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If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: Better Than Men - -Author: Rush Hawkins - -Release Date: November 1, 2016 [EBook #53423] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BETTER THAN MEN *** - - - - -Produced by Stephen Hutcheson, Rick Morris, MFR and the -Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - -[Illustration: "CHARLIE"] - - - - - BETTER THAN MEN - - - BY - RUSH C. HAWKINS - - J. W. BOUTON - TEN WEST TWENTY-EIGHT STREET - NEW YORK - 1896 - - Copyright, 1896, by - J. W. Bouton - - TO MY BELOVED AND LOVING WIFE, EVER FAITHFUL AND TRUE, WHOSE GOODNESS - PASSETH ALL UNDERSTANDING - - - - - CONTENTS - - - Explanatory 1 - The Excursion 13 - Tim, the Dissipated 91 - Carlo, the Soldier 113 - Jeff, the Inquisitive 127 - Toby, the Wise 139 - Two Dogs 149 - Two Innocents Abroad 165 - About Columbus, by an old showman 171 - In Relation to Mysteries 187 - Mysteries 195 - - - - - EXPLANATORY - - -The title chosen for the following sketches, written for the purpose of -presenting certain prominent characteristics of the lower animals worthy -of the attention of the human animal, stands for rather a serious -proposition which may be questioned by a majority of those readers whose -kindly interest in our mute friends has not already been seriously -awakened. - -To write so that those who read may infer that a certain selected number -of so-called lower animals are better, by nature and conduct, in certain -elemental virtues, than men, is, to say the least, rather imprudent, and -to the optimistic student of human nature may appear irreverent to an -unpardonable degree. Usually, to the minds of such observers, humanity -is accepted for its traditional value, regardless of established -conditions or inherent actualities. Such investigators investigate only -one side of their subject. They start out handicapped with the old -theory that in every respect the human animal is superior to every -other, without attempting to analyze unseen interior conditions, whether -natural or developed. - -In relation to natural conditions, the large majority of Christian sects -are perfectly logical. They lay down as a clearly established -fundamental fact that all human beings, owing to what they designate as -Adam's fall, are born into this world morally corrupt and completely -depraved, but that they have within their control for ready application -an appropriate panacea for a certain cure of these natural defects. But -the optimist neither admits the disease nor the necessity for cure; he -says always, at least inferentially, that all human beings come into the -world in a state of innocence and purity, and that their few defects -represent a certain amount of degeneration. - -Both of these theories may be wrong. It is possible that all children -come into the world with a certain number of well-known natural -qualities--good, bad, strong, and weak--in no two alike, and for which -they are in no way responsible; and that what they become in their -mature years depends largely, if not entirely, upon home training and -the care bestowed upon them by the government under whose laws they -exist. Strong, healthy, intellectual, and moral parents, aided by a wise -and honestly administered government, assist each other in forming -characters which make fine men and women. But without the combination of -those parental qualities ever actively engaged in instructing and -controlling, sustained by a wise political organization, there is -usually but little development of the higher and better qualities of our -nature, either moral or intellectual. - -It is at this point that we may be permitted to cite the difference -between the so-called upper and lower animal. In the dog and horse, -notably, their better qualities are inherent, born with them, grow -stronger with time, and their almost perfect and complete development is -natural, and continues without aid, example, or instruction. Not more -than one dog or horse in a thousand, if kindly treated and left to -himself, would turn out vicious, and treat them as we may, no matter how -unjustly or cruelly, we can never deprive them of their perfect -integrity and splendid qualities of loyalty to master and friends. - -These most valuable of all moral qualities are natural to certain -animals, and, no matter what man may do, they can never be extinguished. -Although intangible, they are as much parts of the living organism of -the horse and dog as are their eyes or the other organs needed for -physical purposes. The affection of the dog for those whom he loves is -actually boundless. It has neither taint of selfishness nor has it -limits, and it can only be extinguished with the loss of life. The -ever-willing horse will run himself to death to carry from danger, and -especially from the pursuit of enemies, those who make use of his -friendly aid. Other animals will do as much, but they never volunteer -for a dangerous service. - -In India, where the elephant is used for domestic purposes and is -sometimes treated as a domestic animal, he has been known to protect -children left in his charge, and in the performance of his daily task -will yield willing obedience to orders; but he is a knowing and cautious -constructionist, and seldom goes outside of the strict line of duty. He -will always fight for his own master or friends when told, and sometimes -volunteers to encounter a danger to protect those around him who seek -the aid of his superior powers. He is however, a natural conservative, -and prefers peace to war. - -Many other animals are capable of becoming affectionate pets and -interesting companions, but in no respect can they be compared with the -dog, the horse, or the elephant. In their separate and individual -combination of qualities which render them fit and useful companions for -man, they stand quite by themselves. The question of treating animals -with kindly consideration is usually disposed of by saying they are not -capable of appreciating kind treatment; that their brain capacity is so -limited in respect to quantity as to render them quite incapable of -distinguishing active kindness from passive indifference or even cruel -treatment. - -This is the theory of the thoughtless. - -The Newfoundland dog which, in the summer of 1866, I saw leap from a -bridge into a rapid-running deep creek and rescue a two-year-old child -from death, thought--and quickly at that. In a second he appreciated the -value of a critical moment, and estimated not only the magnitude but the -quality of the danger. No human being could have taken in the whole -situation more completely or caused the physical organization to respond -to the brain command with greater celerity. The whole incident was over -by the time the first on the spot of the would-be human rescuers had -taken off his coat. - -Crowley, the remarkable chimpanzee, who had his home in the Central Park -Menagerie for about four years, proved to be a most convincing item of -testimony in favor of the intellectual development of one of the lower -animals. The gradual and certain unfolding of his intelligence betrayed -the presence of a quantity of natural brainpower almost equal to that of -an intelligent child of his own age. - -Among his numerous accomplishments was a complete outfit of the table -manners of the average well-bred human being. His accurate holding of -knife, fork, and spoon, his perfect knowledge of their use, and the -delicate application to his lips of the napkin, proved the possession of -exceptional knowledge and a well-ordered memory. - -The things he did and the words he tried to speak, for he made thousands -of efforts every day to utter his thoughts, would make a convincing list -of items all going to prove the presence of a capacity for thinking -quite worthy of consideration. - -In elaborating the various powers which he employed in his methods of -expression he showed remarkable ingenuity. He, no doubt, reflected upon -his deficiencies, and thought the whole matter over with reference to -means of communication with those he cared to converse with, and then, -from out the store of his natural capacities, invented an extensive -combination of hand and feet signs with the variety of sounds at his -command, which