and caressed +her, I could not help thinking then, as I have often thought since, of +how much happiness we had lost by not being more indulgent to each +other's faults, forgiving and loving one another. She also seemed to be +of this opinion, if I might judge by the grateful look and passive manner +in which she received my attentions. Perhaps the near approach of her end +gave a softness to her nature which was unusual to her; it is not +unlikely; but, of a certainty, I never felt before how much I was losing, +as when I saw that poor doggess's life thus ebbing away.</p> + +<p>Night had come on while I sat watching by her side. Everything about the +single room had become more and more indistinct, until all objects were +alike blended in the darkness. I could no longer distinguish the shape of +my companion, and, but that I <i>knew</i> she was there, I could have thought +myself alone. The wind had fallen; the water seemed to run more gently +than it was wont to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</a></span> do; and the noises which generally make themselves +heard in the streets of Caneville appeared to be singularly quieted. But +once only, at another period of my life, which I shall speak of in its +proper place, do I ever remember to have been so struck by the silence, +and to have felt myself so entirely alone.</p> + +<p>The moon appeared to rise quicker that night, as though it pitied the +poor forlorn dog. It peeped over an opposite house, and directly after, +shone coldly but kindly through the open door. At least, its light seemed +to come like the visit of a friend, in spite of its showing me what I +feared, that I was <i>indeed</i> alone in the world. The poor doggess had died +in the darkness between the setting of the sun and the moon's rise.</p> + +<p>I was sure that she was dead, yet I howled no more. My grief was very +great; for it is a sad, sad thing when you are young to find you are +without friends; perhaps sadder when you are old; but that, I fortunately +do not myself know, for I am old, and have many friends. I recollect +putting my nose between my paws, and lying at full length on the floor, +waiting till the bright sun should come again, and thinking of my forlorn +condition. I must have slept and dreamed—yet I thought I was still in +the old kennel with the dead doggess by my side. But everything seemed to +have found a voice, and to be saying kind things to me.</p> + +<p>The river, as it ran and shook the supports of the old kennel, appeared +to cry out in a rough but gay tone: "Job, Job, my dog, cheer up, cheer +up; the world is before you, Job, cheer up, cheer up." The light wind +that was coming by that way stopped to speak to me as it passed. It flew +round the little room, and whispered as it went: "Poor dog, poor dog, you +are very lonely; but the good need not be so; the good may have friends, +dear Job, however poor!" The trees, as they waved their heads, sent +kindly words across the water, that made their way to my heart right +through the chinks of the old cabin; and when morning broke, and a bright +sky smiled beautifully upon the streets of Caneville, I woke up, sad +indeed, but full of hope.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</a></span></p> + +<p>Some ragged curs arrived, and carried the old doggess away. She was very +heavy, and they were forced to use all their strength. I saw her cast +into the water, which she disliked so much alive; I watched her floating +form until the rapid current bore it into the wood, and I stayed sitting +on the brink of the river wondering where it would reach at last, and +what sort of places must lie beyond the trees. I had an idea in my own +mind that the sun rested there all night, only I could not imagine how it +came up again in the morning in quite an opposite quarter; but then I was +such a young and ignorant puppy!</p> + +<p>After thinking about this and a good many other matters of no importance +to my story, I got upon my legs, and trotted gently along the bank, +towards a part of the city which I did not remember to have seen before. +The houses were very few, but they were large and handsome, and all had +pretty gardens in nice order, with flowers which smelt so sweet, that I +thought the dogs who could always enjoy such advantages must be very +happy. But one of the houses, larger than all the rest, very much struck +me, for I had never an idea of such a splendid place being in Caneville. +It was upon a little hill that stood at some distance from the river, and +the ground which sloped down from the house into the water was covered +with such beautiful grass, that it made one long to nibble and roll upon +it.</p> + +<p>While I was quietly looking at this charming scene, I was startled by a +loud noise of barking and howling higher up the river, and a confused +sound, as if a great many dogs were assembled at one place, all calling +out together. I ran at once in the direction of the hubbub, partly out of +curiosity and in part from some other motive, perhaps the notion of being +able to render some help.</p> + +<p>A little before me the river had a sudden bend, and the bank rose high, +which prevented me seeing the cause of the noise; but when I reached the +top, the whole scene was before me. On my side of the river a great crowd +had assembled, who were looking<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</a></span> intently upon something in the water; +and on the opposite bank there was a complete stream of dogs, running +down to the hill which belonged to the beautiful house I had been +admiring. Every dog, as he ran, seemed to be trying to make as much noise +as he could; and those I spoke to were barking so loudly, and jumping +about in such a way, that I could at first get no explanation of what was +the matter. At last I saw that the struggling object in the water was a +young puppy, which seemed very nicely dressed, and at the same moment the +mongrel, who had helped me to pick up my matches the day before, came +alongside of me, and said: "Ah, young firefly, how are you? Isn't this a +game? That old Lady Bull who got you such a drubbing yesterday, is in a +pretty mess. Her thirty-second pup has just tumbled into the water, and +will certainly be drowned. Isn't she making a fuss? just look!"</p> + +<p>One rapid glance showed me the grand lady he spoke of, howling most +fearfully on the other side of the stream, while two pups, about the same +size as the one in the water, and a stout dog, who looked like the papa, +were sometimes catching hold of her and then running about, not knowing +what to do.</p> + +<p>I stopped no longer. I threw off my over-coat, and running to a higher +part of the bank, leapt into the water, the mongrel's voice calling after +me: "What are you going to do? Don't you know its the son of the old +doggess who had you beat so soundly? Look at your shoulder, where the +hair has been all knocked off with the blows?" Without paying the least +attention to these words, which I could not help hearing they were called +out so loudly, I used all my strength to reach the poor little pup, who, +tired with his efforts to help himself, had already floated on to his +back, while his tiny legs and paws were moving feebly in the air. I +reached him after a few more efforts, and seizing his clothes with my +teeth, I got his head above the water, and swam with my load slowly +towards the bank.</p> + +<p>As I got nearer, I could see Lady Bull, still superbly dressed, but +without her bonnet, throw up her paws and nose towards the sky, and fall +back into the arms of her husband; while the two<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</a></span> pups by her side +expressed their feelings in different ways; for one stuffed his little +fists into his eyes, and the other waved his cap in the air, and broke +forth into a succession of infantile bow-wows.</p> +<p><a name="GOOD_DOG" id="GOOD_DOG"></a></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 395px;"> +<img src="images/032.png" width="396" height="500" alt="GOOD DOG!" title="" /> +<span class="caption">GOOD DOG!</span> +</div> + +<p>On reaching, the bank, I placed my load at the feet of his poor mother, +who threw herself by his side and hugged him to her breast, in a way +which proved how much tenderness was under those fine clothes and +affected manners. The others stood around her uttering low moans of +sympathy, and I, seeing all so engaged and taken up with the recovered +dog, quietly, and, as I thought, unseen by all, slid back into the water, +and permitted myself to be carried by the current down the river. I +crawled out at some short distance from the spot where this scene had +taken place, and threw myself on to the grass, in order to rest from my +fatigue and allow the warm sun to dry my saturated clothes. What I felt I +can scarce describe, although I remember so distinctly everything +connected with that morning. My principal sensation was that of savage +joy, to think I had saved the son of the doggess who had caused me such +unkind treatment. I was cruel enough, I am sorry to say, to figure to +myself her pain at receiving such a favour from me—but that idea soon +passed away, on reflecting that perhaps she would not even know to whom +she owed her son's escape from death.</p> + +<p>In the midst of my ruminations, a light step behind me caused me to raise +my head. I was positively startled at the beautiful object which I +beheld. It was a lady puppy about my own age, but so small in size, and +with such an innocent sweet look, that she seemed much younger. Her dress +was of the richest kind, and her bonnet, which had fallen back from her +head, showed her glossy dark hair and drooping ears that hung gracefully +beside her cheeks. Poorly as I was dressed, and wet as I still was from +my bath, she sat herself beside me, and putting her little soft paw upon +my shoulder, said, with a smile—</p> + +<p>"Ah, Job!—for I know that's your name—did you think you could get off +so quietly without any one seeing you, or stopping you, or saying one +single 'thank you, Job,' for being such a good<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</a></span> noble dog as you are? Did +you think there was not one sharp eye in Caneville to watch the saver, +but that all were fixed upon the saved? That every tongue was so engaged +in sympathizing with the mother, that not one was left to praise the +brave? If you thought this, dear Job, you did me and others wrong, great +wrong. There are some dogs, at least, who may forget an injury, but who +never forget a noble action, and I have too great a love for my species +to let you think so. I shall see you again, dear Job, though I must leave +you now. I should be blamed if it were known that I came here to talk to +you as I have done; but I could not help it, I could not let you believe +that a noble heart was not understood in Caneville. Adieu. Do not forget +the name of Fida."</p> + +<p>She stooped down, and for a moment her silky hair waved on my rough +cheek, while her soft tongue gently licked my face. Before I could open +my mouth in reply—before, indeed, I had recovered from my surprise, and +the admiration which this beautiful creature caused me, she was gone. I +sprang on to my legs to observe which way she went, but not a trace of +her could I see, and I thought it would not be proper to follow her. When +I felt certain of being alone, I could hardly restrain my feelings. I +threw myself on my back, I rolled upon the grass, I turned head over +heels in the boisterousness of my spirit, and then gambolled round and +round like a mad thing.</p> + +<p>Did I believe all the flattering praises which the lovely Fida had +bestowed on me? I might perhaps have done so then, and in my inexperience +might have fancied that I was quite a hero. Time has taught me another +lesson. It has impressed upon me the truth, that when we do our duty we +do only what should be expected of every dog; only what every dog ought +to do. Of the two, Fida had done the nobler action. She had shown not +only a promptness to feel what she considered good, but she had had the +courage to say so in private to the doer, although he was of the poorest +and she of the richest class of Caneville society. In saving the little +pup's life, I had risked nothing; I knew my strength, and felt certain I +could<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</a></span> bring him safely to the shore. If I had <i>not</i> tried to save the +poor little fellow I should have been in part guilty of his death. But +she, in bestowing secret praise and encouragement upon a poor dog who had +no friends to admire her for so doing, while her action would perhaps +bring blame upon her from her proud friends, did that which was truly +good and noble.</p> + +<p>The thought of returning to my solitary home after the sad scene of the +night before, and particularly after the new feelings just excited, was +not a pleasant one. The bright sky and fresh air seemed to suit me better +than black walls and the smell of damp straw. Resolving in my mind, +however, to leave it as soon as possible, I re-crossed the river, and, +with a slower step than usual, took the road which led thither.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="UPS_AND_DOWNS" id="UPS_AND_DOWNS"></a>UPS AND DOWNS.</h2> + + +<p>I should not probably have spoken of these last incidents in my life, as +the relation of them savours rather too much of vanity, but for certain +results of the highest importance to my future fortunes.</p> + +<p>When I reached the old kennel I found, waiting my return, two terrier +dogs in livery, with bulls' heads grinning from such a quantity of +buttons upon their lace coats that it was quite startling. They brought a +polite message from Sir John and Lady Bull, begging me to call upon them +without delay. As the servants had orders to show me the road, we set off +at once.</p> + +<p>I was very silent on the journey, for my companions were so splendidly +dressed that I could not help thinking they must be very superior dogs +indeed; and I was rather surprised, when they spoke to each other, to +find that they talked just like any other animals, and a good deal more +commonly than many that I knew. But such is the effect of fine clothes +upon those who know no better.</p> + +<p>We soon reached the grounds of the mansion, having crossed the river in a +boat that was waiting for us; and after passing through a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</a></span> garden more +beautiful than my poor dog's brain had ever imagined, we at last stood +before the house itself. I need not describe to you, who know the place +so well, the vastness of the building or the splendour of its appearance. +What struck me more even than the palace, was the number of the servants +and the richness of their clothes. Each of them seemed fine enough to be +the master of the place, and appeared really to think so, if I could +judge by the way they strutted about and the look they gave at my poor +apparel. I was much abashed at first to find myself in such a company and +make so miserable a figure; but I was consoled with the thought that not +one of them that morning had ventured, in spite of his eating his +master's meat and living in his master's house, to plunge into the water +to save his master's son. Silly dog that I was! it did not enter my head +at the same time to inquire whether any of them had learnt to swim.</p> + +<p>If the outside of the mansion had surprised me by its beauty, the +interior appeared of course much more extraordinary to my ignorant mind. +Every thing I was unused to looked funny or wonderful; and if I had not +been restrained by the presence of such great dogs, I should have +sometimes laughed outright, and at others broken forth into expressions +of surprise.</p> + +<p>The stout Sir John Bull was standing in the middle of the room when I +entered it, while the stouter Lady Bull was lying on a kind of sofa, that +seemed quite to sink beneath her weight. I found out afterwards that it +was the softness of the sofa which made it appear so; for sitting on it +myself, at my Lady's request, I jumped up in the greatest alarm, on +finding the heaviest part of my body sink lower and lower down, and my +tail come flapping into my face.</p> + +<p>Sir John and Lady Bull now thanked me very warmly for what I had done, +and said a great many things which it is not worth while to repeat. I +remember they were very pleasing to me then, but I am sure cannot be +interesting to you now. After their thanks, Sir John began to talk to me +about myself—about my parents—my wishes—what I intended to do—and +what were my means? To<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</a></span> his great surprise he learnt that parents I had +none; that my only wishes were the desire to do some good for myself and +others, and earn my meat; that I had no notion what I intended doing, and +had no means whatever to do anything with. It may be believed that I +willingly accepted his offer to watch over a portion of his grounds, to +save them from the depredations of thieves, on condition of my receiving +good clothes, plenty of food, and a comfortable house to live in. It was +now my turn to be thankful. But although my heart was full at this piece +of good fortune, and I could <i>think</i> of a great many things to say to +show my gratitude, not a single word could I find to express it in, but +stood before them like a dumb dog, with only the wave of my tail to +explain my thanks. They seemed, however, to understand it, and I was at +once ordered a complete suit of clothes and everything fitted for my new +position. I was also supplied with the most abundant supper I had ever +had in my life, and went to rest upon the most delightful bed; so that +before I went to sleep, and I do believe afterwards too, I kept saying to +myself, "Job, Job, you have surely got some other dog's place; all this +good luck can't be meant for you; what have you done, Job, that you +should eat such meat, and sleep on so soft a bed, and be spoken to so +kindly? Don't forget yourself, Job; there must be some mistake." But when +I got up in the morning, and found a breakfast for me as nice as the +supper, and looked at my clothes, which, if not so smart as some of the +others, were better and finer than any I could ever have thought I should +have worn, I was at last convinced, that although I was poor Job, and +although I did not, perhaps, deserve all the happiness I felt, that it +was not a dream, but real, plain truth. "As it is so," I said again, "I +must do my duty as well as I am able, for that is the only way a poor dog +like me can show his gratitude."</p> + +<p>After breakfast, I accompanied Sir John to the place of my future home. A +quarter of an hour's walk brought us to a gentle hill, which, similar to +the one whereon the mansion itself was situated, sloped downwards to the +water. One or two trees, like giant<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</a></span> sentinels, stood near the top, and +behind them waved the branches of scores more, while beyond for many a +mile spread the dark mass of the thick forest of which I have more than +once made mention. Nearly at the foot of the hill, beneath a spreading +oak, was a cottage, a very picture of peace and neatness; and as we +paused, Sir John pointed out the peculiarities of the position and +explained my duties. It appeared that this part of his grounds was noted +for a delicate kind of bird, much esteemed by himself and his family, and +which was induced to flock there by regular feeding and the quiet of the +situation. This fact was, however, perfectly well known to others besides +Sir John; and as these others were just as fond of the birds as himself, +they were accustomed to pay nightly visits to the forbidden ground, and +carry off many of the plumpest fowl. The wood was known to shelter many a +wandering fox, who, although dwelling so near the city, could not be +prevailed on to abandon their roguish habits and live in a civilised +manner. These birds were particularly to their taste, and it required the +greatest agility to keep off the cunning invaders, for, though they had +no great courage, and would not attempt to resist a bold dog, they +frequently succeeded in eluding all vigilance and getting off with their +booty. Often, too, a stray cur, sometimes two or three together, from the +lowest classes of the population, would, when moved by hunger, make a +descent on the preserves, and battles of a fierce character not seldom +occurred, for, unlike the foxes, they were never unwilling to fight, but +showed the utmost ferocity when attacked, and were often the aggressors. +But those were not all. The grounds were exactly opposite that part of +the city of Caneville known as the "Mews," and occupied by the cat +population, who have a general affection for most birds, and held these +preserved ones in particular esteem. Fortunately, the water that +interposed was a formidable barrier for the feline visitors, as few +pussies like to wet their feet; but, by some means or other, they +frequently found their way across, and by their dexterity, swiftness, and +the quiet of their movements, committed terrible ravages among the birds. +When Sir John had told me all this, he led the way<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</a></span> down the hill to the +small house under the tree. It had two rooms, with a kennel at the back. +The front room was the parlour, and I thought few places could have been +so neat and pretty. The back was the sleeping-room, and the windows of +both looked out upon the soft grass and trees, and showed a fine view of +the river.</p> + +<p>"This," said Sir John, "is your house, and I hope you will be happy in it +yourself, and be of service to me. You will not be alone, for +there"—pointing to the kennel at the back—"sleeps an old servant of the +family, who will assist you in your duties."</p> + +<p>He then called out "Nip," when a rumbling noise was heard from the +kennel, and directly after a lame hound came hopping round to the door. +The sight of this old fellow was not pleasant at first, for his hair was +a grizzly brown and his head partly bald; his eyes were sunk, and, +indeed, almost hidden beneath his bushy brows, and his cheeks hung down +below his mouth and shook with every step he took. I soon found out that +he was as singular in his manners as in his looks, and had such a dislike +to talking that it was a rare thing for him to say more than two or three +words at one time. Sir John told him who I was, and desired him to obey +my orders; commanded us both to be good friends and not quarrel, as +strange dogs were rather apt to do; and after some more advice left us to +ourselves, I in a perfect dream of wonderment, and "Nip" sitting winking +at me in a way that I thought more funny than agreeable.</p> + +<p>After we had sat looking at one another for some time, I said, just to +break the silence, which was becoming tiresome—</p> + +<p>"A pretty place this!"</p> + +<p>Nip winked.</p> + +<p>"Have you been here long?" I asked.</p> + +<p>"Think so," said Nip.</p> + +<p>"All alone?" I inquired.</p> + +<p>"Almost," Nip replied.</p> + +<p>"Much work to do, eh?" I asked.</p> + +<p>The only answer Nip gave to this was by winking first one eye<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</a></span> and then +the other, and making his cheeks rise and fall in a way so droll that I +could not help laughing, at which Nip seemed to take offence, for without +waiting for any farther questions he hopped out of the room, and I saw +him, soon after, crawling softly up the hill, as if on the look out for +some of the thieves Sir John had spoken of.</p> + +<p>I, too, went off upon the watch. I took my way along the bank, I glided +among the bushes, ran after a young fox whose sharp nose I spied pointed +up a tree, but without catching him, and finally returned to my new home +by the opposite direction. Nip came in shortly after, and we sat down to +our dinner.</p> + +<p>Although this portion of my life was, perhaps, the happiest I have ever +known, it has few events worth relating. The stormy scenes which are so +painful to the dog who suffers them, are those which are most interesting +to the hearer; while the quiet days, that glide peacefully away, are so +like each other, that an account of one of them is a description of many. +A few hours can be so full of action, as to require volumes to describe +them properly, and the history of whole years can be written on a single +page.</p> + +<p>I tried, as I became fixed in my new position, to do what I had resolved +when I entered it; namely, my duty. I think I succeeded; I certainly +obtained my master's praise, and sometimes my own; for I had a habit of +talking to myself, as Nip so rarely opened his mouth, and would praise or +blame myself just as I thought I deserved it. I am afraid I was not +always just, but too often said, "Well done, Job; that's right, Job;" +when I ought to have called out, "You're wrong, Job; you ought to feel, +Job, that you're wrong;" but it is not so easy a thing to be just, even +to ourselves.</p> + +<p>One good lesson I learned in that little cottage, which has been of use +to me all my life through; and that was, to be very careful about judging +dogs by their looks. There was old Nip: when I first saw him, I thought I +had never beheld such an ugly fellow in my life, and could not imagine +how anything good was to be expected from so cross a looking, ragged old +hound. And yet nothing could<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</a></span> be more beautiful, more loveable than dear +old Nip, when you came to know him well. All the misfortunes he had +suffered, all the knocks he had received in passing through the world, +seemed to have made his heart more tender; and he was so entirely +good-natured, that in all the time we were together, I never heard him +say an unkind thing of living or dead animal. I believe his very silence +was caused by the goodness of his disposition; for as he could not help +seeing many things he did not like, but could not alter, he preferred +holding his tongue to saying what could not be agreeable. Dear, dear Nip! +if ever it should be resolved to erect a statue of goodness in the public +place of Caneville, they ought to take you for a model; you would not be +so pleasant to look on as many finer dogs, but when once known, your +image would be loved, dear Nip, as I learned to love the rugged original.</p> + +<p>It can be of no interest to you to hear the many fights we had in +protecting the property of our master during the first few moons after my +arrival. Almost every night we were put in danger of lives, for the curs +came in such large numbers that there was a chance of our being pulled to +pieces in the struggle. Yet we kept steady watch; and after a time, +finding, I suppose, that we were never sleeping at our post, and that our +courage rose with every fresh attack, the thieves gradually gave up open +war, and only sought to entrap the birds by artifice; and, like the foxes +and cats, came sneaking into the grounds, and trusted to the swiftness of +their legs rather than the sharpness of their teeth when Nip or I caught +sight of them.</p> + +<p>And thus a long, long time passed away. I had, meanwhile, grown to my +full size, and was very strong and active: not so stout as I have got in +these later years, when my toes sometimes ache with the weight which +rests on them, but robust and agile, and as comely, I believe, as most +dogs of my age and descent.</p> + +<p>The uniformity of my life, which I have spoken of as making me so happy, +was interrupted only by incidents that did not certainly cause me +displeasure. I renewed my acquaintance with "Fida," no<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</a></span> longer <i>little</i> +Fida, for she had grown to be a beautiful lady-dog. Our second meeting +was by chance, but we talked like old friends, so much had our first done +to remove all strangeness. I don't think the next time we saw each other +was quite by accident. If I remember rightly, it was not; and we often +met afterwards. We agreed that we should do all we could to assist one +another, though what <i>I</i> could do for so rich and clever a lady-dog I +could not imagine, although I made the promise very willingly. On her +part, she did for me what I can never sufficiently repay. She taught me +to read, lending me books containing strange stories of far-off +countries, and beautiful poetry, written by some deep dogs of the city; +she taught me to write; and in order to exercise me, made me compose +letters to herself, which Nip carried to her, bringing me back such +answers as would astonish you; for when you thought you had got to the +end, they began all over again in another direction. Besides these, she +taught me to speak and act properly, in the way that well-behaved dogs +ought to do; for I had been used to the company of such low and poor +animals, that it was not surprising if I should make sad blunders in +speech and manners. I need not say that she taught me to love herself, +for that you will guess I had done from the first day I saw her, when I +was wet from my jump in the river, and she spoke to me such flattering +words. No; she could not teach me more love for herself than I already +knew. That lesson had been learnt <i>by heart</i>, and at a single sitting.