finally enabled him to make himself perfectly understood -by those about him. - -The intellectual development of Crowley, of which I have given only an -inadequate idea, came from kind treatment and constant contact with his -keeper and the director of the menagerie, both of whom were his devoted -friends and teachers. - -These little character sketches, as they may perhaps be described, were -written for the purpose of awakening the personal interest of those who -may read them, with the hope also of enlisting their active influence in -behalf of spreading abroad a better understanding of the nature of our -four-footed friends and servants, who give so much and receive so little -in return. The better appreciation of their exceptionally fine qualities -will surely lead to closer relations between them and their masters, -and, in the end, insure better treatment for those humble and confiding -creatures which the Creator has placed so completely in the power of -man. - -Fiction plays but a little part in these pages. It has long been a -source of pleasure to me to note the marks of intelligence in the -animals that we admit to our companionship, that we make a part of our -family rule and association. These sketches are nearly all based upon -personal experiences and observations of my own. They are my plea for -their greater civil rights--at least in the way of kindness and -appreciation. Incidentally I have given such local color to the stories -as they require. The first sketch, for example, has for its frame the -pleasant hills and valleys of Vermont. It recalls old days worth the -recording and a people of pure Anglo-Saxon blood worth a lasting memory. - - R. C. H. - - - - - THE EXCURSION - - -A particular summer, back in the fifties, I spent in one of the -beautiful valley villages of the "Green Mountain State." The -old-fashioned, unpretending country tavern was comfortable and the air -and scenery all that could be desired. The amusements, or rather -occupations, afforded to the sojourners, aside from reading the solid -literature of the period, were neither novel nor exhausting, but they -gave pleasure, were reposeful, and were innocent enough to have -satisfied the code of the most exacting moralist. The daily routine was -limited, not costly, and within easy reach. - -Of course, the first rural recreation was to fish in streams where there -were no fish; to climb the highest hills as often as possible; argue -religious, political, and commercial questions with the numerous oracles -of the village, and diagnose the autumn crop question with the farmers. -These occupations were staple commodities, always in stock and on tap -ready to flow. - -The good people of the town were very much astonished when they found I -had discovered an additional occupation. I had made the acquaintance of -all the town dogs, and found them a most entertaining and sociable lot -of easy-going vagabonds. The majority were much given to loafing, -barking at strangers and the passing vehicles, and not over-anxious to -earn the scant meals grudgingly doled out to them by the thrifty -housewives, who frequently addressed them in terms not of a -complimentary nature. - -Those were not the days of romantic names for dogs. The New England -_répertoire_ for the canine race had been handed down, in an unbroken -line, from a remote Puritan period. If a dog was of a large size he was -sure to respond to the name of Tige, Rover, or Lion, and, if small, he -was usually adorned with the name of Skip, Fido, or Zip. In those days -there were neither kennel clubs nor dog exhibitions, and the high-flown -English names, such as attach to the canine blue-bloods of to-day, were -unknown. - -Within the ranks of this lazy, good-for-nothing, good-natured tribe, -with its headquarters in my particular village, was a characteristic -specimen of a perfect nobody's dog. He was not unpleasant to the vision, -but, on the contrary, rather attractive. He was of a light brindle -color, with a black nose, and was blessed with a pair of beautiful, -sympathetic, and expressive dark-brown eyes, that had a frank way of -looking clear into the eyes of whoever addressed him. But he was without -pedigree, industry, or hope, cared nothing for worldly possessions, was -always ready to wag a hearty response to every salutation, and was an -ever-flowing fountain of good nature and kindness, but not devoid of -character. Along with all his apparent indifference he had his strong -points, and good ones at that. - -His great weakness was the woodchuck season. No sportsman was ever more -watchful for the return of the shooting period than was Rover for the -opening of the first woodchuck hole. For days before the first opening -he would range the fields very much after the manner of the truly -accomplished shopping woman of a large city in search of opportunities -on a "bargain day." He had the keenest nose for his favorite game of any -dog in the town, and so devoted was he to his particular sport, that -frequently, while the season lasted, after a hard day's work, he would -go to bed with an empty stomach, his chance mistress having issued an -edict to the effect that the kitchen door was to be closed at a certain -hour--Rover or no Rover. And so it came to pass that our devoted -sportsman often went to his couch in the shed a very hungry dog, not -happy for the moment, but always full of hope for the coming morning. - -While his sporting season lasted he had but one occupation. As soon as -he had licked his breakfast plate clean, even to the last mite of food, -he would start off for new adventures, and, as soon as he had succeeded -in finding a new subterranean abode of his favorite game, he would give -a joyous bark, and commence a most vigorous digging, and, if the soil -happened to be of a soft nature, he would soon bury his body so as to -leave no part of his belongings in sight but the tip end of a very -quick-moving tail amid the débris of flying soil. If called from his -pursuit he would come out of his hole wagging most joyously and saying -as plainly as possible: "I wish you would turn in and help a fellow." - -He had never been known to capture a "chuck," but he had his fun all the -same. - -There is a story of a Frenchman, who, when walking in the woods, heard -the whistle of a woodcock and thereupon became possessed of an ardent -desire _pour la chasse_. He equipped himself by borrowing a gun from one -friend, a dog from another, a game-bag from a third, and the making of a -complete shooting outfit from several others. Early in the morning, -after the delusive whistle, he was up and off to the woods. Filled with -eager expectation he tramped hills and swamps the whole day through -without seeing a bird or getting a shot, and returned to the hotel much -the worse for the wear and tear of the search, but, Frenchman like, was -vivacious and cheerful. An English friend asked to see the inside of his -game-bag. "Ah," answered the would-be huntsman, "I did not get ze -leetle--ze _bécasse_, I did hear his whistle, _mais j'ai eu ma chasse_ -all ze same, and I am very happie." And so it was with Rover. He saw -where his would-be victim was located, enjoyed the pleasure of hope, and -had a day's digging. - -The other dogs of the village were not ambitious, save at meal-time, -when they were vigorously punctual, but very unpunctual when there was -anything useful to do, such as going after the cows at milking-time, -driving enterprising pigs out of the garden, chasing the hens from the -front entrance of the house, and the like. As a rule they were content -to pass the sunny hours of the day beneath protecting shades, resting -their lazy carcasses upon the softest patch of greensward to be found, -and they were usually experts in the art of finding such spots. It was -not so, however, with Rover. He was an active dog, without a lazy bone -in his body, always on the alert for an occupation, no matter if -sometimes useful. Take them, however, for all in all, this worthless -pack of four-footed worthies were not a bad sort of a lot. All save one -were good-natured and sociable. That exception was a maltese-colored -abridgment of a mastiff, short-haired and old. He was the property of -one of the village doctors, who was a pestiferous Whig, with the -reputation of being the "tongueyist man in the county, if not in the -State." He carried chips upon both shoulders, was the proprietor of a -loud voice--plenty of it--and was always ready for a war between -tongues. He "argered" for the sake of argument, but his ancient "Spot," -with a thickened throat and wheezy voice, could only keep up a running -_pro forma_ barking accompaniment while his master "downed" his -opponent. The old dog had unconsciously contracted his master's habit of -controversy, and felt that he must help him out. It is due to the memory -of that ancient canine to record that he attended strictly to his own -affairs, and would brook no interference from frivolous idle dogs with -no particular occupation, nor would he associate with them when off -duty. When not with his master, he kept inside his own fence, and barked -and made disagreeable faces at all would-be intruders. - -As bearing upon the story that will develop, I may add that besides the -dogs there are, in Vermont, other four-footed friends and servants of -man worthy of consideration. The Vermont "Morgan horse" is one of the -acknowledged native "institutions," and no lover of that animal has ever -made the intimate acquaintance of one of his strain without being -fascinated with his delicate, refined beauty, affectionate disposition, -intelligence, endurance, and willingness to serve. - -I was brought up with them, and used to romp and race with the colts, -ride the mothers without saddle, bridle, or halter, and purloin sugar -and salt to feed them when the "old folks were not looking." Among my -happiest hours were those of my childhood and boyhood spent in close -association with the great groups of animals that lived upon the hills -of the old farm at the "crotch in the roads." Calves, among the most -beautiful of all the young animals, with their great soft eyes and -innocent faces, were a source of infinite joy to me, and even the silly -and unintellectual sheep always appealed to my affections and sense of -protection. These I regarded as wards to love and protect, but the dogs -and Morgan horses were my petted friends and companions. From their -habitual display of good faith, perfect integrity and affection I -learned all the lessons applicable to every-day life that have been of -value to me. From man I could have learned the arts of deceit and -cunning, selfishness and want of feeling, and the practise of vanity, -but never a single quality which came to me from the habitual -association with the honest four-footed friends of my youth. - -The people of my native State, among their other fine characteristics, -have always been noted for their kindness to animals, which fact alone -stands for a very elevated plane of civilization. Ever since nearly a -century ago, when the Morgan horse first came to them, he has been an -object of their affection, and it is undoubtedly, to a great extent, -owing to that creditable fact that he has always been the same charming -animal that he is to-day. - -That the equine hero of this sketch was not of that noble breed will not -detract from his special virtues or impair my passing tribute to the -Vermont horse and his master. The one selected for my riding excursions -was the only saddle-horse of repute in the county; he belonged to a -livery stable, and was of the "calico" red and white sort, tall, long of -body, sound of legs and feet, with large, liquid, expressive eyes, small -ears, and a beautiful open nostril. His pedigree was unknown, and no one -in the village could say where he came from. He had been turned out lame -from a "travelling show" the year before, and had been bought for a -song. Such only was his brief known history. To his physical beauties -were added the higher qualities of head and heart in abundance. He was -the sort of a beautiful creature that could not have done a mean act. -Nature never furnished him tools for that kind of work. - -He was effusively affectionate, and his intelligence was of a high order -for a horse. We took a great fancy to each other, and both of us to -Rover, who once in a while could be coaxed from his pursuit of "chucks" -to take a run with us over the country roads. - -Thus we became chosen friends, and I selected them as companions for a -recreative excursion which I had planned, and which we shall now -retrace. - -An early breakfast for man, dog and horse, and off. The general plan was -to ride early and late, and rest during the hot hours of the middle -portion of the day. A village with a decent "tavern" for the night was -the objective point for each evening, and the usual daily distance, made -at an easy canter, was about twenty miles. Between each stretch of three -or four miles there was a halt for a dismount, a rest for the animals, -and a leg exercise for the rider. Rover was always glad for a loll -beneath the shady trees, but "Charlie," my calico friend, improved his -opportunities for a nibble of the tender grass and sprouts within his -reach. During the first two or three days I had to retrace my steps to -remount, but I soon succeeded in making my companions understand the -nature and object of a call, and, before the tour was half over, they -would not permit me to walk out of their sight. Rover was on the watch, -and, as soon as he saw me disappearing in the distance, would give the -alarm, and then both would start off on a smart run to overtake me. - -Upon one occasion, after climbing a sharp hill, I had left them at the -beginning of a long level piece of road, and had walked on. After going -about half a mile, I met a large drove of cattle. When I had succeeded -in passing through and beyond it, my attention was attracted by a -confused noise in the rear. Upon looking back I discovered a great cloud -of dust, and amidst it a confusion of moving horns and tails, while soon -there appeared, racing through the excited mass of bovines at the top of -his speed, Charlie, accompanied by his faithful attendant barking at the -top of his voice. The cattle were excited and frightened up to the point -of jumping and running they knew not where. Some went over fences, -others through them, while the main body kept to the road, and, for a -considerable distance, carried everything before them. I realized at -once that my zealous companions had got me into trouble. - -For the information of readers not acquainted with the average -"droveyer" of forty and fifty years ago, it is necessary to record that -he was not the sort of an individual calculated to adorn refined -society, and the language used by those in charge of this particular -"drove" was more characteristic for its strength than for its elegance -or politeness. I tried to appease their wrath, apologized for the -unseemly conduct of dog and horse, alleged sudden fright, marshalled a -fine array of other excuses, and finally succeeded in neutralizing the -flow of their ire--just a little. But the chief spokesman was not -satisfied with excuses and soft words; he was a materialist, and wanted -to know, then and there, who was to put up the fence and pay for the -damage done by the trampling down of growing crops. Under the -circumstances the query did not seem to be an unreasonable one, and I -suggested that the better course to pursue would be for the authors of -the mischief to make terms with the owner of the crops, state facts, and -await his decision. - -The season happened to be between planting and harvest, and "the -men-folks," we were told, "are up on yender hill mending fence, and -won't be down till dinner." The head "droveyer," impatient to keep with -his "drove," would not wait, and informed me, in a rather emphatic sort -of way, that I would have to wait and "settle up." There was no appeal -in sight from his decision. So he went and I waited. - -The hot part of the day had arrived, and it was within about two hours -"till dinner." After "hitchin'" the horse in the barn, away from the -flies, I suggested the loan of an axe. This excited surprise, and the -question came from the head of the interior of that particular domestic -establishment: "What are _you_ going to do with an axe?" I answered: -"I'm going to mend the fence where those cattle broke through." This -feather came very near breaking the back of the housewife, and her sense -of