</p> + +<p>Our peaceful days were drawing to a close. Sir John died. Lady Bull lived +on for a short time longer. Many said, when she followed, that she ate +herself to death; but I mention the rumour in order to deny it, for I am +sure it was grief that killed her. It is a pity some dogs will repeat +everything they hear, without considering the mischief such tittle-tattle +may occasion—although it has been asserted by many that in this case the +false intelligence came from the Cats, who had no great affection for +poor Lady Bull. Whatever the cause, she died, and with her the employment +of poor Nip and myself. The young Bulls who came into possession of the +estate, sold the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</a></span> preserves to a stranger; and as the new proprietor +intended killing off the birds, and did not require keepers, there being +no longer anything for them to do, we were turned upon the world.</p> + +<p>The news came upon us so suddenly, that we were quite unprepared for it; +and we were, besides, so far from being rich, that it was a rather +serious matter to find out how we should live until we could get some +other occupation. I was not troubled for myself; for, though I had been +used to good feeding lately, I did not forget the time when I was often +forced to go the whole day with scarce a bit to eat; but the thought of +how poor old Nip would manage gave me some pain.</p> + +<p>Having bid adieu to the peaceful cottage, where we had spent such happy +times, we left the green fields and pleasant trees and proceeded to the +town, where, after some difficulty, we found a humble little house which +suited our change of fortune. Here we began seriously to muse over what +we should do. I proposed making a ferry-boat of my back, and, stationing +myself at the waterside near the "Mews," swim across the river with such +cats as required to go over and did not like to walk as far as where the +boat was accustomed to be. By these means I calculated on making enough +money to keep us both comfortably. Nip thought not. He said that the cats +would not trust me—few cats ever did trust the dogs—and then, though he +did not dislike cats, not at all, for he knew a great many very sensible +cats, and very good ones too, he did not like the idea of seeing his +friend walked over by cats or dogs, or any other animal, stranger or +domestic. Besides, there were other objections. Strong as I was, I could +not expect, if I made a boat of myself, that I could go on and on without +wanting repair any more than a real boat; but where was the carpenter to +put <i>me</i> to rights, or take out <i>my</i> rotten timbers and put in fresh +ones. No; that would not do; we must think of something else.</p> + +<p>It must not be imagined that Nip made all this long speech in one breath, +or in a dozen breaths. It took him a whole morning to explain himself +even as clearly as I have tried to do; and perhaps I<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</a></span> may still have +written what he did not quite intend, for his words came out with a jump, +one or two at a time, and often so suddenly that it would have startled a +dog who was not used to his manner.</p> + +<p>Nip himself made the next proposal, and though I did not exactly like it, +there seemed so little choice, that I at once agreed to do my part in the +scheme. Nip was the son of a butcher, and though he had followed the +trade but a short time himself, he was a very good judge of meat. He, +therefore, explained that if I would undertake to become the seller, he +would purchase and prepare the meat, and he thought he could make it look +nice enough to induce the dogs to come and buy.</p> + +<p>Our stock of money being very small, a house-shop was out of the +question, so there was no chance of getting customers from the better +class,—a thing which I regretted, as I had little taste for the society +of the vulgar; but, again, as it could not be helped, the only thing to +do was to make the best of it. A wheelbarrow was therefore bought by Nip, +with what else was necessary to make me a complete "walking butcher," and +having got in a stock of meat the day before, Nip cut, and contrived, and +shaped, and skewered, in so quiet and business-like a way as proved he +knew perfectly well what he was about. With early morning, after Nip had +arranged my dress with the same care as he had bestowed upon the barrow +and its contents, I wheeled my shop into the street, and amid a great +many winks of satisfaction from my dear old friend, I went trudging +along, bringing many a doggess to the windows of the little houses by my +loud cry of "Me-eet! Fresh me-eet!"</p> + +<p>As I was strange in my new business, and did not feel quite at my ease, I +fancied every dog I met, and every eye that peeped from door and +casement, stared at me in a particular manner, as if they knew I was +playing my part for the first time, and were watching to see how I did +it. The looks that were cast at my meat, were all, I thought, intended +for me, and when a little puppy leered suspiciously at the barrow as he +was crossing the road, no doubt to see that it did not run over him, I +could only imagine that he was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</a></span> thinking of the strange figure I made, +and my awkward attempt at getting a living. Feelings like these no doubt +alarm every new beginner; but time and habit, if they do not reconcile us +to our lot, will make it at least easier to perform, and thus, after some +two hours' journeying through the narrow lanes of Caneville, I did what +my business required of me with more assurance than when I first set out.</p> + +<p>One thing, however, was very distasteful to me, and I could so little +bear to see it, that I even spoke of it aloud, and ran the risk of +offending some of my customers. I mean the <i>way</i> in which several of the +dogs devoured the meat after they had bought it. You will think that when +they had purchased their food and paid for it, they had a right to eat it +as they pleased: I confess it; nothing can be more true; but still, my +ideas had changed so of late, that it annoyed me very much to see many of +these curs, living as they did in the most civilized city in this part of +the world, gnawing their meat as they held it on the ground with their +paws, and growling if any one came near as though there was no such thing +as a police in Caneville. I forgot when I was scolding these poor dogs, +that perhaps they had never been taught better, and deserved pity rather +than blame. I forgot too that I had myself behaved as they did before I +had been blessed with happier fortune, and that, even then, if I had +looked into my own conduct, I should have found many things more worthy +of censure than these poor curs' mode of devouring their food.</p> + +<p>The lane I was passing along was cut across by a broad and open street, +the favourite promenade of the fashionables of Caneville. There might be +seen about mid-day, when the sun was shining, troops of well-dressed dogs +and a few superior cats, some attended by servants, others walking alone, +and many in groups of two or three, the male dogs smoking cigars, the +ladies busily talking, while they looked at and admired one another's +pretty dresses and bonnets.</p> + +<p>By the time I had got thus far, I had become tolerably used to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</a></span> my new +work, and could imagine that when the passers-by cast their eyes on my +barrow, their glances had more to do with the meat than with myself. But +I did not like the idea of crossing the road where such grand dogs were +showing off their finery. After a little inward conversation with myself, +which finished with my muttering between my teeth, "Job, brother Job, I +am ashamed of you! where is your courage, brother Job? Go on; go on;" I +went on without further delay.</p> + +<p>I had got half-way across, and was already beginning to praise myself for +the ease with which I turned my barrow in and out of the crowd without +running over the toes of any of the puppies, who were far too much +engaged to look after them themselves when a dirty little cur stopped me +to buy a penn'orth of meat. I set down my load just in time to avoid +upsetting a very fat and splendidly dressed doggess, who must, if I had +run the wheel into her back, and it was very near it, have gone head +foremost into the barrow. This little incident made me very hot, and I +did not get cooler when my customer squatted down in the midst of the +well-dressed crowd, and began tearing his meat in the way I have before +described as being so unpleasant. At the same moment another dog by his +side, with a very ragged coat, and queer little face, held up his paw to +ask for "a little bit," as he was very hungry, "only a little bit." I +should, probably, have given him a morsel, as I remembered the time when +I wanted it as much as he seemed to do, but for an unexpected meeting. +Turning my head at a rustling just behind me, I saw a well-dressed dog, +with a hat of the last fashion placed so nicely on his head that it +seemed to be resting on the bridge of his nose, the smoke from a cigar +issuing gracefully from his mouth, and his head kept in an upright +posture by a very stiff collar which ran round the back of his neck, and +entirely prevented his turning round his head without a great deal of +care and deliberation, while a tuft of hair curled nicely from beneath +his chin, and gave a fine finish to the whole dog. But though I have +spoken of this Caneville fashionable, it was not he who caused the +rustling noise, or who<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</a></span> most attracted my attention. Tripping beside +him, with her soft paw beneath his, was a lady-dog, whose very dress told +her name, at least in my eyes, before I saw her face. I felt sure that it +was Fida, and I wished myself anywhere rather than in front of that +barrow with an ill-bred cur at my feet gnawing the penn'orth of meat he +had just bought of me. Before I had time to catch up my load and depart, +a touch on my shoulder, so gentle that it would not have hurt a fly, and +yet which made me tremble more than if it had been the grip of a giant +animal, forced me again to turn. It <i>was</i> Fida; as beautiful and as fresh +as ever, who gave me a sweet smile of recognition and encouragement as +she passed with her companion, and left me standing there as stupid and +uncomfortable as if I had been caught doing something wrong.</p> +<p><a name="A_CANINE_BUTCHER" id="A_CANINE_BUTCHER"></a></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 375px;"> +<img src="images/047.png" width="384" height="500" alt="A CANINE BUTCHER" title="" /> +<span class="caption">A CANINE BUTCHER</span> +</div> + +<p>You will say that it was very ridiculous in me to feel so ashamed and +disconcerted at being seen by her or any other dog or doggess in my +common dress, and following an honest occupation. I do not deny it. And +in telling you these things I have no wish to spare myself, I have no +excuse to offer, but only to relate events and describe feelings +precisely as they were.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THE_INUNDATION" id="THE_INUNDATION"></a>THE INUNDATION.</h2> + + +<p>That evening it seemed as if Nip and I had changed characters. It was he +who did all the talking, while I sat in a corner, full of thought, and +answered yes or no to everything he said, and sometimes in the wrong +place, I am sure; for once or twice he looked at me very attentively, and +winked in a way which proved that he was puzzled by my manner.</p> + +<p>The reason of his talkativeness was the success I had attained in my +first morning's walk, for I had sold nearly all the meat, and brought +home a pocket full of small money. The cause of my silence was the +unexpected meeting with Fida, and the annoyance I<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</a></span> felt at having been +seen by her in such a position. This was the first time I had set eyes on +her for several days. When we left our pretty country lodging, I wrote +her a letter, which Nip carried as usual to her house, but he was told +that she had gone on a visit to some friends at a distance, but that the +letter should be given to her on her return. I had not, therefore, been +able to inform her of what we had been compelled to do, as I would have +wished; but thus, without preparation, quite unexpectedly, I had been met +by her in the public street, acting the poor dogs' butcher, with the +implements of my business before me, and a dirty cur growling and gnawing +his dinner at my feet. What made the matter more serious, for serious it +seemed to me, though I can but smile <i>now</i> to think why such a thing +should have made me uncomfortable, was, that the whole scene had taken +place in so open a part, with so many grand and gay dogs all round, to be +witnesses of my confusion. I did not reflect that, of all the puppies who +were strutting past, there was probably not one who could have remembered +so common an event as the passing of a butcher's barrow; and if they +looked at me at all, it was, doubtless, for no other reason than to avoid +running against my greasy coat and spoiling their fine clothes. These +confessions will prove to you that I was very far from being a wise dog +or even a sensible one; all the books I had read had, as yet, served no +other purpose than that of feeding my vanity and making me believe I was +a very superior animal; and you may learn from this incident, that those +who wish to make a proper figure in the world, and play the part they are +called on to perform in a decent manner, must study their lesson in the +world itself, by mingling with their fellows, for books alone can no more +teach such knowledge than it can teach a dog to swim without his going +into the water.</p> + +<p>Nip and I had our dinner; and when it was over, my old friend went out to +procure a supply of meat for the next day's business. I sat at the window +with my nose resting on the ledge, at times watching some heavy clouds +which were rolling up the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</a></span> sky, as if to attend a great meeting overhead; +at another moment, looking at the curs in the streets, who were playing +all sorts of games, which generally turned into a fight, and often +staring at the house opposite without seeing a single stone in the wall, +but in their place, Fidas, and puppies with stiff collars, and barrows +with piles of meat, ready cut and skewered. I was awoke from this +day-dream by the voice of an old, but very clean doggess, inquiring if my +name was Mr. Job? I answered that I was so called, when she drew from her +pocket and gave me a pink-coloured note, which smelt like a nice garden, +and even brought one to my view as plainly as if it had suddenly danced +before me, and saying there was no reply, returned by the way she had +come.</p> + +<p>I did not require to be told by whom it was sent. I knew the writing too +well. The neat folding, the small but clean address assured me that a +lady's paw had done it all, and every word of the direction—</p> + +<p class='letrbox'> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">MASTER JOB, </span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 4em;">In the Little Dogs' Street, </span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">F. LOWER CANEVILLE. </span><br /> +</p> + +<p>spoke to me of Fida, and did not even need the F. in the corner to +convince me of the fact. With her permission, I here give you the +contents:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p><span class="smcap"> "My dear Job</span>,</p> + + +<p>"I am sorry I was away from home when your letter arrived, and +would have told you I was going, but that I thought the news +might cause you pain, as I, by some mischance, had got my<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</a></span> +tail jammed in a door, and was forced to leave home in order +to visit a famous doctor, who lives at some distance. He +fortunately cured me after a few days' illness, and the tail +wags now as freely as ever, although it was very annoying, as +well as ridiculous, to see me walking up and down the room +with that wounded member so wrapped up that it was as thick as +my whole body, and was quite a load to drag about.</p> + +<p>"But, dear Job, I do not write this to talk about myself, +though I am forced to give you this explanation of my silence: +what I wish is to say something about <i>you</i>. And to begin, as +you have always been a good, kind dog, and listened to me +patiently when I have praised, you must now be just as kind +and good, and even more patient, because I am going to scold.</p> + +<p>"Dear Job, when I met you this morning in your new dress and +occupation, I had not then read your letter. I had but just +returned, and was taking a walk with my brother, who had +arrived from abroad during my absence. I knew you at once, in +spite of your change of costume, and though I did not +particularly like the business you had chosen, I felt certain +you had good reasons for having selected it. But when I looked +in your face, instead of the smile of welcome which I expected +from you, I could read nothing but shame, confusion, and +annoyance. Why? dear Job, why? If you were <i>ashamed</i> of your +occupation, why had you chosen it? I suppose when you took it +up, you resolved to do your duty in it properly; then why feel +<i>shame</i> because <i>your friend</i> sees you, as you must have +thought she would one day see you, since the nature of your +new business carries you into different parts of the city?</p> + +<p>"But, dear Job, I feel certain, and I would like you to be +equally sure, that there is no need of <i>shame</i> in following +any busines which is <i>honest</i>, and which can be carried on +without doing injury to others. It is not the business, +believe me, dear Job, which lowers a dog; <i>he himself</i> is +alone capable of <i>lowering</i> himself, and one dog may be truly +good and noble, though he drive a meat-barrow about the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</a></span> +streets, while another may be a miserable, mean animal, though +living in a palace and never soiling his paws.</p> + +<p>"I have a great deal more to say, my dear Job, upon this +subject, but I must leave the rest till I see you. I have +already crossed and recrossed my note, and may be most +difficult to understand where I most want to be clear. Here is +a nice open space, however, in the corner, which I seize on +with pleasure to write myself most distinctly,</p> + + +<p class='right'>"Your friend, <br /> +"<span class="smcap">Fida</span>."</p></div> + +<p>A variety of feelings passed through my mind as I read these lines. But +they were all lost in my wonder at Fida's cleverness in being able to +read my face, as if it had been a book. I was grateful to her for the +good advice she gave me, and now felt ashamed for having been ashamed +before. The best way I thought to prove my thankfulness would be to act +openly and naturally as Fida had pointed out, for I could not help +confessing, as my eyes looked again and again over her note, that she was +quite right, and that I had acted like a very silly animal.</p> + +<p>I was interrupted during my reflections by the bursting of rain upon the +house-roofs, and the stream which rose from the streets as the large +drops came faster and faster down. I went to the door to look for my old +friend, but not a dog was to be seen. I was surprised at the sight of the +sky where I had observed the clouds rising a little while before, for now +those same clouds looked like big rocks piled one above another, with +patches of light shining through great caverns.</p> + +<p>As I stared eagerly down the street, torrents of water poured from above, +which, instead of diminishing, seemed to be growing more terrible every +moment. I had never seen so fearful a storm. It did not appear like mere +rain which was falling; the water came down in broad sheets, and changed +the road into a river. I got more and more anxious about old Nip. It was +getting dark, and I<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</a></span> knew he was not strong. My hope was that he had +taken shelter somewhere; but I could not rest, for I was sure he would +try and get home, if only to quiet me. While running in and out in my +anxiety—the water having meanwhile risen above the sill of the door, and +poured into our little house, where it was already above my paws—I spied +a dark figure crawling along the street, and with great difficulty making +way against the beating of the storm. I at once rushed out, and swimming +rather than running towards the object, I found my poor friend almost +spent with fatigue, and scarcely able to move, having a heavy load to +carry besides his own old limbs, which were not fit to battle with such a +tempest. I caught up his package; and assisting him as well as I was +able, we at length got to our cottage, though we were forced to get upon +the bench that stood by the wall to keep our legs out of the water. The +rain had now become a perfect deluge. A stream of water went hissing down +the street, and rushed in and out of the houses as if they had been +baths.</p> + +<p>When Nip recovered breath, he told me that terrible things were happening +in the parts of the city by the waterside. The river had swollen so much, +that some kennels had been carried away by the current, and it was +impossible to learn how many poor dogs had been drowned. This news made +me jump again from the bench where I had been sitting.</p> + +<p>"What is it?" said Nip.</p> + +<p>"I am going out, Nip," replied I. "I must not be idle here, when I can, +perhaps, be of use somewhere else."</p> + +<p>"That is true," said Nip; "but, Job, strong as you are, the storm is +stronger."</p> + +<p>"Yes, Nip," answered I; "but there are dogs weaker than myself who may +require such assistance as I can give them, and it is not a time for a +dog to sit with his tail curled round him, when there are +fellow-creatures who may want a helping paw. So good-bye, old friend; try +and go to sleep; you have done your duty as long as<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</a></span> your strength let +you, it is now for me to do mine." Without waiting for a reply, I rushed +out at the door.</p> + +<p>It did not need much exertion to get through our street or the next, or +the next after that, for as they all sloped downwards, the water more +than once took me off my legs, and carried me along. Sad as Nip's news +had been, I was not prepared for the terrible scene which met my eyes +when I got near the river. The houses at the lower part of the street I +had reached had been swept away by the torrent, and a crowd of shivering +dogs stood looking at the groaning river as it rolled past in great waves +as white as milk, in which black objects, either portions of some kennel +or articles of furniture, were floating. Every now and then, a howl would +break from a doggess in the crowd, as a dead body was seen tossed about +by the angry water; and the same dolorous cries might be heard from +different quarters, mixed up with the roar of the river.</p> + +<p>While standing with a group of three or four, staring with astonishment +at the frightful scene, uncertain what to do, a howl was heard from +another direction, so piercing that it made many of us run to learn the +cause. The pale light showed us that the torrent had snapped the supports +of a house at some distance from the river's bank, but which the swollen +stream had now reached, and carried away at least half the building. By +some curious chance, the broken timbers had become fixed for the moment +in the boiling water, which, angry at the obstruction, was rushing round +or flying completely over them; and it was easy to see that in a very +short time the mass would be swept away. Upon the timbers thus exposed +were three little pups scarce two months old, yelping most dismally as +they crouched together, or crawled to the edge of their raft; while on +the floor of the ruin from which this side had been torn away, was their +poor mother, whose fearful howl had attracted us thither, and who was +running from side to side of the shattered hut as if she was frantic.</p> + +<p>Great as the danger was, I could not bear to think the wretched<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</a></span> mother +should see her little ones swallowed up by the stormy water, before her +very eyes, without a single attempt being made to save them. Although I +could scarcely hope even to reach them in safety, and in no case could +bring more than one of them to land at once, if I even got so far, I +resolved to make the trial. Better save one, I thought, than let all die.</p> + +<p>Holding my breath, I launched into the current in the direction of the +raft, and soon found that I had not been wrong in calculating the +difficulties and dangers of the undertaking. It was not the water alone +which made the peril so great, though the eddies seemed at every moment +to be pulling me to the bottom, but there were so many things rushing +along with the stream as to threaten to crush me as they flew by; and had +they struck me, there is no doubt there would have been an end of my +adventures. Avoiding them all, though I know not how, I was getting near +the spot where the little pups were crying for their mother, when I felt +myself caught in an eddy and dragged beneath the water. Without losing +courage, but not allowing myself to breathe, I made a strong effort, and +at last, got my head above the surface again; but where was the raft? +Where were the helpless puppies? All had gone—not a trace was left to +tell where they had been—the river foamed over the spot that had held +them for a time, and was now rushing along as if boasting of its +strength.</p> + +<p>Seeing my intentions thus defeated, I turned my head towards the shore, +resolving to swim to land. To my surprise, I found that I made no +progress. I put out all my strength—I fought with the water—I threw +myself forward—it was in vain—I could not move a paw's breadth against +the current. I turned to another point—I again used every exertion—all +was useless—I felt my tired limbs sink under me—I felt the stream +sweeping me away—my head turned round in the agony of that moment, and I +moaned aloud.</p> + +<p>My strength was now gone—I could scarce move a paw to keep my head down +the river. A dark object came near—it was a large piece of timber, +probably a portion of some ruined building.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</a></span> Seizing it as well as my +weakness would permit me, I laid my paws over the floating wood, and, +dragging my body a little more out of the water, got some rest from my +terrible labours.</p> +<p><a name="AFLOAT" id="AFLOAT"></a></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 388px;"> +<img src="images/058.png" width="388" height="500" alt="AFLOAT" title="" /> +<span class="caption">AFLOAT</span> +</div> + +<p>Where was I hurrying to? I knew not. Every familiar object must have been +long passed, but it was too obscure to make out anything except the angry +torrent. On, on I went, in darkness and in fear—yes, great fear, not of +death, but a fear caused by the strangeness of my position, and the +uncertainty before me; on, on, till the black shores seemed to fly from +each other, and the river to grow and grow until all land had +disappeared, and nothing but the water met my aching eyes. I closed them +to shut out the scene, and tried to forget my misery.</p> + +<p>Had I slept? And what was the loud noise which startled me so that I had +nearly let go my hold? I roused myself—I looked around—I was tossing up +and down with a regular motion, but could see nothing clearly, I was no +longer carried forward so swiftly as before, but the dim light prevented +me making out the place I was now in.</p> + +<p>Suddenly, a flash broke from the black clouds, and for a single moment +shed a blue light over everything. What a spectacle! All around, for +miles and miles and miles, was nothing but dancing water, like shining +hills with milky tops, but not a living creature beside myself to keep me +company, or say a kind word, or listen to me when I spoke, or pity me +when I moaned! Oh! who could tell what I then felt, what I feared, and +what I suffered! Alone! alone!</p> + +<p>When I think, as I often do now, of that terrible scene, and figure to +myself my drenched body clinging to that piece of timber, I seem to feel +a strange pity for the miserable dog thus left, as it seemed, to die, +away from all his fellows, without a friendly howl raised, to show there +was a single being to regret his loss—and I cannot help at such times +murmuring to myself, as if it were some other animal, "Poor Job! poor +dog!"</p> + +<p>I remember a dimness coming over my eyes after I had beheld that world of +water—I have a faint recollection of thinking of Fida—of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</a></span> poor Nip—of +the drowning puppies I had tried in vain, to save—of my passing through +the streets of Caneville with my meat-barrow, and wondering how I could +have been so foolish as to feel ashamed of doing so—and then—and +then—I remember nothing more.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="PAINS_AND_PLEASURES" id="PAINS_AND_PLEASURES"></a>PAINS AND PLEASURES.</h2> + + +<p>When I again opened my eyes after the deep sleep which had fallen upon +me, morning was just breaking, and a grey light was in the sky and on the +clouds which dotted it all over.</p> + +<p>As I looked round, you may well think, with hope and anxiety, still +nothing met my view but the great world of water, broken up into a +multitude of little hills. I now understood that I was on the sea, where +I had been borne by the rushing river; that sea of which I had often +read, but which I could form no idea about till this moment.</p> + +<p>The sad thought struck me that I must stop there, tossed about by the +wind and beaten by the waves, until I should die of hunger, or that, +spent with fatigue, my limbs would refuse to sustain me longer, and I +should be devoured by some of the monsters of the deep, who are always on +the watch for prey.</p> + +<p>Such reflections did not help to make my position more comfortable, and +it was painful enough in itself without them. It was certain, however, +that complaint or sorrow could be of no service, and might be just the +contrary, as the indulging in either would, probably, prevent my doing +what was necessary to try and save myself should an opportunity offer.</p> + +<p>The grey light, in the meantime, had become warmer and warmer in its +tone, until the face of every cloud towards the east was tinged with +gold. While I was admiring the beautiful sight, for it was so beautiful +that it made me forget for a time my sad position, my eyes<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</a></span> were caught +by the shining arch of the rising sun, as it sprang all of a sudden above +the surface of the sea. Oh! never shall I forget the view! Between me and +the brilliant orb lay a pathway of gold, which rose, and fell, and +glittered, and got at last so broad and dazzling, that my eyes could look +at it no longer. I knew it was but the sun's light upon the water, but it +looked so firm, that I could almost fancy I should be able to spring upon +it, and run on and on until I reached some friendly country. But alas! +there seemed little chance of such a thing happening as my ever reaching +land again.</p> + +<p>As the sun got high up, and poured his rays on to the sea, I began to +feel a craving for food, and, though surrounded with water, yet the want +of some to drink. When the thirst came upon me, I at first lapped up a +few drops of the sea-water with avidity, but I soon found that it was not +fit to drink, and that the little I had taken only made my thirst the +greater. In the midst of my suffering, a poor bird came fluttering +heavily along, as if his wings were scarce able to support his weight. +Every little object was interesting to me just then, and as I sat upon my +piece of timber I looked up at the trembling creature, and began +comparing his fate with my own. "Ah, Job," I said, half-aloud, "you +thought, perhaps, that you were the only unhappy being in the world. Look +at that poor fowl; there he is, far away from land, from his home, from +his friends, perhaps his little ones (for many birds have large +families), with tired wings, and not a piece of ground as broad as his +own tail for him to rest upon. He must go on, fatigued though he may be, +for if he fall, nothing can prevent his death; the water will pour among +his feathers, clog his wings, and not only prevent him ever rising more +into the air, but pull him down until his life is gone. So, Job, badly +off as you are just now, there is another, as you see, whose fate is +worse; and who shall say that in other places, where your eye cannot +reach, there are not others yet so very, very miserable, that they would +willingly, oh! how willingly! change places with you, or with that poor +fluttering bird?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</a></span></p> + +<p>This talk with myself quieted me for a time, and I felt a certain joy +when I saw the bird slowly descend, and having spied my uncomfortable +boat, perch heavily on the other end of it. He did not do so until he had +looked at me with evident alarm; and, worn out as he was, and his heart +beating as though it would burst through his yellow coat, he still kept +his eyes fixed upon me, ready to take wing and resume his journey, +wherever he might be going, at the least motion I should make.</p> + +<p>Some time passed over in this way; myself in the middle, and Dicky at the +end of the beam. We did not say a word to each other; for, as I spoke no +other language but my own, and he seemed about as clever as myself, we +merely talked with our eyes.</p> + +<p>A thought now came into my head. My thirst returned, and I felt very +hungry. What if I should suddenly dart on little Dicky, and make a meal +of him? I did not consider at the instant that, by so doing, I should be +acting a very base part, for Dicky had placed confidence in me; and +killing him for trusting to my honour, and eating him because he was poor +and unfortunate, would be neither a good return nor a kind action. +Luckily for Dicky, and even for myself, although he was not able to speak +foreign languages, he could read my meaning in my eyes; for when I turned +them slowly towards him, just to see my distance, he took alarm, and rose +into the air with a swiftness which I envied. I am sorry to say my only +thought at first was the having lost my dinner: but as I watched him +through the air, flying on and on, until he diminished to a misty speck, +and then disappeared, my better feelings came back to me and said, "Oh, +Job! I would not have believed this of you!" "But," replied my empty +stomach, "I am so hungry; without food, I shall fall in, and Job will +die." "Let Job die," said my better self again, in a cold, firm tone; +"let Job rather die, than do what he would live to feel ashamed of."</p> + +<p>As the day wore on, I began to think that death only could relieve me; +and the thought was very, very painful. Nothing before and around but the +salt waves—nothing above but the blue sky and hot<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</a></span> sun—not even a cloud +on which to rest my aching eyes. The want of water which I could drink +was now becoming terrible. When I thought of it, my head began to turn; +my brain seemed to be on fire; and the public basins of Caneville, where +only the lowest curs used to quench their thirst, danced before me to add +to my torture; for I thought, though I despised them once, how I could +give treasures of gold for one good draught at the worst of them just +then.</p> + +<p>There is not a misfortune happens to us from which we may not derive good +if our hearts are not quite hardened, and our minds not totally +impenetrable. Great as my sufferings were during this incident of my +life, I learnt from it much that has been useful to me in after years. +But even if it had taught me no other truth than that we should despise +nothing which is good and wholesome, merely because it is ordinary, I +should not have passed through those sad hours in vain. We dogs are so +apt, when in prosperity, to pamper our appetites, and, commonly speaking, +to turn up our noses at simple food, that we require, from time to time, +to be reminded on how little canine life can be preserved. All have not +had the advantage of the lesson which I was blessed with; for it <i>was</i> a +blessing; one that has so impressed itself on my memory, that sometimes +when I fancy I cannot eat anything that is put before me, because it is +too much done, or not done enough, or has some other real or supposed +defect, I say to myself, "Job, Job, what would you have given for a tiny +bit of the worst part of it when you were at sea?" And then I take it at +once, and find it excellent.</p> + +<p>As the sun got lower, clouds, the same in shape that had welcomed him in +the morning, rose up from the sea as if to show their pleasure at his +return. He sunk into the midst of them and disappeared; and then the +clouds came up and covered all the sky. I suffered less in the cool +evening air, and found with pleasure that it was growing into a breeze. +My pleasure soon got greater still, for, with the wind, I felt some drops +of rain! The first fell upon my burning nose; but the idea of fresh water +was such a piece of good fortune,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</a></span> that I dared not give loose to my joy +until the drops began to fall thickly on and around me, and there was a +heavy shower. I could scarcely give my rough coat time to get thoroughly +wet before I began sucking at it. It was not nice at first, being mixed +with the salt spray by which I had been so often covered; but as the rain +still came down, the taste was fresher every moment, and soon got most +delicious. I seemed to recover strength as I licked my dripping breast +and shoulders; and though evening changed to dark night, and the rain was +followed by a strong wind, which got more and more fierce, and appeared +to drive me and my friendly log over the waves as if we had been bits of +straw, I felt no fear, but clung to the timber, and actually gave way to +hope.</p> + +<p>I must have slept again, for daylight was once more in the sky when I +unclosed my eyes. Where was I now? My sight was dim, and though I could +see there was no longer darkness, I could make out nothing else. Was I +still on the rolling water? Surely not; for I felt no motion. I passed my +paw quickly across my eyes to brush away the mist which covered them. I +roused myself. The beam of wood was still beneath me, but my legs surely +touched the ground! My sight came back to me, and showed me, true, the +sea stretching on, on, on, in the distance, but showed me also that +<i>I</i>—oh, joy!—<i>I</i> had reached the shore!</p> + +<p>When my mind was able to believe the truth, I sprang on to the solid land +with a cry which rings in my ears even now. What though my weakness was +so great that I tumbled over on to the beach and filled my mouth with +sand? I could have licked every blade of grass, every stone, in my +ecstacy; and when forced to lie down from inability to stand upon my +legs, I drove my paws into the earth, and held up portions to my face, to +convince myself that I was indeed on shore. I did not trouble myself much +with questions as to how I got there. I did not puzzle my brain to +inquire whether the wind which had risen the evening before, and which I +felt driving me on so freely, had at length chased me to the land. All I +seemed to value was the fact that I was indeed <i>there</i>; and all I could<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</a></span> +persuade myself to say or think was the single, blessed word, <span class="smcap">saved</span>!</p> + +<p>I must have lain some time upon the sand before I tried again to move, +for when I scrambled on to my legs the sun was high and hot—so hot, that +it had completely dried my coat, and made me wish for shelter. Dragging +myself with some trouble to a mound of earth, green and sparkling with +grass and flowers, I managed to get on top of it; and when I had +recovered from the effort, for I was very weak, looked about me with +curiosity to observe the place where I had been thrown.</p> + +<p>The ground was level close to where I stood, but at a little distance it +rose into gentle grassy hills, with short bushes here and there; and just +peeping over them, were the tops of trees still farther off, with +mountains beyond, of curious forms and rich blue colour.</p> + +<p>While considering this prospect, I suddenly observed an animal on one of +the hills coming towards me, and I lay down at full length on the grass +to examine who he might be. As he drew nearer, I was surprised at his +form and look (I afterwards learnt that he was called an ape), and +thought I had never beheld so queer a being. He had a stick in his right +hand, and a bundle in his left, and kept his eyes fixed on the ground as +he walked along.</p> + +<p>When he was quite close, I rose again, to ask him where I could procure +food and water, of which I felt great want. The motion startled him; and +stepping back, he took his stick in both hands as if to protect himself. +The next moment he put it down, and coming up to me, to my surprise +addressed me in my own language, by inquiring how I came there. My +astonishment was so great at first that I could not reply; and when I did +speak, it was to ask him how it happened that he used my language. To +this he answered, that he had been a great traveller in his day, and +among other places had visited my city, where he had studied and been +treated kindly for a long time; that he loved dogs, and should be only +too happy now to return some of the favours he had received. This speech +opened my heart; but before he would let me say more, he untied his +bundle,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</a></span> and spread what it contained before me. As there were several +savoury morsels, you may believe I devoured them with great +appetite—indeed, I hope Master Ximio's opinion of me was not formed from +the greediness with which I ate up his provisions.</p> + +<p>After I had refreshed myself at a spring of water, we sat down, and I +told him my story. He heard me patiently to the end, when, after a pause, +he exclaimed—</p> + +<p>"Come, Job, come with me. A few days' rest will restore your strength, +and you can return to your own city. It is not a long journey over land; +and with stout limbs like those, you will soon be able to get back and +lick old Nip again."</p> + +<p>I need not dwell upon this part of my story, although I could fill many +pages with the narration of Master Ximio's dwelling, and above all of his +kindness; he kept me two or three days at his house, and would have +detained me much longer, but, besides that I was anxious to return to +Nip, I felt certain pains in my limbs, which made me wish to get back to +Caneville, as I did not like the idea of troubling my good friend with +the care of a sick dog. He was so kind-hearted, however, and showed me +such attention, that I was afraid to say anything about my aches, lest he +should insist on keeping me. He seemed to think it was quite natural I +should desire to get home; and when he saw my impatience to depart, he +assisted to get me ready.</p> + +<p>Having supplied me with everything I could want on my journey, and +pressed upon me many gifts besides, he led me by a little path through +the wood, until we came to the sea. "Along this shore," he said, "your +road lies. Follow the winding of the coast until you reach the mouth of a +broad river, the waters of which empty themselves into the sea. That +river is the same which runs through your city. Keep along its banks and +you will shortly arrive at Caneville, where I hope you may find +everything you wish—for I am sure you wish nothing that is unreasonable. +If pleasure awaits you there, do not, in the midst of it, forget Ximio. +If, against my hopes, you should find yourself unhappy, remember there is +a home<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</a></span> always open to you here, and a friend who will do his best to +make you forget sorrow. Farewell!"</p> + +<p>I was greatly moved at his words and the memory of his kindness. We +licked each other tenderly—murmured something, which meant a good deal +more than it expressed—and then we parted. I turned my head often as I +went, and each time beheld Ximio waving his hand in the air; at last a +dip in the ground hid him from my sight, and I continued my journey +alone.</p> + +<p>It was fortunate I had been well furnished with provisions by my good +friend, for as I proceeded, I found the pains in my limbs so great that I +could scarce drag one leg after the other, and should probably have died +of hunger, as I had no strength left to procure food, and did not meet +with any more Ximios to assist me had I stood in need. With long rests, +from which I rose each time with greater difficulty,—with increasing +anxiety as I drew near my home, to learn all that had taken place during +my absence,—and yet with legs which almost refused to carry me; after +many days that seemed to have grown into months,—they were so full of +care and suffering,—I toiled up a hill, which had, I thought, the power +of getting steeper as I ascended. At length I reached the top, and to my +joy discovered the well-known city of Caneville, lying in the plain +beneath me. The sight gave me strength again. I at once resumed my +journey, and trotted down the hill at a pace which surprised myself. As I +got warm with my exertions, the stiffness seemed by degrees to leave my +limbs; I ran, I bounded along, over grass and stone through broad patches +of mud which showed too plainly to what height the river had lately +risen, out of breath, yet with a spirit that would not let me flag, I +still flew on, nor slackened my speed until I had got to the first few +houses of the town. There I stopped indeed, and fell; for it then seemed +as if my bones were all breaking asunder. My eyes grew dim; strange +noises sounded in my ears; and though I fancied I could distinguish +voices which I knew, I could neither see nor speak; I thought it was my +dying hour.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</a></span></p> + +<p>From the mouths of Nip and others I learnt all which then occurred, and +all that had passed after my supposed loss on the night of the +inundation. How my noble conduct (for so they were kind enough to call +it, though I only tried to do my duty, and failed) had been made known to +the great dogs of Caneville, and how they had sought after me to thank me +for it;—how they had offered rewards to those who assisted in my +recovery;—how, when it was supposed that I was dead, they took Nip from +our modest home, and placed him in this present house, fitted with +everything that could make him comfortable for life;—how, when all hope +was gone, my unexpected appearance brought a crowd about me, each one +anxious to assist me in my distress, though some maliciously said, in +order to lay claim to the reward;—and how I was finally brought again to +my senses through the care of our clever canine doctors, and the kind +nursing of dear old Nip.</p> + +<p>It was long, however, before I recovered my legs sufficiently to be able +to use them without support. My long exposure at sea, the want of food, +and the trouble I had gone through, during my involuntary voyage, had all +assisted to weaken me. But my anxiety to enjoy the fresh air again, took +me out into the streets directly it was thought safe for me to do so, and +with a pair of crutches beneath my arms, I managed to creep about.</p> + +<p>Never shall I forget the first time this pleasure was allowed me. The +morning was so fresh and bright; the sun shone so gaily upon the houses; +the river, now reduced to its usual size, ran so cheerily along, that I +got into my old habit, and began to think they were all talking to me and +bidding me welcome after my long illness. Kind words were soon said to me +in right earnest, for before I had got half-way down the street, with old +Nip just behind me,—his hat still adorned with the band which he had +unwillingly put on when he thought me dead and gone, and which he had +forgotten to take off again,—the puppies ran from different quarters to +look up in my face and say, "How do you do, Job? I hope you are better, +Job." Many a polite dog took off his hat to bid me good morrow; and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</a></span> +praises more than I deserved, but which I heard with pleasure, came +softly to my ear, as I hobbled slowly along. Nip told me afterwards, that +there had been another in the crowd who kept a little back, and who, +though she said nothing, seemed to be more glad to see me than all the +rest. I had not seen her, nor did he mention her name, but that was not +necessary. My heart seemed to tell me that it could only have been Fida.</p> +<p><a name="A_WORTHY_SUBJECT" id="A_WORTHY_SUBJECT"></a></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 387px;"> +<img src="images/069.png" width="393" height="500" alt="A WORTHY SUBJECT" title="" /> +<span class="caption">A WORTHY SUBJECT</span> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="DUTY" id="DUTY"></a>DUTY.</h2> + + +<p>The idle life which I was compelled to spend gave me time for reflection, +and I believe my mind was more active during the few months my body was +on crutches than it had been for years previous. My thoughts received +little interruption from Nip, who, after having recounted the events +which had taken place during my absence, had little more to say. The +kindness of the great city dogs having removed all fear of want, or even +the necessity of labour, from our comfortable home, produced at first a +pleasing effect upon me; but as my strength returned, and I managed to +walk about the room without assistance, a desire for active employment +became quite necessary to my happiness.</p> + +<p>"What have I done, Nip?" I would often say, as I took my usual exercise +in our modest parlour; "what have I done, Nip, that I should be clothed, +and fed, and housed, without labouring for such advantages, like the rest +of dog-kind? These paws, large and strong as they are, were never +intended for idleness; this back, broad as it is, was meant for some +other purpose than to show off a fine coat; this brain, which can reflect +and admire and resolve, had not such capabilities given to it in order +that they might be wasted in a life of ease. Work, Nip, work; such work +as a dog <i>can</i> do should be sought after and done, for nothing can be +more shocking than to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</a></span> see an animal's powers, either of body or mind, +wasted away in idleness."</p> + +<p>Nip replied but little, although he winked his eyes very vigorously. I +was used to his manner now, and could understand his meaning without the +necessity of words. Both his looks and gestures told me that he thought +as I did, and I only waited till I could use my own legs freely, to set +about a resolution I had been forming in my mind.</p> + +<p>It was a happy day when I could again mix in the bustle of the streets, +and find my strength once more restored. The first use I made of it was +to go to the great house where the chief dogs of Caneville are accustomed +to sit during a certain time of the day to judge matters relating to the +city. When I arrived, they were almost alone, and I was therefore able to +present myself without delay, and explain my business.</p> + +<p>I began by thanking them for what they had done for me and my old friend +Nip, in providing us with a house and with so many comforts. I told them, +although the goodness of Nip rendered him worthy of every attention, as +he had grown old in a useful and laborious life, I had no such claims. I +was still young—my strength had come back to me—I had no right to eat +the food of idleness where so many dogs, more deserving than I, were +often in want of a bone, but whose modesty prevented them making known +their necessities. I would still thankfully enjoy the home, which the +kindness of the great animals of Caneville had furnished me, but they +must permit me to work for it—they must permit me to do something which +might be useful to the city in return, for I should devour the fare +provided for me with a great deal more appetite, if I could say to myself +when I felt hungry, "Job, brother Job, eat your dinner, for you have +<i>earned</i> it."</p> + +<p>The assembly of dogs heard me with great attention to the end; not a bark +interrupted my little speech, not a movement disturbed my attention. I +was pleased to see that tails wagged with approbation when I had +concluded, and was charmed to hear the chief<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</a></span> among them, who was white +with age, express himself <i>delighted</i>, yes, that was the word, delighted +with my spirit.</p> + +<p>"We are pleased, Job," he said, at the end of his reply, "we are pleased +to observe that there are yet <i>true dogs</i> in Caneville; there have been +animals calling themselves so, whose character was so base, and whose +manner was so cringing, that they have brought disrepute upon the name; +and we are sorry to say that in many countries the title of a <i>dog</i> is +given to the vilest and most worthless creatures. All the finer qualities +of our race have been lost sight of, because a few among us have been +mean or wicked; and a whole nation has been pointed at with scorn, +because some of its members have acted badly. We are happy, Job, to find +in you a 'worthy subject,' and we shall be glad to give you all +assistance in choosing an occupation in which you may employ your time, +and be of use to your fellow-creatures."</p> + +<p>I should not have repeated this to you, as it is not, perhaps, necessary +for my story, but that I wished to correct an error, which many have +made, concerning the character of this very dog. He has been described by +several as cold, and proud, and sometimes cruel; and yet to me he was +warm, and friendly, and most kind. Do not you think when we hear animals +grumbling against their fellows, it would be just as well to think who +the grumblers are, before we form our opinions? or, at least, hear the +opinions of many before we decide ourselves?</p> + +<p>I need not tell you all that passed between us, and what was said by this +dog and by that, about the choice of my occupation. It was agreed at last +that I should be appointed chief of the Caneville police, as the place +had become vacant through the death of a fine old mastiff some days +previous. I wonder whether he was a relation of my own, for I have +already told you my mother belonged to that great family. He had received +some severe wounds when trying to capture a fierce beast of the name of +Lupo, the terror of the city, and he had died from the effects of them in +spite of all the care of the doctors. What made the matter worse, was the +fact that Lupo<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</a></span> was yet at liberty, and many dogs were afraid to go out +at night for fear of meeting with this terrible animal.</p> + +<p>To tell the truth, I was rather pleased than otherwise that Lupo had +still to be taken. It was agreeable to me to think that work, difficult +work, was to be done, and that <i>I</i> was called upon to do it. I felt proud +at the idea that the animals of the great city of Caneville would look up +to me, <i>to me</i>, poor Job, as the dog chosen to releive them of their +fears, and restore security to their streets. "Job," I cried out to +myself, in a firm tone, "Job, here is a chance of being useful to your +country; let no danger, no fear, even of death, stop you in the good +work. Job, you are called upon to perform a duty, and let nothing, mind +<i>nothing</i>, turn you from it."</p> + +<p>After I had become acquainted with all the dogs who were under my +command, I spent much time each day in exercising them, and in +endeavouring by kind words, and by my own example, to make them attend +strictly to their work. I was pleased to observe that I succeeded. Some, +who were pointed out to me as difficult to manage, became my most +faithful followers, and I had not been two months in my employment before +all were so devoted to me, that I believe they would have died to serve +me.</p> + +<p>In all this time, nothing had been heard of the terrible Lupo, and all my +inquiries procured no information concerning where he was to be found. I +learned that he was not a native of Caneville, although his father once +belonged to the city. He was born in a country beyond the great wood, and +his mother came from a fierce tribe of wolves, who, although they a +little resemble dogs in appearance, and speak a very similar language, +are much more ferocious, and seem to look upon the whole canine family as +natural enemies.