the ridiculous was excited up to the point of explosion, but she was -too well bred to give the laugh direct, full in the face, and contented -herself by making an acute mental survey of my physical points. She -measured with her eye the hands and girth of chest, and made a close -calculation as to the amount of biceps assigned to each arm, and after -some reflection, said: "You'll find an old axe in the woodshed; you can -take it and try and patch up the places, and, when you hear the horn, -you can come in and eat with the rest of the folks." I started off, -filled with the pride born of knowledge, and confident of a coming -success, but the even flow of my happiness was soon disturbed by a sound -from the upper register of a very loud, shrill voice, saying, "Don't -split your feet open with that are axe." This was like a small streak of -ice water down the spinal column, but I was on my mettle and not to be -discouraged. The vacant spaces in the broken fence were encountered and -yielded to superior force, and a fairish amount of success was -accomplished about the time the welcome tones of the sonorous horn -announced the hour for feeding. - -I was introduced to the "men-folks" as the stranger whose dog and horse -had "scart the cattle inter the oats." At first it was easy to see that -I was not regarded with favor, but, as the dinner proceeded, and as -anecdotes succeeded each other about men, things and far-off countries I -had seen, the Green Mountain ice began to melt, and, by the time the -"Injun puddin'" was emptied out of its bag, cordial relations were -established. The two bright-faced boys had become communicative, and the -older members of the family had forgotten for the time the damage to the -oats. - -The dinner ended, I requested a board of survey and an estimate. The -first relevant observation in relation to the case before the court came -from the grandfather: "Well, I declare, I couldn't done it better -myself. I didn't know you city folk could work so. Where did you l'arn -to mend fences?" This first witness for the defence produced a marked -effect upon the jury. The next point of observation was the field of -damaged oats. The eldest son, a Sunday-school-sort of boy, exclaimed: -"By pepper, they are pretty well trampled down, ain't they? No cradle -can git under 'em; guess'll have ter go at 'em with the sickle, but we -can save the heft of 'em by bending our backs a little." - -During the investigation not a word was uttered about compensation, and, -after leaving the field, the conversation ran into generalities; but -before we reached the house the grandfather's curiosity got the better -of his timidity, and he asked: "Where did you l'arn to mend fences?" -When I told him that my name was ----, that I was a grandson of ----, -was born at the "Old H. Place at the crotch of the roads in the town of -P----," learned to mend fences there, etc., etc., he had great -difficulty in suppressing the dimensions of the proud satisfaction my -information had produced. In his mind I was a degenerate Vermonter, -living in the great City of New York, but had not forgotten the lessons -learned at the old farm. I knew how to mend a fence, and that, for him, -was my certificate of character. - -From the moment of my disclosures, I was admitted to the inner family -circle, and there was no more farm-work for the rest of the day, while -the afternoon hours were devoted to reminiscences of the olden times: -"Ah," said the old grandfather, "when I first laid eyes on ye, I thought -I'd seen somebody like ye afore, and I remember it was your grandfather -on yer father's side. He was a soldier of the Revolutionary War in one -of the Rhode Island ridgiments, and my father belonged to one from -Massachusetts; both served till the end of the war, and then emigrated -to Vermont, together. My father settled on this farm, where I was born -in 1790; your grandfather took up some land in P----, and till the end -of his days was the best schoolmaster and surveyor anywhere round these -parts. He was a master-hand at poetry, and used to write sarcastical -varses agin the lop-sided cusses he hated. There's allus some mean -critters in these country towns, who take advantage of poor folks that -ain't very smart and cheat 'em outer their property. They used to feel -mighty mean, I tell ye, when they read your grandfather's varses about -'em. I heerd old Si Simmons, up to town meeting only last year, telling -about a mean old critter down in P---- by the name of Podges and how -your grandfather writ a varse for his gravestun, and I remember it was -about like this: - - "'Here lies the body of Podges Seth, - The biggest knave that e'er drew breath; - He lived like a hog and died like a brute, - And has gone to the d----l beyond dispute.'" - -I was able to respond in kind, for I happened to remember about another -local poet, who hated a surviving son of this rural vampire, who quite -worthily perpetuated the detestable qualities of his defunct parent, -and, when he died, as he did not many years after his father, the other -local poet, not to be outdone by my grandfather, composed the following -verse as a fitting epitaph: - - "Here lies the body of Podges Ed, - We all rejoice to know he's dead; - Too bad for Heaven, too mean for Hell, - And where he's gone no one can tell." - -In the "Old Times" there were strong, honest, rugged characters among -the Vermont hills. The majority of them were men of plain speech and -unyielding contempt for meanness in any form. A goodly number of the -early settlers in the eastern counties were soldiers of the Revolution -who had emigrated to the new State soon after its close, and they -brought with them the simple, manly habits and ways of thinking which -are characteristic of service in the field. Many were the anecdotes told -of them that day--the day of the accident to the oats--very much to the -edification of the juniors, who were all eyes and ears, at least for -that occasion. - -The old house at the "crotch of the roads," when I was a boy, was the -Saturday and Sunday halting-place for the old soldiers of my own and -several of the neighboring towns. The larder was always well-supplied, -and the barrels of cider that lined a capacious cellar were ready to -respond to every call. Under the influence of an abundant supply of that -exhilarating beverage, the fighting over of old battles was always -vigorous and sometimes vividly realistic. - -The most famous of the local veterans, of my time, was known among his -neighbors as "Uncle Daniel V----." He was a Lexington-Bunker Hill man, -who had served till the end of the war. As I remember him, he was a most -interesting character, humorous, with a good memory, a famous drinker of -hard cider, and a notable singer of the patriotic soldier songs of the -"Seventy-six" period. I can recall, in his showing "how the Yankee boys -flaxed the Britishers," how he would shoulder one of his canes--he was a -rheumatic and walked with two--and march up and down the broad kitchen -of the old house, going through the motions of loading, aiming and -firing at an imaginary enemy, greatly to my childish delight, for those -were the first fierce war's alarms I had ever witnessed, and I can never -forget how my imagination was fired; nor how ardently I wished I had -been at Lexington and Bunker Hill, where "we gave it to the Red Coats." -Uncle Daniel was far too good a patriot to say anything about the return -compliments, "How the Red Coats gave it to us," upon one of those -historic fields. Since his day I have learned that one of his -glorification songs, which professed to give a correct account of one -particular Yankee victory, was not in strict accord with the truths of -history. I could recall for my host but a single verse of all the songs -he used to sing, and it savors so much of the camp that I had some -misgivings about repeating it before Christians, but upon being hard -pressed by the boys and seeing approving glances from other directions, -concluded to go ahead. - -The verse I remember is one from a song supposed to have been sung by -British soldiers who were in the retreat after the defeat at Concord, -April 19, 1775, and runs thus: - - "From behind the hedges and the ditches. - And every tree and stump. - We would see