</p> + +<p>The opinion began to spread in Caneville that Lupo had at length left the +city, and the inhabitants, by degrees, recovered their usual quiet; when, +suddenly, the alarm spread more widely than before; as, two nights in +succession, some rich dogs were robbed and ill-treated, and one of them +was lamed by the ferocity of the chief of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[Pg 59]</a></span> the terrible band who had +attacked them, and whose description convinced me it was Lupo.</p> + +<p>These accounts caused me much pain, as I had neither been able to prevent +the attacks, nor discover the animals who had made them. In my desire to +find out and capture the robbers, I could scarcely take food or rest. I +managed to sleep a little in the day-time, and at night, dressed in the +simplest manner, so as to excite no attention, I wandered quietly from +street to street, stopping to listen to the slightest noise, and going in +any direction that I heard a murmur. One or two of my dogs generally +followed at a distance, ready to assist me if I called for help.</p> + +<p>It was a fine night. The moon and stars were brilliant in the sky, and +made the blue all the deeper from their own bright rays. I had been +already two hours crawling through the lower parts of the city, and was +mounting the hill which led to a fine building where my steps often +carried me—sometimes without my intending it—in order to watch over the +safety of those who slept within. It was the house of Fida—that Fida who +had been to me so kind, so tender; that Fida, who so patiently softened +down my rudeness, and had tried to teach me to know what was good by +letting me become her friend.</p> + +<p>I had nearly reached the top of the hill, and paused an instant to +observe the bright light and dark shadows which the house displayed, as +the moon fell upon it, or some portion of the building interposed. +Profound sleep had fallen upon the city. The river might be seen from the +spot where I was standing, running swiftly along; and so deep was the +silence that you could even hear the gush of the water as it fretted +round some large stones in the centre of the stream.</p> + +<p>Suddenly there rose into the air from the ground above me, the sharp, +clear howl of a female voice, and at the same instant the sound of a +rattle broke upon my ear as a signal of alarm. I sprang up the few feet +which were between me and the house with the speed of lightning, and +turning rapidly the corner of the building,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[Pg 60]</a></span> reached the principal +entrance. One look told me everything: at an upper window, in a loose +dress, was Fida herself, springing the rattle which she held in her paw, +with a strength that fear alone could have given her; and below, where I +myself stood, were four or five dogs differently engaged, but evidently +trying to get into the house.</p> + +<p>A kick from my right leg sent one of them to the ground, and, with my +clenched paw, I struck a blow at the second. Never do I remember feeling +such strength within me, such a resolution to attack twenty dogs if it +were necessary, although the next minute I might be torn in pieces. I +have sometimes asked myself whether the presence of Fida had anything to +do with it, or if a sense of duty only inspired me. I have never been +able to reply to the question in a satisfactory manner. I only know that +the fact was as I say, and that the blow I gave was surprising even to +myself; my paw caught the animal precisely under his chin, and sent him +flying backwards, with his nose in the air and his hat behind him; and as +the moon shone brilliantly upon his upturned face, I recognised the +features described to me as those of Lupo. He lay so still upon the +ground that I thought he must be killed; so, leaving him for a moment, I +pursued some others who were running off in the distance, but did not +succeed in catching them. I said a few cheering words to Fida at the +window, and returned to the spot of my encounter with Lupo; but instead +of that terrible beast, found some of my own followers, the father of +Fida, and one or two servants, who had been roused by the tumult, and had +come out to learn the cause. Lupo was nowhere to be seen. He had either +partly recovered from the blow, and had managed to crawl away, or had +been dragged off by some of his troop.</p> + +<p>Nothing could have been more fortunate to me than this night's adventure. +The father of Fida, who had seen the attack from his window, was the head +of one of the best families of dogs in Caneville, and being, besides, +very rich, he enjoyed great power. He was so pleased with what I had +done, that he not only took a great liking<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[Pg 61]</a></span> to me himself, but he spoke +of my conduct in the highest terms to the great assembly. I received +public thanks; I was admitted to the honour which I now hold, that of +forming one of the second assembly of the city; I was loaded with rich +presents, and equally rich praise; and I may also date from that night, +the obtaining the richest gift of all, the gift which has made the +happiness of my best years; I mean the possession of my wife, the +beautiful Fida.</p> +<p><a name="A_SEVERE_BLOW" id="A_SEVERE_BLOW"></a></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 388px;"> +<img src="images/077.png" width="389" height="500" alt="A SEVERE BLOW" title="" /> +<span class="caption">A SEVERE BLOW</span> +</div> + +<p>It is true that I did not procure that felicity at once. There were many +difficulties to be got over before the noble spaniel would think of +allowing his daughter to become the wife of plain Mr. Job. His son, also, +of whom I have spoken previously, could not bear, at first, the idea of +his sister not marrying some one as noble as herself, and thought, very +naturally, that she was far too good to have her fortunes united with +mine. Fida herself, however, was so firm, and yet so tender; so +straightforward, and yet so modest, that she finally broke down all +opposition. She persuaded her father that no title could be more noble +than the one I had acquired, that of "Honest Job;" she won over her +brother, by slily asking him, which among his grand companions could have +met a whole band of fierce dogs, with Lupo at their head, and, +single-pawed, could have conquered them all? By degrees, every objection +was cleared away, and Fida became mine.</p> + +<p>The chief interest of my life terminates here; for although, in my +position as head of the police, I had many other adventures, they were +too much alike, and of too common an order, to be worth relating. Before +I close, however, I must mention a circumstance which occurred shortly +after my battle with the robbers, as it is curious in itself, and refers +to an animal of whom I have before spoken.</p> + +<p>I was quietly walking along a bye-street of Caneville, when a miserable, +thin, little puppy came behind me, and gently pulled my coat. On turning +round to ask him what he wanted, he begged me in the most imploring tone +to come and see his father, who was very ill.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[Pg 62]</a></span></p> + +<p>"And who is your father, little pup?" I inquired.</p> + +<p>"His name is Lupo," said the thin dog, in a trembling voice.</p> + +<p>"Lupo!" I cried out in surprise. "But do you not know who I am, and that +I am forced to be your father's greatest enemy?"</p> + +<p>"I know, I know," the pup replied; "but father told me to come and seek +<i>you</i>, for that you were good, and would not harm him, if you knew he was +so miserable." And here the little dog began howling in a way which moved +me.</p> + +<p>"Go on," I said, after a moment; "go on; I will follow you."</p> + +<p>As the little dog ran before, through some of the low and miserable parts +of the city, the idea once came into my head that perhaps this was a +scheme of Lupo's to get me into his power. But the puppy's grief had been +too real to allow me to believe, young as he was, that he could be acting +a part; so with a stout resolution I went forward.</p> + +<p>We arrived at a low and dirty kennel, where only the greatest misery +could bear to live. We passed through a hole, for so it appeared, rather +than a doorway, and I found myself in a little room, lit by a break in +the wall. On the single poor bed lay a wretched object, gasping for +breath, while a ragged pup, somewhat older than my little guide, had +buried his face in the clothes at the bottom of the bed. Three other tiny +creatures, worn to the bone with poverty and want of food, came crowding +round me, in a way that was piteous to behold; and with their looks, not +words, for they said nothing, asked me to do something for their +miserable parent. I procured from a neighbouring tavern a bason of broth +with which I succeeded in reviving the once terrible Lupo; but it was +only a flash before life departed for ever. In broken words, he +recommended to my care the poor little objects round. Bad as he was, he +still had feeling for them, and it was easy to observe that at this sad +moment his thoughts were more of <i>them</i> than of himself; for when I +promised to protect them, he pressed my paw with his remaining strength +to his hot lips, moaned faintly, and expired.</p> +<p><a name="CONSOLATION" id="CONSOLATION"></a></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 398px;"> +<img src="images/081.png" width="399" height="500" alt="CONSOLATION" title="" /> +<span class="caption">CONSOLATION</span> +</div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[Pg 63]</a></span></p> + +<p>My tale is over. Would that it had been more entertaining, more +instructive. But the incidents of my career have been few, and my path, +with the one or two exceptions I have described, has been a smooth one. I +have heard it said that no history of a life, however simple, is without +its lesson. If it be so, then perhaps some good may be derived from mine. +If it teach the way to avoid an error, or correct a fault; if any portion +of it win a smile from a sad heart, or awake a train of serious thought +in a gay one, my dog's tale will not have been unfolded in vain.</p> + +<p class='center'>THE END.</p> +<div class='padding'> +<p class='center'>London; Thomas Harrild, Printer, 13, Salisbury Square, Fleet Street.</p></div> + + +<div class='padding'> +<div class='bbox'> +<div class='center'> +<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary=""> +<tr><td align='center' colspan='8'><h2>NEW JUVENILE PUBLICATIONS.</h2></td></tr> +<tr><td align='center' colspan='8'><big>ROUTLEDGE'S NEW TWO-SHILLING PRESENT OR GIFT-BOOKS,</big></td></tr> +<tr><td align='center' colspan='8'><p class='center'><i>In Fcap. 8vo, cloth gilt, with Illustrations by <span class="smcap">Gilbert</span>, <span class="smcap">Warren</span>, +<span class="smcap">Corbould</span>, &c.; or with gilt edges, price Two Shillings and Sixpence.</i></p></td></tr> +<tr><td align='center' colspan='8'><big>LIST OF THE SERIES, VIZ.:</big></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>1.</td><td align='left'>TALES FOR MY CHILDREN.</td><td align='right'><span class="smcap">Guizot.</span></td><td align='left'>16.</td><td align='left'>ROBINSON THE YOUNGER.</td><td align='right'><span class="smcap">Hick.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>2.</td><td align='left'>TEN MORAL TALES.</td><td align='right'><span class="smcap">Guizot.</span></td><td align='left' rowspan='2'>18.</td><td align='left' rowspan='2'>AMY CARLTON; <span class="smcap">or, First Days at School.</span></td><td align='right' rowspan='2'><span class="smcap">Anon.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>3.</td><td align='left'>JUVENILE TALES & STORIES.</td><td align='right'><span class="smcap">M'Intosh.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>4.</td><td align='left'>CONQUEST & SELF-CONQUEST.</td><td align='right'><span class="smcap">M'Intosh.</span></td><td align='left'>19.</td><td align='left'>LAURA AND ELLEN.</td><td align='right'><span class="smcap">Allen.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' rowspan='2'>5.</td><td align='left' rowspan='2'>EVENING AT DONALDSON MANOR.</td><td align='right' rowspan='2'><span class="smcap">M'Intosh.</span></td><td align='left'>20.</td><td align='left'>ROBINSON CRUSOE.</td><td align='right'><span class="smcap">Defoe.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>23.</td><td align='left'>LAURA TEMPLE.</td><td align='right'><span class="smcap">Bowman.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>6.</td><td align='left'>PRAISE AND PRINCIPLE.</td><td align='right'><span class="smcap">M'Intosh.</span></td><td align='left'>24.</td><td align='left'>LITTLE FOUNDLING.</td><td align='right'><span class="smcap">Mrs. Myrtle.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>7.</td><td align='left'>GRACE AND ISABEL.</td><td align='right'><span class="smcap">M'Intosh.</span></td><td align='left'>25.</td><td align='left'>SPIRIT OF THE HOLLY.</td><td align='right'><span class="smcap">Mrs. Owen.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>8.</td><td align='left'>CHARMS & COUNTER-CHARMS.</td><td align='right'><span class="smcap">M'Intosh.</span></td><td align='left' rowspan='2'>26.</td><td align='left' rowspan='2'>POETRY OF THE BEST AUTHORS.</td><td align='right' rowspan='2'><span class="smcap">Bowman.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>9.</td><td align='left'>GERTRUDE AND EULALIE.</td><td align='right'><span class="smcap">Hulse.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>10.</td><td align='left'>ROBERT AND HAROLD.</td><td align='right'><span class="smcap">Anon.</span></td><td align='left'>27.</td><td align='left'>HARRY AND HIS HOMES.</td><td align='right'><span class="smcap">Anon.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>11.</td><td align='left'>STORY OF AN APPLE.</td><td align='right'><span class="smcap">Campbell.</span></td><td align='left'>28.</td><td align='left'>VIOLET.</td><td align='right'><span class="smcap">M'Intosh.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>12.</td><td align='left'>CABIN BY THE WAYSIDE.</td><td align='right'><span class="smcap">Campbell.</span></td><td align='left'>29.</td><td align='left'>THE LAMPLIGHTER.</td><td align='right'><span class="smcap">Cummins.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>13.</td><td align='left'>MEMOIRS OF A DOLL.</td><td align='right'><span class="smcap">Besset.</span></td><td align='left'>30.</td><td align='left'>THE LOFTY AND LOWLY.</td><td align='right'><span class="smcap">M'Intosh.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>14.</td><td align='left'>THE BLACK PRINCESS.</td><td align='right'><span class="smcap">Besset.</span></td><td align='left'>31.</td><td align='left'>OUR NATIVE LAND.</td><td align='right'><span class="smcap">Wilson.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>15.</td><td align='left'>EMIGRANT'S LOST SON.</td><td align='right'><span class="smcap">G. H. Wall.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='center' colspan='8'><br /><big>ROUTLEDGE'S TWO-AND-SIXPENNY REWARD OR GIFT-BOOKS.</big></td></tr> +<tr><td align='center' colspan='8'><i>Or, with gilt edges, price Three Shillings. Fcap. 8vo. Illustrated by +the best artists. Cloth extra, and gilt.</i></td></tr> +</table></div> +<div class='center'> +<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary=""> +<tr><td align='left'>1. ARBELL. By <span class="smcap">Jane W. Hooper</span>. Illustrated by <span class="smcap">Godwin</span>.</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>2. EDA MORTON AND HER COUSINS. By <span class="smcap">M. Bell</span>. Illustrated by <span class="smcap">Birket Foster</span>.</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>3. ALLEN'S LIFE OF NELSON. With Steel Portrait.</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>4. MACFARLANE'S LIFE OF WELLINGTON. Illustrated by <span class="smcap">John Gilbert</span>.</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>5. MACFARLANE'S LIFE OF MARLBOROUGH. Illustrated by <span class="smcap">John Gilbert</span>.</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>6. OSLER'S LIFE OF LORD EXMOUTH. With Steel Portrait and Maps.</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>7. GILBERT THE ADVENTURER. By <span class="smcap">Peter Parley</span>. With Engravings.</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>8. <span class="smcap">KALOOLAH: or, African Adventures.</span> With Coloured Plates.</td></tr> +</table></div> +<div class='center'> +<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary=""> +<tr><td align='center' colspan='4'><br /><big>ROUTLEDGE'S EIGHTEENPENNY JUVENILES.</big></td></tr> +<tr><td align='center' colspan='4'><i>Square 16mo, cloth gilt. Illustrated by John Gilbert, Absolon, Foster, +etc.</i></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'>1. Peasant and the Prince, by Harriet Martineau.</td><td align='left' colspan='2'>6. Little Drummer, a Tale of the Russian War.</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'>2. Crofton Boys, by Harriet Martineau.</td><td align='left' colspan='2'>7. Frank, by Maria Edgeworth.</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'>3. Feats on the Fiord, by Harriet Martineau.</td><td align='left' colspan='2'>8. Rosamond, by Maria Edgeworth.</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'>4. Settlers at Home, by Harriet Martineau.</td><td align='left' colspan='2'>9. Harry and Lucy, Little Dog Trusty, The<br /> Cherry Orchard, etc. by Maria Edgeworth.</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'>5. Holiday Ramblers, or the School Vacation, by Elizabeth Grant.</td><td align='left' colspan='2'>10. A Hero, or Philip's Book, by the author of Olive.</td></tr> +</table></div> + + +<p class='center'>LONDON: GEORGE ROUTLEDGE AND CO., FARRINGDON STREET.</p> +</div></div> +<p class='trnote'> +Transcriber's notes:<br /> +<br /> +No changes to the original spelling were made.<br /> +<br /> +The following duplicated words were corrected.<br /> +Page <a href="#Page_16">16</a>: who who corrected to who.<br /> +Page <a href="#Page_44">44</a>: near near corrected to near.<br /> +</p> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Adventures of a Dog, and a Good +Dog Too, by Alfred Elwes + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ADVENTURES OF A DOG *** + +***** This file should be named 20741-h.htm or 20741-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/0/7/4/20741/ + +Produced by David Edwards, Christine D. and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The University of Florida, The Internet +Archive/Children's Library) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Adventures of a Dog, and a Good Dog Too + +Author: Alfred Elwes + +Release Date: March 4, 2007 [EBook #20741] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ADVENTURES OF A DOG *** + + + + +Produced by David Edwards, Christine D. and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The University of Florida, The Internet +Archive/Children's Library) + + + + + + + + + + + +THE + +ADVENTURES OF A DOG, + +AND A GOOD DOG TOO + +BY ALFRED ELWES + +[Illustration: Cover] + +[Illustration: A FAMILY PARTY] + + + + +THE + +ADVENTURES OF A DOG, + +AND A GOOD DOG TOO. + +BY ALFRED ELWES, + +AUTHOR OF "THE ADVENTURES OF A BEAR," "OCEAN AND HER RULERS," ETC., ETC. + +WITH EIGHT ILLUSTRATIONS BY HARRISON WEIR. + + LONDON: + GEORGE ROUTLEDGE AND CO., FARRINGDON STREET, + AND 18, BEEKMAN STREET, NEW YORK. + +1857. + + LONDON: + THOMAS HARRILD, PRINTER, 11, SALISBURY SQUARE, + FLEET STREET. + + + + +CONTENTS. + + + PAGE + INTRODUCTION BY MISS MINETTE GATTINA 7 + EARLY DAYS 12 + CHANGES 18 + UPS AND DOWNS 25 + THE INUNDATION 37 + PAINS AND PLEASURES 46 + DUTY 55 + + + + +ILLUSTRATIONS. + + + PAGE + A FAMILY PARTY (FRONTISPIECE) 8 + LADY BULL 17 + GOOD DOG! 22 + A CANINE BUTCHER 36 + AFLOAT 45 + A WORTHY SUBJECT 54 + A SEVERE BLOW 60 + CONSOLATION 62 + + + + +PREFACE. + + +I love dogs. Who does not? It is a natural feeling to love those who love +us; and dogs were always fond of me. Thousands can say the same; and I +shall therefore find plenty of sympathy while unfolding my dog's tale. + +This attachment of mine to the canine family in general, and their +affection towards myself, have induced me, like the Vizier in the +"Arabian Nights," of happy memory, to devote some time to the study of +their language. Its idiom is not so difficult as many would suppose. +There is a simplicity about it that often shames the dialects of man; +which have been so altered and refined that we discover people often +saying one thing when they mean exactly the reverse. Nothing of the sort +is visible in the great canine tongue. Whether the tone in which it is +uttered be gruff or polished, sharp or insinuating, it is at least +sincere. Mankind would often be puzzled how to use it. + +Like many others, its meaning is assisted by gestures of the body, and, +above all, by the expression of the eye. If ever language had its seat in +that organ, as phrenologists pretend, it lies in the eye of the dog. Yet, +a good portion finds its way to his tail. The motion of that eloquent +member is full of meaning. There is the slow wag of anger; the gentle wag +of contentment; the brisker wag of joy: and what can be more mutely +expressive than the limp states of sorrow, humility, and fear? + +If the tongue of the dog present such distinctive traits, the qualities +of the animal himself are not less striking. Although the dispositions of +dogs are as various as their forms--although education, connections, the +society they keep, have all their influence--to the credit of their name +be it said, a dog never sullies his mouth with an untruth. His emotions +of pleasure are genuine, never forced. His grief is not the semblance of +woe, but comes from the heart. His devotion is unmixed with other +feelings. It is single, unselfish, profound. Prosperity affects it not; +adversity cannot make it swerve. Ingratitude, that saddest of human +vices, is unknown to the dog. He does not forget past favours, but, when +attached by benefits received, his love endures through life. But I shall +have never done with reciting the praises of this noble animal; the +subject is inexhaustible. My purpose now has narrower limits. + +From the archives of the city of Caneville, I lately drew the materials +of a Bear's Biography. From the same source I now derive my "Adventures +of a Dog." My task has been less that of a composer than a translator, +for a feline editoress, a Miss Minette Gattina, had already performed her +part. This latter animal appears, however, to have been so learned a +cat--one may say so deep a puss--that she had furnished more notes than +there was original matter. Another peculiarity which distinguished her +labours was the obscurity of her style; I call it a peculiarity, and not +a defect, because I am not quite certain whether the difficulty of +getting at her meaning lay in her mode of expressing herself or my +deficiency in the delicacies of her language. I think myself a tolerable +linguist, yet have too great a respect for puss to say that any fault is +attributable to her. + +The same feeling has, naturally, made me careful in rendering those +portions which were exclusively her own. I have preferred letting her +say little to allowing her to express anything she did not intend. Her +notes, which, doubtless, drew many a purr of approval from her own +breast, and many a wag of approbation from the tails of her choice +acquaintance, I have preferred leaving out altogether; and I have so +curtailed the labours of her paw, and the workings of her brain, as to +condense into half-a-dozen pages her little volume of introduction. The +autobiography itself, most luckily, required no alteration. It is the +work of a simple mind, detailing the events of a simple but not +uneventful life. Whether I have succeeded in conveying to my readers' +intelligence the impression which this Dog's Adventures made on mine, +they alone can decide. + + A. E. + + LYNDHURST ROAD, + PECKHAM. + + + + +INTRODUCTION. + +BY MISS MINETTE GATTINA. + + +It may seem peculiar to any but an inhabitant of this renowned city of +Caneville, that one of _our_ nation should venture on the task of +bringing to the notice of the world the memoir I have undertaken to edit. +But, besides that in this favoured place animals of all kinds learn to +dwell in tolerable harmony together, the subject of this biography had so +endeared himself to all classes and to every tribe by his kindness of +heart, noble devotion, and other dog-like qualities, that there was not a +cat, in spite of the supposed natural antipathy existing between the +great feline and canine races, who would not have set up her back and +fought to the last gasp in defence of this dear old fellow. + +Many a time has he saved me from the rough treatment of rude and +ill-conducted curs, when I have been returning from a concert, or +tripping quietly home after a pleasant chat with a friend. Often and +often, when a kitten, has he carried me on his back through the streets, +in order that I might not wet my velvet slippers on a rainy day: and +once, ah! well do I remember it, he did me even greater service; for a +wicked Tom of our race, who had often annoyed me with his attentions, had +actually formed a plan of carrying me off to some foreign land, and would +have succeeded too, if dear Doggy had not got scent of the affair, and +pounced on that treacherous Tom just as he was on the point of executing +his odious project. + +I can speak of these things _now_ without the slightest fear of being +accused of vanity. If I say my eyes were beautifully round and green, +they are so no longer. If I boast of the former lightness of my step, it +drags, alas! but too heavily now. If I dwell on the sweetness of my voice +and melody of my purr at one period, little can be said in their favour +at the present day, and I feel therefore less scruple in dilating on the +elegance of my figure, and the taste of my _toilette_, as, when speaking +of them, I seem to be referring to another individual Puss, with whom the +actual snuffy old Tabby has little or no connection. + +But, it will be said, these last matters have not much to do with the +object I have in hand. I must not attempt to palm off on my readers any +adventures of my own under the shadow of a dog. I must rather allow my +Cat's-paw to perform the office for which it has become noted, namely, +that of aiding in the recovery of what its owner is not intended to +participate. I must endeavour to place before the world of Caneville, to +be thence transmitted to the less civilized portions of the globe, those +incidents in our Dog's life which he has been too modest to relate +himself, in order that after-generations may fully appreciate all the +goodness of his character. To _greatness_, he had no pretension, although +few animals are aware how close is the relation between these two +qualities. + +I think I see the dear old Dog now, as it has been often my privilege to +behold him, seated in his large arm-chair, his hair quite silvered with +age, shading his thoughtful, yet kindly face, his pipe in his paw, his +faithful old friend by his side, and surrounded by a group of attentive +listeners of both sexes, who seemed to hang upon every word of wisdom as +it dropped from his mouth; all these spring to my mind when I recal his +image, and if I were a painter I think I should have no difficulty in +presenting to my readers this pleasant "family party." The very room in +which these meetings were held comes as strongly to my recollection as +the various young and old dogs who were wont to assemble there. Plainly +furnished, it yet boasted some articles of luxury; works of statuary and +painting, presented to old Job by those who admired his goodness, or had +been the objects of his devotion. + +One of these, a statuette representing a fast little dog upon a tasteful +pedestal, used often to excite my curiosity, the more because Job showed +no inclination to gratify it. I managed, however, at last to get at the +incident which made Job the possessor of this comical little figure, and +as the circumstance worthily illustrates his character, I will relate it +as the anecdote was told to me. + +It was once a fashion in Caneville, encouraged by puppies of the superior +classes, to indulge in habits of so strange a nature as to meet on stated +occasions for the express purpose of trying their skill and strength in +set combats; and although the most frightful consequences often ensued, +these assemblies were still held until put down by the sharp tooth of the +law. The results which ensued were not merely dangerous to life, but +created such a quarrelsome disposition, that many of these dogs were +never happy but when fighting; and the force granted them by nature for +self-defence was too often used most wantonly to the annoyance of their +neighbours. It one day happened that Job was sitting quietly on a steep +bank of the river where it runs into the wood at some distance from the +city, at one moment watching the birds as they skimmed over the water, at +another following the movements of a large fish, just distinguishable +from the height, as it rose at the flies that dropped upon the stream; +when three dogs, among the most celebrated fighters of the time, passed +by that way. Two of them were of the common class, about the size and +weight of Job; the other was a young puppy of good family, whose tastes +had unfortunately led him into such low society. Seeing the mild +expression of Job's face, and confident in their own prowess, they +resolved to amuse themselves at his expense, and to this end drew near to +him. Unobserved by their intended victim, with a rapid motion they +endeavoured to push him head foremost into the river, Master Puppy having +dexterously seized hold of his tail to make the somersault more complete. +Job, although thus unexpectedly set upon from behind, was enabled, by the +exertion of great strength, to defeat the object of his assailants. In +the struggle which ensued, his adversaries discovered that, in spite of +their boasted skill, they had more than found their match. One of them +got rolled over into the stream, out of which he managed to crawl with +considerable difficulty half a mile lower down; the second took to his +heels, with his coat torn, and his person otherwise disordered; and the +fashionable Pup, to his great horror, found himself seized in the +formidable jaws of the unoffending but own angry dog. Imagine how much +his terror was increased when Job, carrying him, as I would a mouse, to +the edge of the precipitous bank, held him sheer over the roaring river. +The poor fellow could not swim, he had a perfect antipathy to the water, +and he felt himself at that moment on the point of being consigned to +certain death without a chance of safety. But he did not know the noble +heart of the animal he had offended. Job let him feel for a few dreadful +seconds the danger to which he had been so thoughtlessly and in joke +about to consign himself, and then placed him in safety on the bank, with +the admonition to reflect for the future on the probable result of his +diversions before he indulged in them, and to consider whether, although +amusing to himself, such games might not be fatal to the animals on whom +they were played off. The shivering puppy was too much alarmed at the +time to attend either to the magnanimity of his antagonist or the wisdom +of his advice, but they were evidently not lost upon him. Many can bear +testimony to the change which that hour wrought in his character; and +some weeks after the event, Job received that statue of his little +adversary, which had so often struck me, executed by a native artist, +with a long letter in verse, a beautiful specimen of doggrel; indeed, +gifts both equally creditable to the sculptor and the writer, and most +honourable to the animal in whose favour they had been executed. + +My task will scarce be thought complete without a few words concerning +the personal appearance of my old friend; although, perhaps, few things +could be more difficult for me to describe. Dogs and cats are apt to +admire such very different forms of beauty, that the former often call +beautiful what we think just the reverse. He was tall, strong, and rather +stout, with a large bushy tail, which waved with every emotion of his +mind, for he rarely disguised his feelings. His features were considered +regular, though large, his eyes being particularly bright and full, and +the upper part of his head was broad and high. + +But none who knew Job ever thought of his being handsome or otherwise. +You seemed to love him for something more than you could see, something +which had little to do with face, or body, or tail, and yet appeared in +them all, and shone clearly out of his eyes; I mean the spirit of +goodness, which made him so remarkable, and was so much a part of Job, +that I do believe a lock of his hair worn near one's own heart would help +to make it beat more kindly to one's fellow creatures. This idea may be +considered too fanciful, too cat-like, but I believe it notwithstanding. + +Such was the Dog whose autobiography I have great pleasure in presenting +to the world. Many may object to the unpolished style in which his +memoirs are clothed, but all who knew him will easily pardon every want +of elegance in his language; and those who had not the honour of his +acquaintance, will learn to appreciate his character from the plain +spirit of truth which breathes in every line he wrote. I again affirm +that I need make no apology for attaching my name to that of one so +worthy the esteem of his co-dogs, ay, and co-cats too; for in spite of +the differences which have so often raised up a barrier between the +members of his race and ours, not even the noblest among us could be +degraded by raising a "mew" to the honour of such a thoroughly honest +dog. + + MINETTE GATTINA. + + THE UPPER MEWS, + CANEVILLE. + + + + +EARLY DAYS. + + +I was not born in this city of Caneville, but was brought here at so +young an age, that I have no recollection of any other place. I do not +remember either my father or my mother. An old doggess,[A] who was the +only creature I can recal to mind when I was a pup, took care of me. At +least, she said she did. But from what I recollect, I had to take most +care of myself. It was from her I learnt what I know about my parents. +She has told me that my father was a foreign dog of high rank; from a +country many, many miles away, called Newfoundland, and that my mother +was a member of the Mastiff family. But how I came to be under the care +of herself, and how it happened, if my parents were such superior +animals, that I should be forced to be so poor and dirty, I cannot tell. +I have sometimes ventured to ask her; but as she always replied with a +snarl or a bite, I soon got tired of putting any questions to her. I do +not think she was a very good temper; but I should not like to say so +positively, because I was still young when she died, and perhaps the +blows she gave me, and the bites she inflicted, were only intended for my +good; though I did not think so at the time. + +[Footnote A: I have preferred adopting this word in speaking of female +dogs, as it comes nearer to the original, _zaiyen_.] + +As we were very poor, we were forced to live in a wretched kennel in the +dampest part of the town, among dogs no better off than ourselves. The +place we occupied overhung the water, and one day when the old doggess +was punishing me for something I had done, the corner in which I was +crouched being rotten, gave way, and I fell plump into the river. I had +never been in the water before, and I was very frightened, for the stream +was so rapid that it carried me off and past the kennels I knew, in an +instant. I opened my mouth to call out for help; but as I was almost +choked with the water that got into it, I shut it again, and made an +effort to reach the land. To my surprise I found that, by moving my paws +and legs, I not only got my head well above the water, but was able to +guide myself to the bank, on to which I at length dragged myself, very +tired and out of breath, but quite recovered from my fear. I ran over the +grass towards the town as fast as I could, stopping now and then to shake +my coat, which was not so wet, however, as you would suppose; but before +I had got half way home I met the doggess, hopping along, with her tongue +out of her mouth, panting for breath, she having run all the way from the +kennel, out of which I had popped so suddenly, along the bank, with the +hope of picking me up somewhere. She knew, she said, that I should never +be drowned. But how she _could_ know that was more than I could then +imagine. + +When we met, after I had escaped so great a danger, I flew to her paws, +in the hope of getting a tender lick; but as soon as she recovered +breath, she caught hold of one of my ears with her teeth, and bit it till +I howled with pain, and then set off running with me at a pace which I +found it difficult to keep up with. I remember at the time thinking it +was not very kind of her; but I have since reflected that perhaps she +only did it to brighten me up and prevent me taking cold. + +This was my first adventure, and also my first acquaintance with the +water. From that day I often ventured into the river, and in the end +became so good a swimmer, that there were few dogs in Caneville who could +surpass me in strength and dexterity afloat. + +Many moons came and passed away, and I was getting a big dog. My appetite +grew with my size, and as there was little to eat at home, I was forced +to wander through the streets to look after stray bones; but I was not +the only animal employed thus hunting for a livelihood, and the bits +scattered about the streets being very few and small, some of us, as may +be imagined, got scanty dinners. There was such quarrelling and fighting, +also, for the possession of every morsel, that if you were not willing to +let go any piece you had seized upon, you were certain to have +half-a-dozen curs upon your back to force you to do so; and the poor +weakly dog, whose only hope of a meal lay in what he might pick up, ran a +sad chance of being starved. + +One of the fiercest fights I have ever been engaged in occurred upon one +of these occasions. I had had no breakfast, and it was already past the +hour when the rich dogs of Caneville were used to dine. Hungry and +disconsolate, I was trotting slowly past a large house, when a side-door +opened, and a servant jerked a piece of meat into the road. In the +greatest joy I pounced upon the prize, but not so quickly but that two +ragged curs, who were no doubt as hungry as myself, managed to rush to +the spot in time to get hold of the other end of it. Then came a struggle +for the dainty; and those who do not know how hard dogs will fight for +their dinner, when they have had no breakfast, should have been there to +learn the lesson. After giving and receiving many severe bites, the two +dogs walked off--perhaps they did not think the meat was worth the +trouble of contending for any longer--and I was left to enjoy my meal in +peace. I had scarcely, however, squatted down, with the morsel between my +paws, than a miserable little puppy, who seemed as if he had had neither +dinner nor breakfast for the last week, came and sat himself at a little +distance from me, and without saying a word, brushed the pebbles about +with his ragged tail, licked his chops, and blinked his little eyes at me +so hopefully, that, hungry as I was, I could not begin my meat. As I +looked at him, I observed two tears gather at the side of his nose, and +grow bigger and bigger until they would no longer stop there, but tumbled +on to the ground. I could bear it no longer. I do not know even now what +ailed me; but my own eyes grew so dim, that there seemed a mist before +them which prevented my seeing anything plainly. I started up, and +pushing to the poor whelp the piece of meat which had cost me three new +rents in my coat and a split ear, I trotted slowly away. I stopped at the +corner to see whether he appeared to enjoy it, and partly to watch that +no other dog should take it from him. The road was quite clear, and the +poor pup quite lost in the unusual treat of a good meal; so I took my +way homewards, with an empty stomach but a full heart. I was so pleased +to see that little fellow enjoy his dinner so thoroughly. + +This sort of life, wherein one was compelled either to fight for every +bit one could get to eat or go without food altogether, became at last so +tiresome to me that I set about for some other means of providing for my +wants. I could not understand how the old doggess used to manage, but +though she never had anything to give me, she did not seem to be without +food herself. She was getting so much more cross and quarrelsome, perhaps +on account of her age and infirmities, that I now saw but little of her, +as I often, on a fine night, preferred curling myself up under a doorway +or beneath a tree, to returning to the kennel and listening to her feeble +growls. She never seemed to want me there, so I had less difficulty in +keeping away from her. + +Chance assisted me in the choice of my new attempt at getting a living. I +was walking along one of the narrow streets of Caneville, when I was +stopped by an old dog, who was known to be very rich and very miserly. He +had lately invented a novel kind of match for lighting pipes and cigars, +which he called "a fire-fly," the composition of which was so dangerous +that it had already caused a good deal of damage in the town from its +exploding; and he wanted some active young dogs to dispose of his wares +to the passers-by according to the custom of Caneville. As he expected a +good deal of opposition from the venders of a rival article, it was +necessary to make choice of such agents as would not be easily turned +from their purpose for fear of an odd bite or two. I suppose he thought I +was well fitted for the object he had in view. I was very poor--one good +reason, for his employing me, as I would be contented with little; I was +strong, and should therefore be able to get through the work; I was +willing, and bore a reputation for honesty--all sufficient causes for old +Fily (that was his name) to stop me this fine morning and propose my +entering his service. Terms are easily arranged where both parties are +willing to come to an agreement. After being regaled with a mouldy bone, +and dressed out in an old suit of clothes belonging to my new master, +which, in spite of a great hole in one of the knees, I was not a little +proud of, with a bundle of wares under my arm and a box of the famous +"fire-flies" in my paw, I began my commercial career. + +But, alas! either the good dogs of Caneville were little disposed to +speculate that day, or I was very awkward in my occupation, but no one +seemed willing to make a trial of my "fire-flies." In vain I used the +most enticing words to set off my goods, even going so far as to say that +cigars lighted with these matches would have a very much finer flavour, +and could not possibly go out. This I said on the authority of my +employer, who assured me of the fact. It was of no use; not a single +"fire-fly" blazed in consequence, and I began to fear that I was not +destined to make my fortune as a match-seller. + +At length there came sweeping down the street a party which at once +attracted me, and I resolved to use my best efforts to dispose, at least, +of one of my boxes, if it were only to convince my master that I had done +my best. The principal animal of the group was a lady doggess, +beautifully dressed, with sufficient stuff in her gown to cover a dozen +ordinary dogs, a large muff to keep her paws from the cold, and a very +open bonnet with a garden-full of flowers round her face, which, in spite +of her rich clothes, I did not think a very pretty one. A little behind +her was another doggess, not quite so superbly dressed, holding a puppy +by the paw. It was very certain that they were great animals, for two or +three dogs they had just passed had taken off their hats as they went by, +and then put their noses together as if they were saying something about +them. + +[Illustration: LADY BULL] + +I drew near, and for the first time in my life was timid and abashed. The +fine clothes, no doubt, had something to do with making me feel so, +but--I was still very young. Taking courage, I went on tiptoe to the +great lady, and begged her to buy a box of "fire-flies" of a poor dog who +had no other means of gaining his bread. Now, you must know that these +matches had not a pleasant smell--few matches have; but as they were +shut up in the box, the odour could not have been _very_ sensible. +However, when I held up the article towards her ladyship, she put her paw +to her nose--as though to shut out the odour--uttered a low howl, and, +though big enough and strong enough to have sent me head over heels with +a single blow, seemed on the point of falling to the ground. But at the +instant, two male servants, whom I had not seen, ran to her assistance, +while I, who was the innocent cause of all this commotion, stood like a +silly dog that I was, with my box in the air and my mouth wide open, +wondering what it all meant. I was not suffered to remain long in +ignorance; for the two hounds in livery, turning to me, so belaboured my +poor back that I thought at first my bones were broken; while the young +puppy, who, it appears, was her ladyship's youngest son, running behind +me, while I was in this condition, gave my tail such a pull as to cause +me the greatest pain. They then left me in the middle of the road, to +reflect on my ill success in trade, and gather up my stock as I best +could. + +I do not know what it was which made me so anxious to learn the name and +rank of the lady doggess who had been the cause of my severe punishment, +but I eagerly inquired of a kind mongrel, who stopped to help me collect +my scattered goods, if he knew anything about her. He said, she was +called Lady Bull; that her husband. Sir John Bull, had made a large +fortune somehow, and that they lived in a splendid house, had about +thirty puppies, little and big, had plenty of servants, and spent a +great deal of money. He could hardly imagine, he said, that it was the +odour of the "fire-flies" which had occasioned me to be knocked down for +upsetting her ladyship, as she had been a butcher's daughter, and was +used to queer smells, unless her nose had perhaps got more delicate with +her change of position. + +He said much more about her and her peculiarities than I either remember +or care to repeat; but, imagining he had some private reasons for saying +what he did, I thanked him for his trouble, and bid him good day. + +Whatever the cause of my failure, it seemed that I was not fitted for the +match-business. At all events, the experience of that morning did not +encourage me sufficiently to proceed. So, returning the unsold +"fire-flies" to old Fily, I made him a present of the time I had already +spent in his service, and, with a thoughtful face and aching bones, took +my way towards the kennel by the water-side. + + + + +CHANGES. + + +The sun was just going down as I came in sight of the river and the row +of poor kennels which stood on the bank, many of them, like our own, +projecting half over the water. I could not help wondering at the pretty +effect they made at a distance, with the blue river dancing gaily by +their side, the large trees of the wood on the opposite bank waving in +beauty, and the brilliant sun changing everything that his rays fell upon +into gold. He made the poor kennels look so splendid for the time, that +no one would have thought the animals who lived in them could ever be +poor or unhappy. But when the rich light was gone,--gone with the sun +which made it to some other land,--it seemed as if the whole place was +changed. The trees shivered as though a cold wind was stirring them. The +river ran dark and sullenly by the poor houses; and the houses themselves +looked more wretched, I thought, than they had ever appeared before. Yet, +somehow, they were more homelike in their dismal state than when they had +a golden roof and purple sides, so, resuming my walk, for I had stopped +to admire the pretty picture, I soon came near the door. + +It was open, as usual. But what was _not_ usual, was to hear other sounds +from within than the voice of the old doggess, making ceaseless moans. +Now it seemed as if all the doggesses of the neighbourhood had met in the +poor hut to pass the evening, for there was such confusion of tongues, +and such a rustling sound, as told me, before I peeped inside, that +there was a large party got together, and that tails were wagging at a +fearful rate. + +When I stood before the open door, all the scene broke upon me. On her +bed of straw, evidently at the point of death, lay my poor doggess. Her +eyes had almost lost their fierce expression, and were becoming fixed and +glassy--a slight tremor in her legs and movement of her stumpy tail, were +all that told she was yet living; not even her breast was seen to heave. + +I had not much reason to bear love to the old creature for any kindness +she had ever shown me, but this sight overcame me at once. Springing to +her aide, and upsetting half a dozen of the gossips by the movement, I +laid my paw on hers; and, involuntarily raising my head in the air, I +sent forth a howl which shook the rotten timbers of the old kennel, and +so frightened the assembled party as to make them scamper out of the +place like mad things. The sound even called back the departing senses of +the dying doggess. She drew me to her with her paws, and made an effort +to lick me. The action quite melted me. I put down my head to hers and +felt a singular pleasure mixed with grief whilst I licked and caressed +her, I could not help thinking then, as I have often thought since, of +how much happiness we had lost by not being more indulgent to each +other's faults, forgiving and loving one another. She also seemed to be +of this opinion, if I might judge by the grateful look and passive manner +in which she received my attentions. Perhaps the near approach of her end +gave a softness to her nature which was unusual to her; it is not +unlikely; but, of a certainty, I never felt before how much I was losing, +as when I saw that poor doggess's life thus ebbing away. + +Night had come on while I sat watching by her side. Everything about the +single room had become more and more indistinct, until all objects were +alike blended in the darkness. I could no longer distinguish the shape of +my companion, and, but that I _knew_ she was there, I could have thought +myself alone. The wind had fallen; the water seemed to run more gently +than it was wont to do; and the noises which generally make themselves +heard in the streets of Caneville appeared to be singularly quieted. But +once only, at another period of my life, which I shall speak of in its +proper place, do I ever remember to have been so struck by the silence, +and to have felt myself so entirely alone. + +The moon appeared to rise quicker that night, as though it pitied the +poor forlorn dog. It peeped over an opposite house, and directly after, +shone coldly but kindly through the open door. At least, its light seemed +to come like the visit of a friend, in spite of its showing me what I +feared, that I was _indeed_ alone in the world. The poor doggess had died +in the darkness between the setting of the sun and the moon's rise. + +I was sure that she was dead, yet I howled no more. My grief was very +great; for it is a sad, sad thing when you are young to find you are +without friends; perhaps sadder when you are old; but that, I fortunately +do not myself know, for I am old, and have many friends. I recollect +putting my nose between my paws, and lying at full length on the floor, +waiting till the bright sun should come again, and thinking of my forlorn +condition. I must have slept and dreamed--yet I thought I was still in +the old kennel with the dead doggess by my side. But everything seemed to +have found a voice, and to be saying kind things to me. + +The river, as it ran and shook the supports of the old kennel, appeared +to cry out in a rough but gay tone: "Job, Job, my dog, cheer up, cheer +up; the world is before you, Job, cheer up, cheer up." The light wind +that was coming by that way stopped to speak to me as it passed. It flew +round the little room, and whispered as it went: "Poor dog, poor dog, you +are very lonely; but the good need not be so; the good may have friends, +dear Job, however poor!" The trees, as they waved their heads, sent +kindly words across the water, that made their way to my heart right +through the chinks of the old cabin; and when morning broke, and a bright +sky smiled beautifully upon the streets of Caneville, I woke up, sad +indeed, but full of hope. + +Some ragged curs arrived, and carried the old doggess away. She was very +heavy, and they were forced to use all their strength. I saw her cast +into the water, which she disliked so much alive; I watched her floating +form until the rapid current bore it into the wood, and I stayed sitting +on the brink of the river wondering where it would reach at last, and +what sort of places must lie beyond the trees. I had an idea in my own +mind that the sun rested there all night, only I could not imagine how it +came up again in the morning in quite an opposite quarter; but then I was +such a young and ignorant puppy! + +After thinking about this and a good many other matters of no importance +to my story, I got upon my legs, and trotted gently along the bank, +towards a part of the city which I did not remember to have seen before. +The houses were very few, but they were large and handsome, and all had +pretty gardens in nice order, with flowers which smelt so sweet, that I +thought the dogs who could always enjoy such advantages must be very +happy. But one of the houses, larger than all the rest, very much struck +me, for I had never an idea of such a splendid place being in Caneville. +It was upon a little hill that stood at some distance from the river, and +the ground which sloped down from the house into the water was covered +with such beautiful grass, that it made one long to nibble and roll upon +it. + +While I was quietly looking at this charming scene, I was startled by a +loud noise of barking and howling higher up the river, and a confused +sound, as if a great many dogs were assembled at one place, all calling +out together. I ran at once in the direction of the hubbub, partly out of +curiosity and in part from some other motive, perhaps the notion of being +able to render some help. + +A little before me the river had a sudden bend, and the bank rose high, +which prevented me seeing the cause of the noise; but when I reached the +top, the whole scene was before me. On my side of the river a great crowd +had assembled, who were looking intently upon something in the water; +and on the opposite bank there was a complete stream of dogs, running +down to the hill which belonged to the beautiful house I had been +admiring. Every dog, as he ran, seemed to be trying to make as much noise +as he could; and those I spoke to were barking so loudly, and jumping +about in such a way, that I could at first get no explanation of what was +the matter. At last I saw that the struggling object in the water was a +young puppy, which seemed very nicely dressed, and at the same moment the +mongrel, who had helped me to pick up my matches the day before, came +alongside of me, and said: "Ah, young firefly, how are you? Isn't this a +game? That old Lady Bull who got you such a drubbing yesterday, is in a +pretty mess. Her thirty-second pup has just tumbled into the water, and +will certainly be drowned. Isn't she making a fuss? just look!" + +One rapid glance showed me the grand lady he spoke of, howling most +fearfully on the other side of the stream, while two pups, about the same +size as the one in the water, and a stout dog, who looked like the papa, +were sometimes catching hold of her and then running about, not knowing +what to do. + +I stopped no longer. I threw off my over-coat, and running to a higher +part of the bank, leapt into the water, the mongrel's voice calling after +me: "What are you going to do? Don't you know its the son of the old +doggess who had you beat so soundly? Look at your shoulder, where the +hair has been all knocked off with the blows?" Without paying the least +attention to these words, which I could not help hearing they were called +out so loudly, I used all my strength to reach the poor little pup, who, +tired with his efforts to help himself, had already floated on to his +back, while his tiny legs and paws were moving feebly in the air. I +reached him after a few more efforts, and seizing his clothes with my +teeth, I got his head above the water, and swam with my load slowly +towards the bank. + +As I got nearer, I could see Lady Bull, still superbly dressed, but +without her bonnet, throw up her paws and nose towards the sky, and fall +back into the arms of her husband; while the two pups by her side +expressed their feelings in different ways; for one stuffed his little +fists into his eyes, and the other waved his cap in the air, and broke +forth into a succession of infantile bow-wows. + +[Illustration: GOOD DOG!] + +On reaching, the bank, I placed my load at the feet of his poor mother, +who threw herself by his side and hugged him to her breast, in a way +which proved how much tenderness was under those fine clothes and +affected manners. The others stood around her uttering low moans of +sympathy, and I, seeing all so engaged and taken up with the recovered +dog, quietly, and, as I thought, unseen by all, slid back into the water, +and permitted myself to be carried by the current down the river. I +crawled out at some short distance from the spot where this scene had +taken place, and threw myself on to the grass, in order to rest from my +fatigue and allow the warm sun to dry my saturated clothes. What I felt I +can scarce describe, although I remember so distinctly everything +connected with that morning. My principal sensation was that of savage +joy, to think I had saved the son of the doggess who had caused me such +unkind treatment. I was cruel enough, I am sorry to say, to figure to +myself her pain at receiving such a favour from me--but that idea soon +passed away, on reflecting that perhaps she would not even know to whom +she owed her son's escape from death. + +In the midst of my ruminations, a light step behind me caused me to raise +my head. I was positively startled at the beautiful object which I +beheld. It was a lady puppy about my own age, but so small in size, and +with such an innocent sweet look, that she seemed much younger. Her dress +was of the richest kind, and her bonnet, which had fallen back from her +head, showed her glossy dark hair and drooping ears that hung gracefully +beside her cheeks. Poorly as I was dressed, and wet as I still was from +my bath, she sat herself beside me, and putting her little soft paw upon +my shoulder, said, with a smile-- + +"Ah, Job!