the sons of ---- - And infernal Yankees jump." - -I also remember, vaguely, something of another Revolutionary camp song -which depicted the grief of the soldiers of Burgoyne's army. The refrain -was like this: - - "We have got too far from Canada, - Run, boys, run." - -When we had exhausted the Revolution, it was time for an afternoon -start. For more than an hour Rover had manifested his impatience by -numerous waggings and by pawing vigorously at the legs of my trousers -whenever I looked his way, and from the barn there came sounds of -hoof-poundings and impatient whinnerings--loud and plain calls for a -move. So, after many protests against the going, a move to go was made. - -Before the advance upon the barn was fairly under way the youngster, who -had been an attentive listener, decided upon a search for information, -and, commanding a halt, informed me that "Old Jim Noyes, who lived over -in the Snow neighborhood, has two boys in Boston; the oldest was up here -in June and told us there was a steeple down in Boston as high as that -old 'Jackson Hill' of ours, but I didn't b'leve a word of it. Hosea -Doten, the biggest man at figgers and surveying in this part of Vermont, -told mother last year that Old Jack was 1,200 feet above the sea and -more than five hundred above where we are standing; now, there ain't no -such steeple in Boston nor anywhere else. What do folks want such a high -steeple for, anyway? And if meetin' houses must have steeples, why won't -fifty feet do as well as five hundred? Some folks say that bells are -hung up in steeples so God can hear them ring for folks to go to meetin' -Sunday mornin'. What odds would two or three hundred feet make to God? -He can hear a bell just as well in a fifty-foot steeple as in one five -hundred feet high. Meetin' folks could save a lot of money by building -low steeples. And besides, they ain't no use; nobody could live in 'em -five hundred feet up, and it would be too high to hang a thermometer on -unless you had a spy-glass to look at it with. I don't b'leve in such -high steeples; they cost lots of money and ain't of no use." - -I assured the young philosopher of my approval of his ideas about the -uselessness of high steeples, and told him that Boston was not the owner -of one five hundred feet high. This information was a source of immense -satisfaction. "I was right all the time," he added, "and knew that Jim -Noyes was giving us lies just as fast as his tongue could work 'em out. -Do all Vermont boys that go to Boston learn to talk like him? There's a -lot gone down there from about here. Some of 'em are up on a visit every -once in a while, and spend the most of their spare time in telling such -silly stories. I guess they think they can stuff us country folks just -like Thanksgiving turkeys. What makes 'em lie so? The boys round here, -if they talked like they do, would get licked a dozen times a week and -no decent folks would have anything to do with 'em. I suppose it's all -right. Boys, when they git to Boston, have got to lie to keep their -places and git a living. Grandfather don't take it to heart so much as -the rest of us. He says lying is the biggest part of the show, and the -longer we live the more on't we'll see." - -The day was well along, and the sun showed a decided intention of soon -disappearing behind the top of "Old Jack," before I insisted on -departing. Then the calico horse was watered, saddled and bridled, and -brought out for inspection and admiration. His appearance elicited -expressions of unbounded admiration, his great, soft, brown, and -beautifully expressive eyes, his amiability and active intelligence -coming in for no end of complimentary remarks. The boys were especially -enthusiastic and proposed a "swap for a four-year-old raised on the -place." - -The oats question was again brought up for adjudication, and, after -considerable argument, the party owning the injured crop determined to -leave the amount of damage an open question until the individual -responsible for it could "come around agin." - -The moment had arrived for the reluctant good-by, the grasp of hands, -the mount and the start, amid great excitement and noise on the part of -the animals; and then commenced a most exhilarating run of more than -fifteen miles over a softish dirt road, through a series of lovely -valleys, to the little village of D----, where we called a halt for the -night, which was destined to be prolonged into the orthodox Sunday rest -of the place and period. - -By this time the organization of three had crystallized into exact form, -and without effort had settled into an habitual daily routine, and the -incidents of to-day were quite certain to be repeated to-morrow. There -was always plenty of time, evenings and middle parts of days, for -talking with the "folks"--oracles about the village taverns--who, like -the old-time bar-room Major and Judge of the Slave States, were always -on hand and on tap for a copious outpouring of village gossip and -political information. In justice to the Major and Judge of the old days -of the South, it must be written that they were usually waiting for -another sort of a tap-flow to be turned on, from a tap not of their own. - -It is doubtful if the happy trio ever appreciated the greatness of this -three weeks' manifestation of themselves, through which they were -unambitious but undoubted involuntary heroes among the country folk. -John Gilpin could not have been more fortunate in the way of attracting -attention from all beholders; and "the more they gazed the more the -wonder grew," and the puzzle of forty years ago, in the villages through -which we passed, of "What is it, anyway?" remains as profound a mystery -as ever. - -In some places I was regarded as a very considerable personage on a -secret mission of great import; at other times the saddle-valise was -accused of containing a supply of a newly discovered life-saving pill; -but, generally, we were mistaken by the wise know-it-alls of the village -as the advance agents of a coming circus; if not, why the calico horse? -which to the rural mind, from the most remote period, has been -associated with the gorgeous, gilded bandwagon, spangles, and sawdust. -The fortunate suspicion of circus affiliations brought to us a measure -of attention far beyond our merits; both animals were treated with the -greatest respect, as possible performers of high standing, and upon -several occasions I was asked to "make 'em show off." - -The summer Saturday afternoon and evening in Vermont is always the same. -At the "stores" business flourishes, and profitable activity reigns -supreme until late into the evening hours. On the farm the opposite is -the rule, a general "slicking up for Sunday" and the doing of "odd -chores" around the house and barn is the order of the day, the whole -being a fitting prelude to the coming Sunday, which is always what it -ought to be, not the Lord's any more than another day, nor anybody -else's day, but a day of rest, pure and simple, for all the creatures of -the Creator. Ever since I can remember, Vermonters, without asking leave -of this or that authority have chosen their own way of Sunday resting. - -In no state west of the Rocky Mountains do the beauties of nature make a -stronger appeal for human appreciation than in Vermont, and never are -they seen to better advantage than upon a quiet summer Sunday morning, -when the brilliant blue sky is filled with light, and all the world -seems to be at peace. The clear, limpid streams move silently on as -though controlled by the all-pervading spirit of rest; the leaves of the -trees, yielding to the universal feeling of repose, keep silence with -the rest of nature, and over all there is the fascinating power of -wondrous beauties abounding not made by the hands of man. Such days are -made for rest and reflection, when nature invites us to commune with her -works, that we may know more of them and be able to rise to a higher and -more ennobling appreciation of her beauties. The quiet, suggestive New -England summer Sunday morning's appeal is nature's most beneficent call -to her children to come to her and search for knowledge of things which -lead through untrodden paths, where, at every step, new pleasures unfold -to the view for our instruction