--for I know that's your name--did you think you could get off +so quietly without any one seeing you, or stopping you, or saying one +single 'thank you, Job,' for being such a good noble dog as you are? Did +you think there was not one sharp eye in Caneville to watch the saver, +but that all were fixed upon the saved? That every tongue was so engaged +in sympathizing with the mother, that not one was left to praise the +brave? If you thought this, dear Job, you did me and others wrong, great +wrong. There are some dogs, at least, who may forget an injury, but who +never forget a noble action, and I have too great a love for my species +to let you think so. I shall see you again, dear Job, though I must leave +you now. I should be blamed if it were known that I came here to talk to +you as I have done; but I could not help it, I could not let you believe +that a noble heart was not understood in Caneville. Adieu. Do not forget +the name of Fida." + +She stooped down, and for a moment her silky hair waved on my rough +cheek, while her soft tongue gently licked my face. Before I could open +my mouth in reply--before, indeed, I had recovered from my surprise, and +the admiration which this beautiful creature caused me, she was gone. I +sprang on to my legs to observe which way she went, but not a trace of +her could I see, and I thought it would not be proper to follow her. When +I felt certain of being alone, I could hardly restrain my feelings. I +threw myself on my back, I rolled upon the grass, I turned head over +heels in the boisterousness of my spirit, and then gambolled round and +round like a mad thing. + +Did I believe all the flattering praises which the lovely Fida had +bestowed on me? I might perhaps have done so then, and in my inexperience +might have fancied that I was quite a hero. Time has taught me another +lesson. It has impressed upon me the truth, that when we do our duty we +do only what should be expected of every dog; only what every dog ought +to do. Of the two, Fida had done the nobler action. She had shown not +only a promptness to feel what she considered good, but she had had the +courage to say so in private to the doer, although he was of the poorest +and she of the richest class of Caneville society. In saving the little +pup's life, I had risked nothing; I knew my strength, and felt certain I +could bring him safely to the shore. If I had _not_ tried to save the +poor little fellow I should have been in part guilty of his death. But +she, in bestowing secret praise and encouragement upon a poor dog who had +no friends to admire her for so doing, while her action would perhaps +bring blame upon her from her proud friends, did that which was truly +good and noble. + +The thought of returning to my solitary home after the sad scene of the +night before, and particularly after the new feelings just excited, was +not a pleasant one. The bright sky and fresh air seemed to suit me better +than black walls and the smell of damp straw. Resolving in my mind, +however, to leave it as soon as possible, I re-crossed the river, and, +with a slower step than usual, took the road which led thither. + + + + +UPS AND DOWNS. + + +I should not probably have spoken of these last incidents in my life, as +the relation of them savours rather too much of vanity, but for certain +results of the highest importance to my future fortunes. + +When I reached the old kennel I found, waiting my return, two terrier +dogs in livery, with bulls' heads grinning from such a quantity of +buttons upon their lace coats that it was quite startling. They brought +a polite message from Sir John and Lady Bull, begging me to call upon +them without delay. As the servants had orders to show me the road, we +set off at once. + +I was very silent on the journey, for my companions were so splendidly +dressed that I could not help thinking they must be very superior dogs +indeed; and I was rather surprised, when they spoke to each other, to +find that they talked just like any other animals, and a good deal more +commonly than many that I knew. But such is the effect of fine clothes +upon those who know no better. + +We soon reached the grounds of the mansion, having crossed the river in a +boat that was waiting for us; and after passing through a garden more +beautiful than my poor dog's brain had ever imagined, we at last stood +before the house itself. I need not describe to you, who know the place +so well, the vastness of the building or the splendour of its appearance. +What struck me more even than the palace, was the number of the servants +and the richness of their clothes. Each of them seemed fine enough to be +the master of the place, and appeared really to think so, if I could +judge by the way they strutted about and the look they gave at my poor +apparel. I was much abashed at first to find myself in such a company and +make so miserable a figure; but I was consoled with the thought that not +one of them that morning had ventured, in spite of his eating his +master's meat and living in his master's house, to plunge into the water +to save his master's son. Silly dog that I was! it did not enter my head +at the same time to inquire whether any of them had learnt to swim. + +If the outside of the mansion had surprised me by its beauty, the +interior appeared of course much more extraordinary to my ignorant mind. +Every thing I was unused to looked funny or wonderful; and if I had not +been restrained by the presence of such great dogs, I should have +sometimes laughed outright, and at others broken forth into expressions +of surprise. + +The stout Sir John Bull was standing in the middle of the room when I +entered it, while the stouter Lady Bull was lying on a kind of sofa, that +seemed quite to sink beneath her weight. I found out afterwards that it +was the softness of the sofa which made it appear so; for sitting on it +myself, at my Lady's request, I jumped up in the greatest alarm, on +finding the heaviest part of my body sink lower and lower down, and my +tail come flapping into my face. + +Sir John and Lady Bull now thanked me very warmly for what I had done, +and said a great many things which it is not worth while to repeat. I +remember they were very pleasing to me then, but I am sure cannot be +interesting to you now. After their thanks, Sir John began to talk to me +about myself--about my parents--my wishes--what I intended to do--and +what were my means? To his great surprise he learnt that parents I had +none; that my only wishes were the desire to do some good for myself and +others, and earn my meat; that I had no notion what I intended doing, and +had no means whatever to do anything with. It may be believed that I +willingly accepted his offer to watch over a portion of his grounds, to +save them from the depredations of thieves, on condition of my receiving +good clothes, plenty of food, and a comfortable house to live in. It was +now my turn to be thankful. But although my heart was full at this piece +of good fortune, and I could _think_ of a great many things to say to +show my gratitude, not a single word could I find to express it in, but +stood before them like a dumb dog, with only the wave of my tail to +explain my thanks. They seemed, however, to understand it, and I was at +once ordered a complete suit of clothes and everything fitted for my new +position. I was also supplied with the most abundant supper I had ever +had in my life, and went to rest upon the most delightful bed; so that +before I went to sleep, and I do believe afterwards too, I kept saying to +myself, "Job, Job, you have surely got some other dog's place; all this +good luck can't be meant for you; what have you done, Job, that you +should eat such meat, and sleep on so soft a bed, and be spoken to so +kindly? Don't forget yourself, Job; there must be some mistake." But when +I got up in the morning, and found a breakfast for me as nice as the +supper, and looked at my clothes, which, if not so smart as some of the +others, were better and finer than any I could ever have thought I should +have worn, I was at last convinced, that although I was poor Job, and +although I did not, perhaps, deserve all the happiness I felt, that it +was not a dream, but real, plain truth. "As it is so," I said again, "I +must do my duty as well as I am able, for that is the only way a poor dog +like me can show his gratitude." + +After breakfast, I accompanied Sir John to the place of my future home. A +quarter of an hour's walk brought us to a gentle hill, which, similar to +the one whereon the mansion itself was situated, sloped downwards to the +water. One or two trees, like giant sentinels, stood near the top, and +behind them waved the branches of scores more, while beyond for many a +mile spread the dark mass of the thick forest of which I have more than +once made mention. Nearly at the foot of the hill, beneath a spreading +oak, was a cottage, a very picture of peace and neatness; and as we +paused, Sir John pointed out the peculiarities of the position and +explained my duties. It appeared that this part of his grounds was noted +for a delicate kind of bird, much esteemed by himself and his family, and +which was induced to flock there by regular feeding and the quiet of the +situation. This fact was, however, perfectly well known to others besides +Sir John; and as these others were just as fond of the birds as himself, +they were accustomed to pay nightly visits to the forbidden ground, and +carry off many of the plumpest fowl. The wood was known to shelter many a +wandering fox, who, although dwelling so near the city, could not be +prevailed on to abandon their roguish habits and live in a civilised +manner. These birds were particularly to their taste, and it required the +greatest agility to keep off the cunning invaders, for, though they had +no great courage, and would not attempt to resist a bold dog, they +frequently succeeded in eluding all vigilance and getting off with their +booty. Often, too, a stray cur, sometimes two or three together, from the +lowest classes of the population, would, when moved by hunger, make a +descent on the preserves, and battles of a fierce character not seldom +occurred, for, unlike the foxes, they were never unwilling to fight, but +showed the utmost ferocity when attacked, and were often the aggressors. +But those were not all. The grounds were exactly opposite that part of +the city of Caneville known as the "Mews," and occupied by the cat +population, who have a general affection for most birds, and held these +preserved ones in particular esteem. Fortunately, the water that +interposed was a formidable barrier for the feline visitors, as few +pussies like to wet their feet; but, by some means or other, they +frequently found their way across, and by their dexterity, swiftness, and +the quiet of their movements, committed terrible ravages among the birds. +When Sir John had told me all this, he led the way down the hill to the +small house under the tree. It had two rooms, with a kennel at the back. +The front room was the parlour, and I thought few places could have been +so neat and pretty. The back was the sleeping-room, and the windows of +both looked out upon the soft grass and trees, and showed a fine view of +the river. + +"This," said Sir John, "is your house, and I hope you will be happy in it +yourself, and be of service to me. You will not be alone, for +there"--pointing to the kennel at the back--"sleeps an old servant of the +family, who will assist you in your duties." + +He then called out "Nip," when a rumbling noise was heard from the +kennel, and directly after a lame hound came hopping round to the door. +The sight of this old fellow was not pleasant at first, for his hair was +a grizzly brown and his head partly bald; his eyes were sunk, and, +indeed, almost hidden beneath his bushy brows, and his cheeks hung down +below his mouth and shook with every step he took. I soon found out that +he was as singular in his manners as in his looks, and had such a dislike +to talking that it was a rare thing for him to say more than two or three +words at one time. Sir John told him who I was, and desired him to obey +my orders; commanded us both to be good friends and not quarrel, as +strange dogs were rather apt to do; and after some more advice left us to +ourselves, I in a perfect dream of wonderment, and "Nip" sitting winking +at me in a way that I thought more funny than agreeable. + +After we had sat looking at one another for some time, I said, just to +break the silence, which was becoming tiresome-- + +"A pretty place this!" + +Nip winked. + +"Have you been here long?" I asked. + +"Think so," said Nip. + +"All alone?" I inquired. + +"Almost," Nip replied. + +"Much work to do, eh?" I asked. + +The only answer Nip gave to this was by winking first one eye and then +the other, and making his cheeks rise and fall in a way so droll that I +could not help laughing, at which Nip seemed to take offence, for without +waiting for any farther questions he hopped out of the room, and I saw +him, soon after, crawling softly up the hill, as if on the look out for +some of the thieves Sir John had spoken of. + +I, too, went off upon the watch. I took my way along the bank, I glided +among the bushes, ran after a young fox whose sharp nose I spied pointed +up a tree, but without catching him, and finally returned to my new home +by the opposite direction. Nip came in shortly after, and we sat down to +our dinner. + +Although this portion of my life was, perhaps, the happiest I have ever +known, it has few events worth relating. The stormy scenes which are so +painful to the dog who suffers them, are those which are most interesting +to the hearer; while the quiet days, that glide peacefully away, are so +like each other, that an account of one of them is a description of many. +A few hours can be so full of action, as to require volumes to describe +them properly, and the history of whole years can be written on a single +page. + +I tried, as I became fixed in my new position, to do what I had resolved +when I entered it; namely, my duty. I think I succeeded; I certainly +obtained my master's praise, and sometimes my own; for I had a habit of +talking to myself, as Nip so rarely opened his mouth, and would praise or +blame myself just as I thought I deserved it. I am afraid I was not +always just, but too often said, "Well done, Job; that's right, Job;" +when I ought to have called out, "You're wrong, Job; you ought to feel, +Job, that you're wrong;" but it is not so easy a thing to be just, even +to ourselves. + +One good lesson I learned in that little cottage, which has been of use +to me all my life through; and that was, to be very careful about judging +dogs by their looks. There was old Nip: when I first saw him, I thought I +had never beheld such an ugly fellow in my life, and could not imagine +how anything good was to be expected from so cross a looking, ragged old +hound. And yet nothing could be more beautiful, more loveable than dear +old Nip, when you came to know him well. All the misfortunes he had +suffered, all the knocks he had received in passing through the world, +seemed to have made his heart more tender; and he was so entirely +good-natured, that in all the time we were together, I never heard him +say an unkind thing of living or dead animal. I believe his very silence +was caused by the goodness of his disposition; for as he could not help +seeing many things he did not like, but could not alter, he preferred +holding his tongue to saying what could not be agreeable. Dear, dear Nip! +if ever it should be resolved to erect a statue of goodness in the public +place of Caneville, they ought to take you for a model; you would not be +so pleasant to look on as many finer dogs, but when once known, your +image would be loved, dear Nip, as I learned to love the rugged original. + +It can be of no interest to you to hear the many fights we had in +protecting the property of our master during the first few moons after my +arrival. Almost every night we were put in danger of lives, for the curs +came in such large numbers that there was a chance of our being pulled to +pieces in the struggle. Yet we kept steady watch; and after a time, +finding, I suppose, that we were never sleeping at our post, and that our +courage rose with every fresh attack, the thieves gradually gave up open +war, and only sought to entrap the birds by artifice; and, like the foxes +and cats, came sneaking into the grounds, and trusted to the swiftness of +their legs rather than the sharpness of their teeth when Nip or I caught +sight of them. + +And thus a long, long time passed away. I had, meanwhile, grown to my +full size, and was very strong and active: not so stout as I have got in +these later years, when my toes sometimes ache with the weight which +rests on them, but robust and agile, and as comely, I believe, as most +dogs of my age and descent. + +The uniformity of my life, which I have spoken of as making me so happy, +was interrupted only by incidents that did not certainly cause me +displeasure. I renewed my acquaintance with "Fida," no longer _little_ +Fida, for she had grown to be a beautiful lady-dog. Our second meeting +was by chance, but we talked like old friends, so much had our first done +to remove all strangeness. I don't think the next time we saw each other +was quite by accident. If I remember rightly, it was not; and we often +met afterwards. We agreed that we should do all we could to assist one +another, though what _I_ could do for so rich and clever a lady-dog I +could not imagine, although I made the promise very willingly. On her +part, she did for me what I can never sufficiently repay. She taught me +to read, lending me books containing strange stories of far-off +countries, and beautiful poetry, written by some deep dogs of the city; +she taught me to write; and in order to exercise me, made me compose +letters to herself, which Nip carried to her, bringing me back such +answers as would astonish you; for when you thought you had got to the +end, they began all over again in another direction. Besides these, she +taught me to speak and act properly, in the way that well-behaved dogs +ought to do; for I had been used to the company of such low and poor +animals, that it was not surprising if I should make sad blunders in +speech and manners. I need not say that she taught me to love herself, +for that you will guess I had done from the first day I saw her, when I +was wet from my jump in the river, and she spoke to me such flattering +words. No; she could not teach me more love for herself than I already +knew. That lesson had been learnt _by heart_, and at a single sitting. + +Our peaceful days were drawing to a close. Sir John died. Lady Bull lived +on for a short time longer. Many said, when she followed, that she ate +herself to death; but I mention the rumour in order to deny it, for I am +sure it was grief that killed her. It is a pity some dogs will repeat +everything they hear, without considering the mischief such tittle-tattle +may occasion--although it has been asserted by many that in this case the +false intelligence came from the Cats, who had no great affection for +poor Lady Bull. Whatever the cause, she died, and with her the employment +of poor Nip and myself. The young Bulls who came into possession of the +estate, sold the preserves to a stranger; and as the new proprietor +intended killing off the birds, and did not require keepers, there being +no longer anything for them to do, we were turned upon the world. + +The news came upon us so suddenly, that we were quite unprepared for it; +and we were, besides, so far from being rich, that it was a rather +serious matter to find out how we should live until we could get some +other occupation. I was not troubled for myself; for, though I had been +used to good feeding lately, I did not forget the time when I was often +forced to go the whole day with scarce a bit to eat; but the thought of +how poor old Nip would manage gave me some pain. + +Having bid adieu to the peaceful cottage, where we had spent such happy +times, we left the green fields and pleasant trees and proceeded to the +town, where, after some difficulty, we found a humble little house which +suited our change of fortune. Here we began seriously to muse over what +we should do. I proposed making a ferry-boat of my back, and, stationing +myself at the waterside near the "Mews," swim across the river with such +cats as required to go over and did not like to walk as far as where the +boat was accustomed to be. By these means I calculated on making enough +money to keep us both comfortably. Nip thought not. He said that the cats +would not trust me--few cats ever did trust the dogs--and then, though he +did not dislike cats, not at all, for he knew a great many very sensible +cats, and very good ones too, he did not like the idea of seeing his +friend walked over by cats or dogs, or any other animal, stranger or +domestic. Besides, there were other objections. Strong as I was, I could +not expect, if I made a boat of myself, that I could go on and on without +wanting repair any more than a real boat; but where was the carpenter to +put _me_ to rights, or take out _my_ rotten timbers and put in fresh +ones. No; that would not do; we must think of something else. + +It must not be imagined that Nip made all this long speech in one breath, +or in a dozen breaths. It took him a whole morning to explain himself +even as clearly as I have tried to do; and perhaps I may still have +written what he did not quite intend, for his words came out with a jump, +one or two at a time, and often so suddenly that it would have startled a +dog who was not used to his manner. + +Nip himself made the next proposal, and though I did not exactly like it, +there seemed so little choice, that I at once agreed to do my part in the +scheme. Nip was the son of a butcher, and though he had followed the +trade but a short time himself, he was a very good judge of meat. He, +therefore, explained that if I would undertake to become the seller, he +would purchase and prepare the meat, and he thought he could make it look +nice enough to induce the dogs to come and buy. + +Our stock of money being very small, a house-shop was out of the +question, so there was no chance of getting customers from the better +class,--a thing which I regretted, as I had little taste for the society +of the vulgar; but, again, as it could not be helped, the only thing to +do was to make the best of it. A wheelbarrow was therefore bought by Nip, +with what else was necessary to make me a complete "walking butcher," and +having got in a stock of meat the day before, Nip cut, and contrived, and +shaped, and skewered, in so quiet and business-like a way as proved he +knew perfectly well what he was about. With early morning, after Nip had +arranged my dress with the same care as he had bestowed upon the barrow +and its contents, I wheeled my shop into the street, and amid a great +many winks of satisfaction from my dear old friend, I went trudging +along, bringing many a doggess to the windows of the little houses by my +loud cry of "Me-eet! Fresh me-eet!" + +As I was strange in my new business, and did not feel quite at my ease, I +fancied every dog I met, and every eye that peeped from door and +casement, stared at me in a particular manner, as if they knew I was +playing my part for the first time, and were watching to see how I did +it. The looks that were cast at my meat, were all, I thought, intended +for me, and when a little puppy leered suspiciously at the barrow as he +was crossing the road, no doubt to see that it did not run over him, I +could only imagine that he was thinking of the strange figure I made, +and my awkward attempt at getting a living. Feelings like these no doubt +alarm every new beginner; but time and habit, if they do not reconcile us +to our lot, will make it at least easier to perform, and thus, after some +two hours' journeying through the narrow lanes of Caneville, I did what +my business required of me with more assurance than when I first set out. + +One thing, however, was very distasteful to me, and I could so little +bear to see it, that I even spoke of it aloud, and ran the risk of +offending some of my customers. I mean the _way_ in which several of the +dogs devoured the meat after they had bought it. You will think that when +they had purchased their food and paid for it, they had a right to eat it +as they pleased: I confess it; nothing can be more true; but still, my +ideas had changed so of late, that it annoyed me very much to see many of +these curs, living as they did in the most civilized city in this part of +the world, gnawing their meat as they held it on the ground with their +paws, and growling if any one came near as though there was no such thing +as a police in Caneville. I forgot when I was scolding these poor dogs, +that perhaps they had never been taught better, and deserved pity rather +than blame. I forgot too that I had myself behaved as they did before I +had been blessed with happier fortune, and that, even then, if I had +looked into my own conduct, I should have found many things more worthy +of censure than these poor curs' mode of devouring their food. + +The lane I was passing along was cut across by a broad and open street, +the favourite promenade of the fashionables of Caneville. There might be +seen about mid-day, when the sun was shining, troops of well-dressed dogs +and a few superior cats, some attended by servants, others walking alone, +and many in groups of two or three, the male dogs smoking cigars, the +ladies busily talking, while they looked at and admired one another's +pretty dresses and bonnets. + +By the time I had got thus far, I had become tolerably used to my new +work, and could imagine that when the passers-by cast their eyes on my +barrow, their glances had more to do with the meat than with myself. But +I did not like the idea of crossing the road where such grand dogs were +showing off their finery. After a little inward conversation with myself, +which finished with my muttering between my teeth, "Job, brother Job, I +am ashamed of you! where is your courage, brother Job? Go on; go on;" I +went on without further delay. + +I had got half-way across, and was already beginning to praise myself for +the ease with which I turned my barrow in and out of the crowd without +running over the toes of any of the puppies, who were far too much +engaged to look after them themselves when a dirty little cur stopped me +to buy a penn'orth of meat. I set down my load just in time to avoid +upsetting a very fat and splendidly dressed doggess, who must, if I had +run the wheel into her back, and it was very near it, have gone head +foremost into the barrow. This little incident made me very hot, and I +did not get cooler when my customer squatted down in the midst of the +well-dressed crowd, and began tearing his meat in the way I have before +described as being so unpleasant. At the same moment another dog by his +side, with a very ragged coat, and queer little face, held up his paw to +ask for "a little bit," as he was very hungry, "only a little bit." I +should, probably, have given him a morsel, as I remembered the time when +I wanted it as much as he seemed to do, but for an unexpected meeting. +Turning my head at a rustling just behind me, I saw a well-dressed dog, +with a hat of the last fashion placed so nicely on his head that it +seemed to be resting on the bridge of his nose, the smoke from a cigar +issuing gracefully from his mouth, and his head kept in an upright +posture by a very stiff collar which ran round the back of his neck, and +entirely prevented his turning round his head without a great deal of +care and deliberation, while a tuft of hair curled nicely from beneath +his chin, and gave a fine finish to the whole dog. But though I have +spoken of this Caneville fashionable, it was not he who caused the +rustling noise, or who most attracted my attention. Tripping beside +him, with her soft paw beneath his, was a lady-dog, whose very dress told +her name, at least in my eyes, before I saw her face. I felt sure that it +was Fida, and I wished myself anywhere rather than in front of that +barrow with an ill-bred cur at my feet gnawing the penn'orth of meat he +had just bought of me. Before I had time to catch up my load and depart, +a touch on my shoulder, so gentle that it would not have hurt a fly, and +yet which made me tremble more than if it had been the grip of a giant +animal, forced me again to turn. It _was_ Fida; as beautiful and as fresh +as ever, who gave me a sweet smile of recognition and encouragement as +she passed with her companion, and left me standing there as stupid and +uncomfortable as if I had been caught doing something wrong. + +[Illustration: A CANINE BUTCHER] + +You will say that it was very ridiculous in me to feel so ashamed and +disconcerted at being seen by her or any other dog or doggess in my +common dress, and following an honest occupation. I do not deny it. And +in telling you these things I have no wish to spare myself, I have no +excuse to offer, but only to relate events and describe feelings +precisely as they were. + + + + +THE INUNDATION. + + +That evening it seemed as if Nip and I had changed characters. It was he +who did all the talking, while I sat in a corner, full of thought, and +answered yes or no to everything he said, and sometimes in the wrong +place, I am sure; for once or twice he looked at me very attentively, and +winked in a way which proved that he was puzzled by my manner. + +The reason of his talkativeness was the success I had attained in my +first morning's walk, for I had sold nearly all the meat, and brought +home a pocket full of small money. The cause of my silence was the +unexpected meeting with Fida, and the annoyance I felt at having been +seen by her in such a position. This was the first time I had set eyes on +her for several days. When we left our pretty country lodging, I wrote +her a letter, which Nip carried as usual to her house, but he was told +that she had gone on a visit to some friends at a distance, but that the +letter should be given to her on her return. I had not, therefore, been +able to inform her of what we had been compelled to do, as I would have +wished; but thus, without preparation, quite unexpectedly, I had been met +by her in the public street, acting the poor dogs' butcher, with the +implements of my business before me, and a dirty cur growling and gnawing +his dinner at my feet. What made the matter more serious, for serious it +seemed to me, though I can but smile _now_ to think why such a thing +should have made me uncomfortable, was, that the whole scene had taken +place in so open a part, with so many grand and gay dogs all round, to be +witnesses of my confusion. I did not reflect that, of all the puppies who +were strutting past, there was probably not one who could have remembered +so common an event as the passing of a butcher's barrow; and if they +looked at me at all, it was, doubtless, for no other reason than to avoid +running against my greasy coat and spoiling their fine clothes. These +confessions will prove to you that I was very far from being a wise dog +or even a sensible one; all the books I had read had, as yet, served no +other purpose than that of feeding my vanity and making me believe I was +a very superior animal; and you may learn from this incident, that those +who wish to make a proper figure in the world, and play the part they are +called on to perform in a decent manner, must study their lesson in the +world itself, by mingling with their fellows, for books alone can no more +teach such knowledge than it can teach a dog to swim without his going +into the water. + +Nip and I had our dinner; and when it was over, my old friend went out to +procure a supply of meat for the next day's business. I sat at the window +with my nose resting on the ledge, at times watching some heavy clouds +which were rolling up the sky, as if to attend a great meeting overhead; +at another moment, looking at the curs in the streets, who were playing +all sorts of games, which generally turned into a fight, and often +staring at the house opposite without seeing a single stone in the wall, +but in their place, Fidas, and puppies with stiff collars, and barrows +with piles of meat, ready cut and skewered. I was awoke from this +day-dream by the voice of an old, but very clean doggess, inquiring if my +name was Mr. Job? I answered that I was so called, when she drew from her +pocket and gave me a pink-coloured note, which smelt like a nice garden, +and even brought one to my view as plainly as if it had suddenly danced +before me, and saying there was no reply, returned by the way she had +come. + +I did not require to be told by whom it was sent. I knew the writing too +well. The neat folding, the small but clean address assured me that a +lady's paw had done it all, and every word of the direction-- + + +---------------------------------------+ + | MASTER JOB, | + | | + | In the Little Dogs' Street, | + | | + | F. LOWER CANEVILLE. | + +---------------------------------------+ + +spoke to me of Fida, and did not even need the F. in the corner to +convince me of the fact. With her permission, I here give you the +contents:-- + + "MY DEAR JOB, + + + "I am sorry I was away from home when your letter arrived, and + would have told you I was going, but that I thought the news + might cause you pain, as I, by some mischance, had got my + tail jammed in a door, and was forced to leave home in order + to visit a famous doctor, who lives at some distance. He + fortunately cured me after a few days' illness, and the tail + wags now as freely as ever, although it was very annoying, as + well as ridiculous, to see me walking up and down the room + with that wounded member so wrapped up that it was as thick as + my whole body, and was quite a load to drag about. + + "But, dear Job, I do not write this to talk about myself, + though I am forced to give you this explanation of my silence: + what I wish is to say something about _you_. And to begin, as + you have always been a good, kind dog, and listened to me + patiently when I have praised, you must now be just as kind + and good, and even more patient, because I am going to scold. + + "Dear Job, when I met you this morning in your new dress and + occupation, I had not then read your letter. I had but just + returned, and was taking a walk with my brother, who had + arrived from abroad during my absence. I knew you at once, in + spite of your change of costume, and though I did not + particularly like the business you had chosen, I felt certain + you had good reasons for having selected it. But when I looked + in your face, instead of the smile of welcome which I expected + from you, I could read nothing but shame, confusion, and + annoyance. Why? dear Job, why? If you were _ashamed_ of your + occupation, why had you chosen it? I suppose when you took it + up, you resolved to do your duty in it properly; then why feel + _shame_ because _your friend_ sees you, as you must have + thought she would one day see you, since the nature of your + new business carries you into different parts of the city? + + "But, dear Job, I feel certain, and I would like you to be + equally sure, that there is no need of _shame_ in following + any busines which is _honest_, and which can be carried on + without doing injury to others. It is not the business, + believe me, dear Job, which lowers a dog; _he himself_ is + alone capable of _lowering_ himself, and one dog may be truly + good and noble, though he drive a meat-barrow about the + streets, while another may be a miserable, mean animal, though + living in a palace and never soiling his paws. + + "I have a great deal more to say, my dear Job, upon this + subject, but I must leave the rest till I see you. I have + already crossed and recrossed my note, and may be most + difficult to understand where I most want to be clear. Here is + a nice open space, however, in the corner, which I seize on + with pleasure to write myself most distinctly, + + + "Your friend, + + "FIDA." + +A variety of feelings passed through my mind as I read these lines. But +they were all lost in my wonder at Fida's cleverness in being able to +read my face, as if it had been a book. I was grateful to her for the +good advice she gave me, and now felt ashamed for having been ashamed +before. The best way I thought to prove my thankfulness would be to act +openly and naturally as Fida had pointed out, for I could not help +confessing, as my eyes looked again and again over her note, that she was +quite right, and that I had acted like a very silly animal. + +I was interrupted during my reflections by the bursting of rain upon the +house-roofs, and the stream which rose from the streets as the large +drops came faster and faster down. I went to the door to look for my old +friend, but not a dog was to be seen. I was surprised at the sight of the +sky where I had observed the clouds rising a little while before, for now +those same clouds looked like big rocks piled one above another, with +patches of light shining through great caverns. + +As I stared eagerly down the street, torrents of water poured from above, +which, instead of diminishing, seemed to be growing more terrible every +moment. I had never seen so fearful a storm. It did not appear like mere +rain which was falling; the water came down in broad sheets, and changed +the road into a river. I got more and more anxious about old Nip. It was +getting dark, and I knew he was not strong. My hope was that he had +taken shelter somewhere; but I could not rest, for I was sure he would +try and get home, if only to quiet me. While running in and out in my +anxiety--the water having meanwhile risen above the sill of the door, and +poured into our little house, where it was already above my paws--I spied +a dark figure crawling along the street, and with great difficulty making +way against the beating of the storm. I at once rushed out, and swimming +rather than running towards the object, I found my poor friend almost +spent with fatigue, and scarcely able to move, having a heavy load to +carry besides his own old limbs, which were not fit to battle with such a +tempest. I caught up his package; and assisting him as well as I was +able, we at length got to our cottage, though we were forced to get upon +the bench that stood by the wall to keep our legs out of the water. The +rain had now become a perfect deluge. A stream of water went hissing down +the street, and rushed in and out of the houses as if they had been +baths. + +When Nip recovered breath, he told me that terrible things were happening +in the parts of the city by the waterside. The river had swollen so much, +that some kennels had been carried away by the current, and it was +impossible to learn how many poor dogs had been drowned. This news made +me jump again from the bench where I had been sitting. + +"What is it?" said Nip. + +"I am going out, Nip," replied I. "I must not be idle here, when I can, +perhaps, be of use somewhere else." + +"That is true," said Nip; "but, Job, strong as you are, the storm is +stronger." + +"Yes, Nip," answered I; "but there are dogs weaker than myself who may +require such assistance as I can give them, and it is not a time for a +dog to sit with his tail curled round him, when there are +fellow-creatures who may want a helping paw. So good-bye, old friend; try +and go to sleep; you have done your duty as long as your strength let +you, it is now for me to do mine." Without waiting for a reply, I rushed +out at the door. + +It did not need much exertion to get through our street or the next, or +the next after that, for as they all sloped downwards, the water more +than once took me off my legs, and carried me along. Sad as Nip's news +had been, I was not prepared for the terrible scene which met my eyes +when I got near the river. The houses at the lower part of the street I +had reached had been swept away by the torrent, and a crowd of shivering +dogs stood looking at the groaning river as it rolled past in great waves +as white as milk, in which black objects, either portions of some kennel +or articles of furniture, were floating. Every now and then, a howl would +break from a doggess in the crowd, as a dead body was seen tossed about +by the angry water; and the same dolorous cries might be heard from +different quarters, mixed up with the roar of the river. + +While standing with a group of three or four, staring with astonishment +at the frightful scene, uncertain what to do, a howl was heard from +another direction, so piercing that it made many of us run to learn the +cause. The pale light showed us that the torrent had snapped the supports +of a house at some distance from the river's bank, but which the swollen +stream had now reached, and carried away at least half the building. By +some curious chance, the broken timbers had become fixed for the moment +in the boiling water, which, angry at the obstruction, was rushing round +or flying completely over them; and it was easy to see that in a very +short time the mass would be swept away. Upon the timbers thus exposed +were three little pups scarce two months old, yelping most dismally as +they crouched together, or crawled to the edge of their raft; while on +the floor of the ruin from which this side had been torn away, was their +poor mother, whose fearful howl had attracted us thither, and who was +running from side to side of the shattered hut as if she was frantic. + +Great as the danger was, I could not bear to think the wretched mother +should see her little ones swallowed up by the stormy water, before her +very eyes, without a single attempt being made to save them. Although I +could scarcely hope even to reach them in safety, and in no case could +bring more than one of them to land at once, if I even got so far, I +resolved to make the trial. Better save one, I thought, than let all die. + +Holding my breath, I launched into the current in the direction of the +raft, and soon found that I had not been wrong in calculating the +difficulties and dangers of the undertaking. It was not the water alone +which made the peril so great, though the eddies seemed at every moment +to be pulling me to the bottom, but there were so many things rushing +along with the stream as to threaten to crush me as they flew by; and had +they struck me, there is no doubt there would have been an end of my +adventures. Avoiding them all, though I know not how, I was getting near +the spot where the little pups were crying for their mother, when I felt +myself caught in an eddy and dragged beneath the water. Without losing +courage, but not allowing myself to breathe, I made a strong effort, and +at last, got my head above the surface again; but where was the raft? +Where were the helpless puppies? All had gone--not a trace was left to +tell where they had been--the river foamed over the spot that had held +them for a time, and was now rushing along as if boasting of its +strength. + +Seeing my intentions thus defeated, I turned my head towards the shore, +resolving to swim to land. To my surprise, I found that I made no +progress. I put out all my strength--I fought with the water--I threw +myself forward--it was in vain--I could not move a paw's breadth against +the current. I turned to another point--I again used every exertion--all +was useless--I felt my tired limbs sink under me--I felt the stream +sweeping me away--my head turned round in the agony of that moment, and I +moaned aloud. + +My strength was now gone--I could scarce move a paw to keep my head down +the river. A dark object came near--it was a large piece of timber, +probably a portion of some ruined building. Seizing it as well as my +weakness would permit me, I laid my paws over the floating wood, and, +dragging my body a little more out of the water, got some rest from my +terrible labours. + +[Illustration: AFLOAT] + +Where was I hurrying to? I knew not. Every familiar object must have been +long passed, but it was too obscure to make out anything except the angry +torrent. On, on I went, in darkness and in fear--yes, great fear, not of +death, but a fear caused by the strangeness of my position, and the +uncertainty before me; on, on, till the black shores seemed to fly from +each other, and the river to grow and grow until all land had +disappeared, and nothing but the water met my aching eyes. I closed them +to shut out the scene, and tried to forget my misery. + +Had I slept? And what was the loud noise which startled me so that I had +nearly let go my hold? I roused myself--I looked around--I was tossing up +and down with a regular motion, but could see nothing clearly, I was no +longer carried forward so swiftly as before, but the dim light prevented +me making out the place I was now in. + +Suddenly, a flash broke from the black clouds, and for a single moment +shed a blue light over everything. What a spectacle! All around, for +miles and miles and miles, was nothing but dancing water, like shining +hills with milky tops, but not a living creature beside myself to keep me +company, or say a kind word, or listen to me when I spoke, or pity me +when I moaned! Oh! who could tell what I then felt, what I feared, and +what I suffered! Alone! alone! + +When I think, as I often do now, of that terrible scene, and figure to +myself my drenched body clinging to that piece of timber, I seem to feel +a strange pity for the miserable dog thus left, as it seemed, to die, +away from all his fellows, without a friendly howl raised, to show there +was a single being to regret his loss--and I cannot help at such times +murmuring to myself, as if it were some other animal, "Poor Job! poor +dog!" + +I remember a dimness coming over my eyes after I had beheld that world of +water--I have a faint recollection of thinking of Fida--of poor Nip--of +the drowning puppies I had tried in vain, to save--of my passing through +the streets of Caneville with my meat-barrow, and wondering how I could +have been so foolish as to feel ashamed of doing so--and then--and +then--I remember nothing more. + + + + +PAINS AND PLEASURES. + + +When I again opened my eyes after the deep sleep which had fallen upon +me, morning was just breaking, and a grey light was in the sky and on the +clouds which dotted it all over. + +As I looked round, you may well think, with hope and anxiety, still +nothing met my view but the great world of water, broken up into a +multitude of little hills. I now understood that I was on the sea, where +I had been borne by the rushing river; that sea of which I had often +read, but which I could form no idea about till this moment. + +The sad thought struck me that I must stop there, tossed about by the +wind and beaten by the waves, until I should die of hunger, or that, +spent with fatigue, my limbs would refuse to sustain me longer, and I +should be devoured by some of the monsters of the deep, who are always on +the watch for prey. + +Such reflections did not help to make my position more comfortable, and +it was painful enough in itself without them. It was certain, however, +that complaint or sorrow could be of no service, and might be just the +contrary, as the indulging in either would, probably, prevent my doing +what was necessary to try and save myself should an opportunity offer. + +The grey light, in the meantime, had become warmer and warmer in its +tone, until the face of every cloud towards the east was tinged with +gold. While I was admiring the beautiful sight, for it was so beautiful +that it made me forget for a time my sad position, my eyes were caught +by the shining arch of the rising sun, as it sprang all of a sudden above +the surface of the sea. Oh! never shall I forget the view! Between me and +the brilliant orb lay a pathway of gold, which rose, and fell, and +glittered, and got at last so broad and dazzling, that my eyes could look +at it no longer. I knew it was but the sun's light upon the water, but it +looked so firm, that I could almost fancy I should be able to spring upon +it, and run on and on until I reached some friendly country. But alas! +there seemed little chance of such a thing happening as my ever reaching +land again. + +As the sun got high up, and poured his rays on to the sea, I began to +feel a craving for food, and, though surrounded with water, yet the want +of some to drink. When the thirst came upon me, I at first lapped up a +few drops of the sea-water with avidity, but I soon found that it was not +fit to drink, and that the little I had taken only made my thirst the +greater. In the midst of my suffering, a poor bird came fluttering +heavily along, as if his wings were scarce able to support his weight. +Every little object was interesting to me just then, and as I sat upon my +piece of timber I looked up at the trembling creature, and began +comparing his fate with my own. "Ah, Job," I said, half-aloud, "you +thought, perhaps, that you were the only unhappy being in the world. Look +at that poor fowl; there he is, far away from land, from his home, from +his friends, perhaps his little ones (for many birds have large +families), with tired wings, and not a piece of ground as broad as his +own tail for him to rest upon. He must go on, fatigued though he may be, +for if he fall, nothing can prevent his death; the water will pour among +his feathers, clog his wings, and not only prevent him ever rising more +into the air, but pull him down until his life is gone. So, Job, badly +off as you are just now, there is another, as you see, whose fate is +worse; and who shall say that in other places, where your eye cannot +reach, there are not others yet so very, very miserable, that they would +willingly, oh! how willingly! change places with you, or with that poor +fluttering bird?" + +This talk with myself quieted me for a time, and I felt a certain joy +when I saw the bird slowly descend, and having spied my uncomfortable +boat, perch heavily on the other end of it. He did not do so until he had +looked at me with evident alarm; and, worn out as he was, and his heart +beating as though it would burst through his yellow coat, he still kept +his eyes fixed upon me, ready to take wing and resume his journey, +wherever he might be going, at the least motion I should make. + +Some time passed over in this way; myself in the middle, and Dicky at the +end of the beam. We did not say a word to each other; for, as I spoke no +other language but my own, and he seemed about as clever as myself, we +merely talked with our eyes. + +A thought now came into my head. My thirst returned, and I felt very +hungry. What if I should suddenly dart on little Dicky, and make a meal +of him? I did not consider at the instant that, by so doing, I should be +acting a very base part, for Dicky had placed confidence in me; and +killing him for trusting to my honour, and eating him because he was poor +and unfortunate, would be neither a good return nor a kind action. +Luckily for Dicky, and even for myself, although he was not able to speak +foreign languages, he could read my meaning in my eyes; for when I turned +them slowly towards him, just to see my distance, he took alarm, and rose +into the air with a swiftness which I envied. I am sorry to say my only +thought at first was the having lost my dinner: but as I watched him +through the air, flying on and on, until he diminished to a misty speck, +and then disappeared, my better feelings came back to me and said, "Oh, +Job! I would not have believed this of you!" "But," replied my empty +stomach, "I am so hungry; without food, I shall fall in, and Job will +die." "Let Job die," said my better self again, in a cold, firm tone; +"let Job rather die, than do what he would live to feel ashamed of." + +As the day wore on, I began to think that death only could relieve me; +and the thought was very, very painful. Nothing before and around but the +salt waves--nothing above but the blue sky and hot sun--not even a cloud +on which to rest my aching eyes. The want of water which I could drink +was now becoming terrible. When I thought of it, my head began to turn; +my brain seemed to be on fire; and the public basins of Caneville, where +only the lowest curs used to quench their thirst, danced before me to add +to my torture; for I thought, though I despised them once, how I could +give treasures of gold for one good draught at the worst of them just +then. + +There is not a misfortune happens to us from which we may not derive good +if our hearts are not quite hardened, and our minds not totally +impenetrable. Great as my sufferings were during this incident of my +life, I learnt from it much that has been useful to me in after years. +But even if it had taught me no other truth than that we should despise +nothing which is good and wholesome, merely because it is ordinary, I +should not have passed through those sad hours in vain. We dogs are so +apt, when in prosperity, to pamper our appetites, and, commonly speaking, +to turn up our noses at simple food, that we require, from time to time, +to be reminded on how little canine life can be preserved. All have not +had the advantage of the lesson which I was blessed with; for it _was_ a +blessing; one that has so impressed itself on my memory, that sometimes +when I fancy I cannot eat anything that is put before me, because it is +too much done, or not done enough, or has some other real or supposed +defect, I say to myself, "Job, Job, what would you have given for a tiny +bit of the worst part of it when you were at sea?" And then I take it at +once, and find it excellent. + +As the sun got lower, clouds, the same in shape that had welcomed him in +the morning, rose up from the sea as if to show their pleasure at his +return. He sunk into the midst of them and disappeared; and then the +clouds came up and covered all the sky. I suffered less in the cool +evening air, and found with pleasure that it was growing into a breeze. +My pleasure soon got greater still, for, with the wind, I felt some drops +of rain! The first fell upon my burning nose; but the idea of fresh water +was such a piece of good fortune, that I dared not give loose to my joy +until the drops began to fall thickly on and around me, and there was a +heavy shower. I could scarcely give my rough coat time to get thoroughly +wet before I began sucking at it. It was not nice at first, being mixed +with the salt spray by which I had been so often covered; but as the rain +still came down, the taste was fresher every moment, and soon got most +delicious. I seemed to recover strength as I licked my dripping breast +and shoulders; and though evening changed to dark night, and the rain was +followed by a strong wind, which got more and more fierce, and appeared +to drive me and my friendly log over the waves as if we had been bits of +straw, I felt no fear, but clung to the timber, and actually gave way to +hope. + +I must have slept again, for daylight was once more in the sky when I +unclosed my eyes. Where was I now? My sight was dim, and though I could +see there was no longer darkness, I could make out nothing else. Was I +still on the rolling water? Surely not; for I felt no motion. I passed my +paw quickly across my eyes to brush away the mist which covered them. I +roused myself. The beam of wood was still beneath me, but my legs surely +touched the ground! My sight came back to me, and showed me, true, the +sea stretching on, on, on, in the distance, but showed me also that +_I_--oh, joy!