and enjoyment. - -Upon such occasions we yield to the influence of the silent voice and -the unseen hand, and unconsciously follow the beckonings of a wingless -fairy, Nature's ever-present handmaid, who, without our knowledge, leads -us to a new Fairyland, where new beauties abound, and where countless -joys are within the reach of the most humble subjects of the Creator. - -Such a typical Sunday as the one I have attempted to describe followed -the Saturday after our arrival at the little village of D----. The first -duties of the day were to our four-footed friends, and then came the -standard breakfast of the place and period for the superior being. Fifty -years ago this was very much more of a living Yankee institution than -now. In those days the French _menu_, much to the satisfaction of those -practitioners in the dental line, had not penetrated within the borders -of the New England rural districts. I remember distinctly the color and -taste of the native bean-coffee, the solidity of the morning pie-crusts, -the crumble after the crash of the cookey, and the greasy substantiality -of the venerated doughnut. All these we had in abundance, with the -incidental "apple sass" thrown in between courses that lovely Sunday -morning, forty-one years ago this writing. - -The town of D----, happened to be the shire-town of the county in which -it was situated. At the time of my brief sojourn there, the Supreme -Court was in session and one of the judges had the head of the table at -the hotel, while I, being a supposed distinguished stranger, with -"boughten clothes" and a fair expanse of starched shirt-front, was given -the seat of honor at his right hand. I found him a regulation specimen -of the real original Yankee judge, quaint of speech, humorous, and -intelligent, and not a profound believer in the oft-alleged superior -qualities of the animal said to have been made in the image of his -maker. - -Our conversation started and continued for some time in the usual way; -the weather and condition of crops being used as an excuse for the -opening sentences, but, before the breakfast was over, a shrewd series -of inoffensive direct questions, deftly put, brought to the surface the -fact that I had travelled in strange and far-away countries. - -Punctually at the usual hour and minute, the Sunday bells commenced -their weekly call to the faithful, and the Judge interrupted the easy -flow of his entertaining conversation to ask how I usually spent Sunday. -I told him I had no particular way of doing that day, but usually -permitted original sin to take its course. That idea seemed to strike -him favorably and brought out a proposition that we should take to the -woods and see which could tell the biggest story, he at the same time -remarking: "You have travelled so much that by this time you ought to be -an interesting liar. On such a beautiful day as this there is no excuse -for bothering the parson. Sometimes on a cold chilly day he is a real -comfort; he warms us up with the heat of the brimstone to come." - -That Sunday made its mark. It was a red-letter day never to be -forgotten. My new acquaintance proved to be a philosopher and thinker of -no ordinary dimensions. He was saturated with the teachings of Socrates, -Cicero, Marcus Aurelius, and Gibbon, and I suspected he had taken a sly -glance or two at Lucretius and Voltaire. He had ready for use, at -command, the essence of the entire teachings of his favorite authors, -and could quote whole pages from their works. - -While we were stretched out upon a bed of dead leaves, looking up -through the living ones to the open sky above, my faithful companions, -feeling the quieting influence of the day, were near us, tranquilly -enjoying the shade, and acting as though taking in a conversation which -they seemed to understand. As with men we often meet, this silence was -passing them off for being wiser than they were. My canine companion was -close to my side with my hand gently resting upon his head, while my -calico equine friend was enjoying the grateful shade of a broad -spreading maple, and busying himself with switching away at speculative -flies in search of opportunities for luxurious dinners. - -The satisfactory contentment of the two animals attracted the attention -of my judicial companion, and he asked me to explain the secret of our -close companionship. He was surprised when I told him there was no -secret about it, that I treated my four-footed friends as I would human -beings; looked after their general welfare, saw that they were -sufficiently fed with the proper food, talked to them in kindly tones of -voice, gave them tid-bits now and then that I knew they were fond of, -patted them approvingly, never scolded or used a whip, and, finally, -spent a great deal of my time in their company. I further explained that -intellectually I regarded them as being on a plane with children--to be -looked after, to be kindly treated, and to have their mental faculties -developed to the full extent of the separate capacity of each, and, that -by pursuing such a course, we could obtain the best service and an -amount of affection and companionship that would amply recompense us for -all of our trouble. - -"Well," he exclaimed, "this is all news to me! There is logic and good -sound sense in your whole scheme, and it's strange I never thought of it -before. You have studied the subject of intellectual development in -animals and gotten something out of it I had never dreamed of. Ever -since I have been able to think my head has been filled with common law, -Court decisions, and the Statute in such case made and provided, and I -have had but little time, and, possibly, less disposition, to indulge in -sentiment. I suppose you know the people of your native state well -enough to appreciate their strong and weak points. The Vermonter, as a -rule, does not waste any time upon sentimentality; he is too busy -digging out a living from these old hills and from between the rocks for -those dependent upon him to waste much time cultivating the sentimental -side. He is quite apt to take the utilitarian view of most earthly -matters. His horse he regards as a useful animal, to be well fed and -comfortably housed in order to prolong his usefulness as much as -possible; and his dog he looks upon as a useless companion--not worthy -of respect, comfortable lodging, or good food, unless he earns all three -by bringing up the cows at night and chasing all marauders from grain -and planted fields during the day. Your side of the animal question is a -new one, and I am going to commence operations upon my faithful -burden-carrier as soon as we reach the stable. I'd be mightily pleased -to have him walk along with me and put his velvety nose against my face -as I have seen your calico friend do with you. All men, all real men, -properly put together, are fond of being loved, and are willing to take -it in wholesale doses, and a little dog and horse--when the women are -not around--thrown in to fill between the chinks, helps to make a -perfect whole. We men are a careless, selfish lot, who leave mothers, -sisters, wives, daughters, and dogs and horses to do the most of the -loving, and accept it as a matter of right, without making the returns -which are their due. They trudge along in silence, giving us their -affection, and work on, chiefly for us, when they ought to kick. In -giving me this Sunday lesson you have opened up a new lead in my -make-up, and I intend to explore it until I develop a new deposit of -humanity, and I'll commence by stealing a lump of sugar for 'Old Whitey' -the next time I leave the tavern table, and, instead of having it -charged in the bill, I'll open a new account, and credit my first theft -to the cause of animal development." - -The next morning I parted from my judicial acquaintance, he volunteering -the promise to write and let me know the result of his new experiment -among the inhabitants of the barnyard. During the night he had "analyzed -the whole business," and arrived at the conclusion that there were other -dumb creatures besides dogs and horses worthy of cultivating. The much -neglected and despised pig, he proposed, with apparent humorous -sincerity, to take in hand, and make a special effort to reform his -manners and cultivate his mental faculties. He argued that human society -was responsible for "downing the pig." It is a question of "mad dog!" -over again, he declared. "Some one in the far-off past had said the hog -was a filthy beast, and without stopping to inquire, everybody else had -joined in the cry. My mission is to do away with this unreasonable -prejudice, and to elevate to his proper social and intellectual position -among the animals of the earth my much abused and unappreciated porcine -friend." These were his jovial parting words, and, with them ringing in -my ears, the trio made the morning start for the last day of the -outward-bound part of the excursion. - -A thirty miles ride carried us to one of the oldest villages in the -northern part of the State--not far from the Canada line. One long -street, made up of the blacksmith, shoemaker, and tinshop; a dry goods -"Emporium," a tavern--"The Farmers' Home"--and the usual number of -churches, with a doctor's shop, and a few dwellings thrown in, here and -there, to fill up the intervals between the more important -structures--made, with a good supply of shade-trees, an attractive -village. Of course the buildings were all square and white, and the -blinds were all green, and they were placed as near the road as -possible, but notwithstanding these faults of form, color, and position, -constituting crimes against Nature, the whole was fairly attractive. Do -what they will to offend and deface the beauties of New England, and -especially Vermont nature, the Philistines who inhabit its picturesque -valleys cannot destroy the beautiful ever-varying outlines of its hills -or the restful repose of its summer days. They have managed to slaughter -its forests and to dry up its limpid mountain streams, but, with the -consummation of those outrages, Nature calls a halt; and the Vandals -leave off destroying because there is little left to destroy. - -The "Farmer's Home" proved to be an attractive family affair. The -father, mother, son and daughter composed the entire _ménage_, and all -were equally at home in the duties of their special departments. There -was a tour of duty for each in the kitchen; but the energetic daughter -was supreme in the "Dining-hall," where she propelled its affairs with -mechanical exactitude. Her unwritten motto was: "On time, or cold -victuals." She was a strict constructionist, and "cl'ared off the -things" as soon as the last piece of pie had disappeared. But, as the -English would say, she was not at all a bad sort. She was active, -inquisitive, quaint, and direct,--had opinions upon all subjects, and -expressed them freely. I have always believed I was her first serious -anthropological study. At first, she accepted me with an immense -qualification. My manifest bias in favor of animals was something new to -her which she could not comprehend. To her practical mind, the petting -of a dog and looking after his welfare was a perfect waste of time, -while paying particular attention to the wants and care of a horse was -something not to be thought of. I saw she was rapidly filling up to the -bursting point with curiosity, but was too shy to ask the direct -questions which she was anxious to put to me. As soon as occasion -offered, I felt it my duty to give her an opportunity to free her mind, -and, sitting out the rest of the "boarders" at my last "supper," -presented an opening for the point of the wedge to enter. By way of -introduction, I mentioned my regrets at being compelled to leave the -next morning. - -"All the folks around here," she frankly said, "will be sorry to hear -it; you ain't like anybody else we've ever had in this town, at least -sence I can remember. Father and Tom, and all the rest of 'em that's -been watching of you, say you care more for critters than you do for -human folks, and I think so too; ever sence I heard you talk to that dog -of yourn I couldn't make you out. We never had anything like that up -here before, and one of the store fellers told me yesterday he thought -you were one of them New York City chaps a little off, that had come on -this ride for your health, and yit you talk sense about anything else -except them critters of yourn, and that's what puzzles the folks--to -think that such a smart feller as you 'pear to be, should be clear gone -off when you get to talking to the critters. And then there ain't any -sense in it, any way; you can talk to dogs and hosses all your life and -never git an answer. They are dumb beasts, that's all they be, and you -can't make 'em folks if you try a thousand years. I'll bet anything you -ain't got a wife. If you had, you wouldn't be talking all this nonsense -to critters all the time; if you had one worth a cent, you'd stay to -home and talk to her, and let the critters take care of themselves, same -as other folks do. Nothing like a good wife to take such wrinkles out of -a man's head! Why don't you get married anyway? Right here in this town -there are a lot of first-rate girls, better educated than I be, been to -the high-school, and got as good learning as any of the city women, all -dying to git married, and you can take your choice right here now. If -you had one of our nice girls you wouldn't need to have that darn fool -of a dog round all the time for company." - -The latter part of this mind-freeing was earnest and emphatic, and I -discovered between the spoken lines the true cause of the outburst. It -was as clear as the noonday sun that she had a very poor opinion of an -individual who preferred the company of a dog to the fascinations of -fair woman, and she had made up her mind to let me know what she -thought. - -I ignored the nice girl part of the argument, and startled her by asking -if she were a Christian. "'Spose I am, I try to be. I don't know much -about it anyhow. What makes you ask such an all-fired silly question? -All the folks round here are Christians; we ain't heathens any mor'n -city folks." - -"Then it follows as a matter of course, you being a Christian, that you -believe the Creator made Heavens and the earth and all things therein, -and you do not believe he made anything in vain. All of his creations we -see or know anything of were made for a purpose. The domestic animals -were intended for the use of human beings, and upon the list of those -the horse stands first, because he is the most intelligent of the purely -useful animals; but the dog is far ahead of him in every respect save -physical power. His intelligence is of a high order, which entitles him -to our respect, and he is the only animal that will leave his kind to -associate with man; and there are thousands of instances recorded of his -having sacrificed his life for those he loved. No other animal has ever -been known to do that. The elephant, with his admitted capacity for -acute reasoning, never defends his master unless ordered; on the -contrary, he seldom misses an opportunity to kill those who have injured -or offended him. The dog never does this; he bears no malice, and -forgets and forgives injuries inflicted by those he loves, neither does -he know distinction of condition or rank. He knows you are his master or -mistress, and whether you are prince or peasant it matters not. The -palace or the garret are the same to him, provided a kind master is to -be found in either, and he shares with his master the feast or the crust -with equal pleasure. The noble dog possesses the highest qualities. He -gives you his loyal affection without reserve, never deceives you, and -is true even unto death, and I hold we are indebted to him for giving us -all that is good in his nature, for, the better you treat him, the more -his fine qualities come to the surface. Am I not right?" - -"Well, I swan; you've taken the breath all out of my body; I never heard -such talk before. I don't know what to say, and I can't dispute you. -You've got the whole thing by heart and let it out just like one of them -revival exhorters that comes along here every once in a while. You've -said a lot about animals I never heard before or thought of; nobody -round here ever talks about 'em like you do. Why, you put the dog way up -head of folks. From what you say, he's ten times as decent as most men, -and, if he could only talk, he would show us he could spell hard words -and do