--_I_ had reached the shore! + +When my mind was able to believe the truth, I sprang on to the solid land +with a cry which rings in my ears even now. What though my weakness was +so great that I tumbled over on to the beach and filled my mouth with +sand? I could have licked every blade of grass, every stone, in my +ecstacy; and when forced to lie down from inability to stand upon my +legs, I drove my paws into the earth, and held up portions to my face, to +convince myself that I was indeed on shore. I did not trouble myself much +with questions as to how I got there. I did not puzzle my brain to +inquire whether the wind which had risen the evening before, and which I +felt driving me on so freely, had at length chased me to the land. All I +seemed to value was the fact that I was indeed _there_; and all I could +persuade myself to say or think was the single, blessed word, SAVED! + +I must have lain some time upon the sand before I tried again to move, +for when I scrambled on to my legs the sun was high and hot--so hot, that +it had completely dried my coat, and made me wish for shelter. Dragging +myself with some trouble to a mound of earth, green and sparkling with +grass and flowers, I managed to get on top of it; and when I had +recovered from the effort, for I was very weak, looked about me with +curiosity to observe the place where I had been thrown. + +The ground was level close to where I stood, but at a little distance it +rose into gentle grassy hills, with short bushes here and there; and just +peeping over them, were the tops of trees still farther off, with +mountains beyond, of curious forms and rich blue colour. + +While considering this prospect, I suddenly observed an animal on one of +the hills coming towards me, and I lay down at full length on the grass +to examine who he might be. As he drew nearer, I was surprised at his +form and look (I afterwards learnt that he was called an ape), and +thought I had never beheld so queer a being. He had a stick in his right +hand, and a bundle in his left, and kept his eyes fixed on the ground as +he walked along. + +When he was quite close, I rose again, to ask him where I could procure +food and water, of which I felt great want. The motion startled him; and +stepping back, he took his stick in both hands as if to protect himself. +The next moment he put it down, and coming up to me, to my surprise +addressed me in my own language, by inquiring how I came there. My +astonishment was so great at first that I could not reply; and when I did +speak, it was to ask him how it happened that he used my language. To +this he answered, that he had been a great traveller in his day, and +among other places had visited my city, where he had studied and been +treated kindly for a long time; that he loved dogs, and should be only +too happy now to return some of the favours he had received. This speech +opened my heart; but before he would let me say more, he untied his +bundle, and spread what it contained before me. As there were several +savoury morsels, you may believe I devoured them with great +appetite--indeed, I hope Master Ximio's opinion of me was not formed from +the greediness with which I ate up his provisions. + +After I had refreshed myself at a spring of water, we sat down, and I +told him my story. He heard me patiently to the end, when, after a pause, +he exclaimed-- + +"Come, Job, come with me. A few days' rest will restore your strength, +and you can return to your own city. It is not a long journey over land; +and with stout limbs like those, you will soon be able to get back and +lick old Nip again." + +I need not dwell upon this part of my story, although I could fill many +pages with the narration of Master Ximio's dwelling, and above all of his +kindness; he kept me two or three days at his house, and would have +detained me much longer, but, besides that I was anxious to return to +Nip, I felt certain pains in my limbs, which made me wish to get back to +Caneville, as I did not like the idea of troubling my good friend with +the care of a sick dog. He was so kind-hearted, however, and showed me +such attention, that I was afraid to say anything about my aches, lest he +should insist on keeping me. He seemed to think it was quite natural I +should desire to get home; and when he saw my impatience to depart, he +assisted to get me ready. + +Having supplied me with everything I could want on my journey, and +pressed upon me many gifts besides, he led me by a little path through +the wood, until we came to the sea. "Along this shore," he said, "your +road lies. Follow the winding of the coast until you reach the mouth of a +broad river, the waters of which empty themselves into the sea. That +river is the same which runs through your city. Keep along its banks and +you will shortly arrive at Caneville, where I hope you may find +everything you wish--for I am sure you wish nothing that is unreasonable. +If pleasure awaits you there, do not, in the midst of it, forget Ximio. +If, against my hopes, you should find yourself unhappy, remember there is +a home always open to you here, and a friend who will do his best to +make you forget sorrow. Farewell!" + +I was greatly moved at his words and the memory of his kindness. We +licked each other tenderly--murmured something, which meant a good deal +more than it expressed--and then we parted. I turned my head often as I +went, and each time beheld Ximio waving his hand in the air; at last a +dip in the ground hid him from my sight, and I continued my journey +alone. + +It was fortunate I had been well furnished with provisions by my good +friend, for as I proceeded, I found the pains in my limbs so great that I +could scarce drag one leg after the other, and should probably have died +of hunger, as I had no strength left to procure food, and did not meet +with any more Ximios to assist me had I stood in need. With long rests, +from which I rose each time with greater difficulty,--with increasing +anxiety as I drew near my home, to learn all that had taken place during +my absence,--and yet with legs which almost refused to carry me; after +many days that seemed to have grown into months,--they were so full of +care and suffering,--I toiled up a hill, which had, I thought, the power +of getting steeper as I ascended. At length I reached the top, and to my +joy discovered the well-known city of Caneville, lying in the plain +beneath me. The sight gave me strength again. I at once resumed my +journey, and trotted down the hill at a pace which surprised myself. As I +got warm with my exertions, the stiffness seemed by degrees to leave my +limbs; I ran, I bounded along, over grass and stone through broad patches +of mud which showed too plainly to what height the river had lately +risen, out of breath, yet with a spirit that would not let me flag, I +still flew on, nor slackened my speed until I had got to the first few +houses of the town. There I stopped indeed, and fell; for it then seemed +as if my bones were all breaking asunder. My eyes grew dim; strange +noises sounded in my ears; and though I fancied I could distinguish +voices which I knew, I could neither see nor speak; I thought it was my +dying hour. + +From the mouths of Nip and others I learnt all which then occurred, and +all that had passed after my supposed loss on the night of the +inundation. How my noble conduct (for so they were kind enough to call +it, though I only tried to do my duty, and failed) had been made known to +the great dogs of Caneville, and how they had sought after me to thank me +for it;--how they had offered rewards to those who assisted in my +recovery;--how, when it was supposed that I was dead, they took Nip from +our modest home, and placed him in this present house, fitted with +everything that could make him comfortable for life;--how, when all hope +was gone, my unexpected appearance brought a crowd about me, each one +anxious to assist me in my distress, though some maliciously said, in +order to lay claim to the reward;--and how I was finally brought again to +my senses through the care of our clever canine doctors, and the kind +nursing of dear old Nip. + +It was long, however, before I recovered my legs sufficiently to be able +to use them without support. My long exposure at sea, the want of food, +and the trouble I had gone through, during my involuntary voyage, had all +assisted to weaken me. But my anxiety to enjoy the fresh air again, took +me out into the streets directly it was thought safe for me to do so, and +with a pair of crutches beneath my arms, I managed to creep about. + +Never shall I forget the first time this pleasure was allowed me. The +morning was so fresh and bright; the sun shone so gaily upon the houses; +the river, now reduced to its usual size, ran so cheerily along, that I +got into my old habit, and began to think they were all talking to me and +bidding me welcome after my long illness. Kind words were soon said to me +in right earnest, for before I had got half-way down the street, with old +Nip just behind me,--his hat still adorned with the band which he had +unwillingly put on when he thought me dead and gone, and which he had +forgotten to take off again,--the puppies ran from different quarters to +look up in my face and say, "How do you do, Job? I hope you are better, +Job." Many a polite dog took off his hat to bid me good morrow; and +praises more than I deserved, but which I heard with pleasure, came +softly to my ear, as I hobbled slowly along. Nip told me afterwards, that +there had been another in the crowd who kept a little back, and who, +though she said nothing, seemed to be more glad to see me than all the +rest. I had not seen her, nor did he mention her name, but that was not +necessary. My heart seemed to tell me that it could only have been Fida. + +[Illustration: A WORTHY SUBJECT] + + + + +DUTY. + + +The idle life which I was compelled to spend gave me time for reflection, +and I believe my mind was more active during the few months my body was +on crutches than it had been for years previous. My thoughts received +little interruption from Nip, who, after having recounted the events +which had taken place during my absence, had little more to say. The +kindness of the great city dogs having removed all fear of want, or even +the necessity of labour, from our comfortable home, produced at first a +pleasing effect upon me; but as my strength returned, and I managed to +walk about the room without assistance, a desire for active employment +became quite necessary to my happiness. + +"What have I done, Nip?" I would often say, as I took my usual exercise +in our modest parlour; "what have I done, Nip, that I should be clothed, +and fed, and housed, without labouring for such advantages, like the rest +of dog-kind? These paws, large and strong as they are, were never +intended for idleness; this back, broad as it is, was meant for some +other purpose than to show off a fine coat; this brain, which can reflect +and admire and resolve, had not such capabilities given to it in order +that they might be wasted in a life of ease. Work, Nip, work; such work +as a dog _can_ do should be sought after and done, for nothing can be +more shocking than to see an animal's powers, either of body or mind, +wasted away in idleness." + +Nip replied but little, although he winked his eyes very vigorously. I +was used to his manner now, and could understand his meaning without the +necessity of words. Both his looks and gestures told me that he thought +as I did, and I only waited till I could use my own legs freely, to set +about a resolution I had been forming in my mind. + +It was a happy day when I could again mix in the bustle of the streets, +and find my strength once more restored. The first use I made of it was +to go to the great house where the chief dogs of Caneville are accustomed +to sit during a certain time of the day to judge matters relating to the +city. When I arrived, they were almost alone, and I was therefore able to +present myself without delay, and explain my business. + +I began by thanking them for what they had done for me and my old friend +Nip, in providing us with a house and with so many comforts. I told them, +although the goodness of Nip rendered him worthy of every attention, as +he had grown old in a useful and laborious life, I had no such claims. I +was still young--my strength had come back to me--I had no right to eat +the food of idleness where so many dogs, more deserving than I, were +often in want of a bone, but whose modesty prevented them making known +their necessities. I would still thankfully enjoy the home, which the +kindness of the great animals of Caneville had furnished me, but they +must permit me to work for it--they must permit me to do something which +might be useful to the city in return, for I should devour the fare +provided for me with a great deal more appetite, if I could say to myself +when I felt hungry, "Job, brother Job, eat your dinner, for you have +_earned_ it." + +The assembly of dogs heard me with great attention to the end; not a bark +interrupted my little speech, not a movement disturbed my attention. I +was pleased to see that tails wagged with approbation when I had +concluded, and was charmed to hear the chief among them, who was white +with age, express himself _delighted_, yes, that was the word, delighted +with my spirit. + +"We are pleased, Job," he said, at the end of his reply, "we are pleased +to observe that there are yet _true dogs_ in Caneville; there have been +animals calling themselves so, whose character was so base, and whose +manner was so cringing, that they have brought disrepute upon the name; +and we are sorry to say that in many countries the title of a _dog_ is +given to the vilest and most worthless creatures. All the finer qualities +of our race have been lost sight of, because a few among us have been +mean or wicked; and a whole nation has been pointed at with scorn, +because some of its members have acted badly. We are happy, Job, to find +in you a 'worthy subject,' and we shall be glad to give you all +assistance in choosing an occupation in which you may employ your time, +and be of use to your fellow-creatures." + +I should not have repeated this to you, as it is not, perhaps, necessary +for my story, but that I wished to correct an error, which many have +made, concerning the character of this very dog. He has been described by +several as cold, and proud, and sometimes cruel; and yet to me he was +warm, and friendly, and most kind. Do not you think when we hear animals +grumbling against their fellows, it would be just as well to think who +the grumblers are, before we form our opinions? or, at least, hear the +opinions of many before we decide ourselves? + +I need not tell you all that passed between us, and what was said by this +dog and by that, about the choice of my occupation. It was agreed at last +that I should be appointed chief of the Caneville police, as the place +had become vacant through the death of a fine old mastiff some days +previous. I wonder whether he was a relation of my own, for I have +already told you my mother belonged to that great family. He had received +some severe wounds when trying to capture a fierce beast of the name of +Lupo, the terror of the city, and he had died from the effects of them in +spite of all the care of the doctors. What made the matter worse, was the +fact that Lupo was yet at liberty, and many dogs were afraid to go out +at night for fear of meeting with this terrible animal. + +To tell the truth, I was rather pleased than otherwise that Lupo had +still to be taken. It was agreeable to me to think that work, difficult +work, was to be done, and that _I_ was called upon to do it. I felt proud +at the idea that the animals of the great city of Caneville would look up +to me, _to me_, poor Job, as the dog chosen to releive them of their +fears, and restore security to their streets. "Job," I cried out to +myself, in a firm tone, "Job, here is a chance of being useful to your +country; let no danger, no fear, even of death, stop you in the good +work. Job, you are called upon to perform a duty, and let nothing, mind +_nothing_, turn you from it." + +After I had become acquainted with all the dogs who were under my +command, I spent much time each day in exercising them, and in +endeavouring by kind words, and by my own example, to make them attend +strictly to their work. I was pleased to observe that I succeeded. Some, +who were pointed out to me as difficult to manage, became my most +faithful followers, and I had not been two months in my employment before +all were so devoted to me, that I believe they would have died to serve +me. + +In all this time, nothing had been heard of the terrible Lupo, and all my +inquiries procured no information concerning where he was to be found. I +learned that he was not a native of Caneville, although his father once +belonged to the city. He was born in a country beyond the great wood, and +his mother came from a fierce tribe of wolves, who, although they a +little resemble dogs in appearance, and speak a very similar language, +are much more ferocious, and seem to look upon the whole canine family as +natural enemies. + +The opinion began to spread in Caneville that Lupo had at length left the +city, and the inhabitants, by degrees, recovered their usual quiet; when, +suddenly, the alarm spread more widely than before; as, two nights in +succession, some rich dogs were robbed and ill-treated, and one of them +was lamed by the ferocity of the chief of the terrible band who had +attacked them, and whose description convinced me it was Lupo. + +These accounts caused me much pain, as I had neither been able to prevent +the attacks, nor discover the animals who had made them. In my desire to +find out and capture the robbers, I could scarcely take food or rest. I +managed to sleep a little in the day-time, and at night, dressed in the +simplest manner, so as to excite no attention, I wandered quietly from +street to street, stopping to listen to the slightest noise, and going in +any direction that I heard a murmur. One or two of my dogs generally +followed at a distance, ready to assist me if I called for help. + +It was a fine night. The moon and stars were brilliant in the sky, and +made the blue all the deeper from their own bright rays. I had been +already two hours crawling through the lower parts of the city, and was +mounting the hill which led to a fine building where my steps often +carried me--sometimes without my intending it--in order to watch over the +safety of those who slept within. It was the house of Fida--that Fida who +had been to me so kind, so tender; that Fida, who so patiently softened +down my rudeness, and had tried to teach me to know what was good by +letting me become her friend. + +I had nearly reached the top of the hill, and paused an instant to +observe the bright light and dark shadows which the house displayed, as +the moon fell upon it, or some portion of the building interposed. +Profound sleep had fallen upon the city. The river might be seen from the +spot where I was standing, running swiftly along; and so deep was the +silence that you could even hear the gush of the water as it fretted +round some large stones in the centre of the stream. + +Suddenly there rose into the air from the ground above me, the sharp, +clear howl of a female voice, and at the same instant the sound of a +rattle broke upon my ear as a signal of alarm. I sprang up the few feet +which were between me and the house with the speed of lightning, and +turning rapidly the corner of the building, reached the principal +entrance. One look told me everything: at an upper window, in a loose +dress, was Fida herself, springing the rattle which she held in her paw, +with a strength that fear alone could have given her; and below, where I +myself stood, were four or five dogs differently engaged, but evidently +trying to get into the house. + +A kick from my right leg sent one of them to the ground, and, with my +clenched paw, I struck a blow at the second. Never do I remember feeling +such strength within me, such a resolution to attack twenty dogs if it +were necessary, although the next minute I might be torn in pieces. I +have sometimes asked myself whether the presence of Fida had anything to +do with it, or if a sense of duty only inspired me. I have never been +able to reply to the question in a satisfactory manner. I only know that +the fact was as I say, and that the blow I gave was surprising even to +myself; my paw caught the animal precisely under his chin, and sent him +flying backwards, with his nose in the air and his hat behind him; and as +the moon shone brilliantly upon his upturned face, I recognised the +features described to me as those of Lupo. He lay so still upon the +ground that I thought he must be killed; so, leaving him for a moment, I +pursued some others who were running off in the distance, but did not +succeed in catching them. I said a few cheering words to Fida at the +window, and returned to the spot of my encounter with Lupo; but instead +of that terrible beast, found some of my own followers, the father of +Fida, and one or two servants, who had been roused by the tumult, and had +come out to learn the cause. Lupo was nowhere to be seen. He had either +partly recovered from the blow, and had managed to crawl away, or had +been dragged off by some of his troop. + +Nothing could have been more fortunate to me than this night's adventure. +The father of Fida, who had seen the attack from his window, was the head +of one of the best families of dogs in Caneville, and being, besides, +very rich, he enjoyed great power. He was so pleased with what I had +done, that he not only took a great liking to me himself, but he spoke +of my conduct in the highest terms to the great assembly. I received +public thanks; I was admitted to the honour which I now hold, that of +forming one of the second assembly of the city; I was loaded with rich +presents, and equally rich praise; and I may also date from that night, +the obtaining the richest gift of all, the gift which has made the +happiness of my best years; I mean the possession of my wife, the +beautiful Fida. + +[Illustration: A SEVERE BLOW] + +It is true that I did not procure that felicity at once. There were many +difficulties to be got over before the noble spaniel would think of +allowing his daughter to become the wife of plain Mr. Job. His son, also, +of whom I have spoken previously, could not bear, at first, the idea of +his sister not marrying some one as noble as herself, and thought, very +naturally, that she was far too good to have her fortunes united with +mine. Fida herself, however, was so firm, and yet so tender; so +straightforward, and yet so modest, that she finally broke down all +opposition. She persuaded her father that no title could be more noble +than the one I had acquired, that of "Honest Job;" she won over her +brother, by slily asking him, which among his grand companions could have +met a whole band of fierce dogs, with Lupo at their head, and, +single-pawed, could have conquered them all? By degrees, every objection +was cleared away, and Fida became mine. + +The chief interest of my life terminates here; for although, in my +position as head of the police, I had many other adventures, they were +too much alike, and of too common an order, to be worth relating. Before +I close, however, I must mention a circumstance which occurred shortly +after my battle with the robbers, as it is curious in itself, and refers +to an animal of whom I have before spoken. + +I was quietly walking along a bye-street of Caneville, when a miserable, +thin, little puppy came behind me, and gently pulled my coat. On turning +round to ask him what he wanted, he begged me in the most imploring tone +to come and see his father, who was very ill. + +"And who is your father, little pup?" I inquired. + +"His name is Lupo," said the thin dog, in a trembling voice. + +"Lupo!" I cried out in surprise. "But do you not know who I am, and that +I am forced to be your father's greatest enemy?" + +"I know, I know," the pup replied; "but father told me to come and seek +_you_, for that you were good, and would not harm him, if you knew he was +so miserable." And here the little dog began howling in a way which moved +me. + +"Go on," I said, after a moment; "go on; I will follow you." + +As the little dog ran before, through some of the low and miserable parts +of the city, the idea once came into my head that perhaps this was a +scheme of Lupo's to get me into his power. But the puppy's grief had been +too real to allow me to believe, young as he was, that he could be acting +a part; so with a stout resolution I went forward. + +We arrived at a low and dirty kennel, where only the greatest misery +could bear to live. We passed through a hole, for so it appeared, rather +than a doorway, and I found myself in a little room, lit by a break in +the wall. On the single poor bed lay a wretched object, gasping for +breath, while a ragged pup, somewhat older than my little guide, had +buried his face in the clothes at the bottom of the bed. Three other tiny +creatures, worn to the bone with poverty and want of food, came crowding +round me, in a way that was piteous to behold; and with their looks, not +words, for they said nothing, asked me to do something for their +miserable parent. I procured from a neighbouring tavern a bason of broth +with which I succeeded in reviving the once terrible Lupo; but it was +only a flash before life departed for ever. In broken words, he +recommended to my care the poor little objects round. Bad as he was, he +still had feeling for them, and it was easy to observe that at this sad +moment his thoughts were more of _them_ than of himself; for when I +promised to protect them, he pressed my paw with his remaining strength +to his hot lips, moaned faintly, and expired. + +[Illustration: CONSOLATION] + +My tale is over. Would that it had been more entertaining, more +instructive. But the incidents of my career have been few, and my path, +with the one or two exceptions I have described, has been a smooth one. I +have heard it said that no history of a life, however simple, is without +its lesson. If it be so, then perhaps some good may be derived from mine. +If it teach the way to avoid an error, or correct a fault; if any portion +of it win a smile from a sad heart, or awake a train of serious thought +in a gay one, my dog's tale will not have been unfolded in vain. + +THE END. + +London; Thomas Harrild, Printer, 13, Salisbury Square, Fleet Street. + + + + +NEW JUVENILE PUBLICATIONS. + + +ROUTLEDGE'S NEW TWO-SHILLING PRESENT OR GIFT-BOOKS, + +_In Fcap. 8vo, cloth gilt, with Illustrations by GILBERT, WARREN, +CORBOULD, &c.; or with gilt edges, price Two Shillings and Sixpence._ + +LIST OF THE SERIES, VIZ.: + + 1. TALES FOR MY CHILDREN. GUIZOT. + 2. TEN MORAL TALES. GUIZOT. + 3. JUVENILE TALES & STORIES. M'INTOSH. + 4. CONQUEST & SELF-CONQUEST. M'INTOSH. + 5. EVENING AT DONALDSON MANOR. M'INTOSH. + 6. PRAISE AND PRINCIPLE. M'INTOSH. + 7. GRACE AND ISABEL. M'INTOSH. + 8. CHARMS & COUNTER-CHARMS. M'INTOSH. + 9. GERTRUDE AND EULALIE. HULSE. + 10. ROBERT AND HAROLD. ANON. + 11. STORY OF AN APPLE. CAMPBELL. + 12. CABIN BY THE WAYSIDE. CAMPBELL. + 13. MEMOIRS OF A DOLL. BESSET. + 14. THE BLACK PRINCESS. BESSET. + 15. EMIGRANT'S LOST SON. G. H. WALL. + 16. ROBINSON THE YOUNGER. HICK. + 18. AMY CARLTON; OR, FIRST DAYS AT SCHOOL. ANON. + 19. LAURA AND ELLEN. ALLEN. + 20. ROBINSON CRUSOE. DEFOE. + 23. LAURA TEMPLE. BOWMAN. + 24. LITTLE FOUNDLING. MRS. MYRTLE. + 25. SPIRIT OF THE HOLLY. MRS. OWEN. + 26. POETRY OF THE BEST AUTHORS. BOWMAN. + 27. HARRY AND HIS HOMES. ANON. + 28. VIOLET. M'INTOSH. + 29. THE LAMPLIGHTER. CUMMINS. + 30. THE LOFTY AND LOWLY. M'INTOSH. + 31. OUR NATIVE LAND. WILSON. + + +ROUTLEDGE'S TWO-AND-SIXPENNY REWARD OR GIFT-BOOKS. + +_Or, with gilt edges, price Three Shillings. Fcap. 8vo. Illustrated by +the best artists. Cloth extra, and gilt._ + + 1. ARBELL. By JANE W. HOOPER. Illustrated by GODWIN. + 2. EDA MORTON AND HER COUSINS. By M. BELL. Illustrated by BIRKET FOSTER. + 3. ALLEN'S LIFE OF NELSON. With Steel Portrait. + 4. MACFARLANE'S LIFE OF WELLINGTON. Illustrated by JOHN GILBERT. + 5. MACFARLANE'S LIFE OF MARLBOROUGH. Illustrated by JOHN GILBERT. + 6. OSLER'S LIFE OF LORD EXMOUTH. With Steel Portrait and Maps. + 7. GILBERT THE ADVENTURER. By PETER PARLEY. With Engravings. + 8. KALOOLAH: OR, AFRICAN ADVENTURES. With Coloured Plates. + + +ROUTLEDGE'S EIGHTEENPENNY JUVENILES. + +_Square 16mo, cloth gilt. Illustrated by John Gilbert, Absolon, Foster, +etc._ + + 1. Peasant and the Prince, by Harriet Martineau. + 2. Crofton Boys, by Harriet Martineau. + 3. Feats on the Fiord, by Harriet Martineau. + 4. Settlers at Home, by Harriet Martineau. + 5. Holiday Ramblers, or the School Vacation, by Elizabeth Grant. + 6. Little Drummer, a Tale of the Russian War. + 7. Frank, by Maria Edgeworth. + 8. Rosamond, by Maria Edgeworth. + 9. Harry and Lucy, Little Dog Trusty, The Cherry Orchard, etc. by Maria + Edgeworth. + 10. A Hero, or Philip's Book, by the author of Olive. + +LONDON: GEORGE ROUTLEDGE AND CO., FARRINGDON STREET. + + + Transcriber's notes: + + No changes to the original spelling were made. + + The following duplicated words were corrected. + Page 16: who who corrected to who. + Page 44: near near corrected to near. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Adventures of a Dog, and a Good +Dog Too, by Alfred Elwes + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ADVENTURES OF A DOG *** + +***** This file should be named 20741.txt or 20741.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/0/7/4/20741/ + +Produced by David Edwards, Christine D. and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The University of Florida, The Internet +Archive/Children's Library) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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