the meanest sums in the 'rithmetic. At any rate, if dogs and -horses and other sich like are as smart as you say they are, they ain't -got no feelings like we have--ain't got sense enough to be sensitive and -take on about pain and suffering like we do. You can't make me b'leve -any sich stuff as that anyhow." - -This is the point usually made by those who have never seriously -considered the true nature and physical structure of animals. A cursory -examination would prove to the most careless observer, that the organs -and various parts of the human organization are duplicated in the -animals, especially in those of the domestic sort. The two points of -difference are in form of body and the four legs given to the lower -orders instead of two. The heart, lungs, bones, muscles, nerves, -blood-vessels and brain are in each about the same. In the animal, for -want of speech, the power of the brain is an unknown quantity, and the -absence of that faculty of giving expression to thought constitutes the -greatest difference between the species. Give the higher of the lower -animals the power of speech, and possibly some men would take rank as -the lower animal. - -All this I explained to my audience of one, and, in addition, asserted -that a cruel punishment of a physical nature inflicted upon a human -being, if bestowed upon a dog, a horse or an ox would produce the same -amount of pain and suffering. If whipping is painless, why do all -animals who have once been whipped jump aside and try to dodge the whip -they see flourishing in the hands of those near them? The answer is, -fear of pain. There is no other explanation of their action. Schoolboys -dread the birch and ferule of the schoolmaster no more than a horse or -an ox fears and dreads the whip of a driver. - -"I declare this is all news to me," my rural friend replied, "and you -really have set me to thinking. I guess we ought to treat all sorts of -animals, including the human, better than we do. I've been going to -meeting sence I was old enough to go alone, and I never heard a minister -say anything about loving animals and treating them decently--kinder -like folks--do a lot of good if they did--'spose they think they ain't -paid for that sort of business and 'ave got all they can do to save the -souls of sinners." - -This was the last attempt at pure missionary work in behalf of the lower -orders. The pleasure part of the excursion was about to end, and on the -morning of the morrow the business of returning to the starting point -was to commence in earnest. The return was made by a short series of -long days' work, commencing early in the morning, running well into the -day, with rest in the middle, starting off again late in the afternoon, -and extending well into the evening. In three days the return was -finished, the whole excursion had lasted nearly three weeks--three -joyous weeks, never again to be duplicated. - -The most pleasurable hours of the little tour came from the association -with my four-footed servants and companions. The gradual unfolding of -their intelligence and the rapid development of their affection were -never-failing sources of pleasure. Towards the last my calico horse -would leave his feed, no matter how fascinating to his taste the oats -might be, to be in my society, and the watchful dog was never away from -my side, night or day. At first he shared the stable with his companion, -but soon after, whenever he was ordered out for the night, his anxious, -silent pleadings became so tender and touching that I could not -withstand them, and I consented to his sharing my room with me. At first -he had the natural dog habit of rising at an inconveniently early hour, -but after being admonished of the irregularity of his behavior, he would -remain quiet until ordered out for his morning exercise. - -Never before or since had I been blessed with more sincere and -disinterested friends--always anxious to serve and, seemingly, perfectly -happy only when in my society. - -Within a week after our return came the final parting between us, and I -have never had more stings of conscience than I felt when closing the -door of the little paradise my confiding friends were never to enter -again. I parted with them in sorrow, filled with anxiety for their -future, as well I might have been, for early the ensuing autumn my -calico friend became again a "circus horse" and was heard of no more, -and the other resumed the role of "nobody's dog" and went down to his -soulless (?) finality wishing, beyond all doubt, for another taste of -his lost paradise. - - -During the whole of the winter of 1862 and 1863, I was in camp with my -command at Falmouth, in front of Fredericksburg. The army was resting -after the colossal and tragic fiasco at Fredericksburg to recover a new -supply of strength and courage for the encounter with unknown blunders -to come; and, aside from doing as many drills as the mud would permit, -consuming rations and drawing pay, there was little to do. The winter -proved to be a period of weary inactivity, with no crowns of victory in -sight. - -Late one stormy afternoon in the month of January, 1863, the orderly -announced a civilian stranger who desired an interview. He told the -orderly that his name was of no consequence and that his business was -personal. Upon his entering my tent, I discovered a complete embodiment -of limp weariness and sorrow, a palpable wreck of something better in -the past. - -Upon being seated, he said: "I 'spose you don't know me? Well, I don't -blame you much, I've so changed since then; we've had a great sorrow -since your dog and horse scart that drove of cattle into the oats. Now I -b'leve you remember, but you'd never guess I'm the same man, would you?" - -I had to answer that the change was very great, and asked the cause. - -"That's partly what I am here for," he replied. "You see, when the war -first broke out, George, our oldest, you must remember him, a silent, -good and thoughtful boy, was at the high school. All Vermont was alive -with the right sort of feeling, and all the men and boys--and some of -the women, I guess,--wanted to shoulder arms and go. We were expecting -all the time to hear that George was going, but hoped the other way, and -finally one morning in June he got out of the stage with his whole kit -of books and clothes, and told his mother, whose eyes had already filled -with tears, that he had come home to go; that all the big boys of the -school had held a meeting, and agreed to enlist in the 'Third,' and he -was going with them. Well, I thought his mother would sink into the -ground then and there, but she didn't. George, you know, was her -favorite. He was always a reliable, duty-loving boy. She wiped her eyes, -took him in her arms, and, while her heart was breaking, kissed him, and -said: 'I 'spose you ought to go where right and your country calls, but -it will be awful hard for me to part with you. I don't know how I'm -going to live with you in danger.' The week he spent with us, I tell -you, it was like a great shadow in that old house. His mother kept -about, but her heart was breaking with terrible forebodings, and her -eyes were always filling with tears. When he had stayed his week out, -the last at the old home, we all drove over with him to the recruiting -station, and saw him sign his name to the roll of Company ----, Third -Regiment, Vermont Volunteers, 'for three years, or during the war.' In -three weeks the regiment left for the field; we went over to see him -off, and he was the only happy one of the family. We were filled with -unspeakable sadness; we saw them march away, and, as the old flag -disappeared round the corner of the road, his mother fainted, and fell -into my arms. She never saw a well day after that, but kind of lived on -like a machine, taking no interest in anything but the newspapers -bringing news from the war. - -"George was just as good a boy in the army as he had always been at -home, wrote encouraging letters to his mother, filled with ideas about -duty, patriotism, and all that. But it did no good. She had made up her -mind she would never see him again, and, although alive, he was as good -as dead almost to her. When the Winter ended, the Vermont troops went -with the army to Yorktown, and then came the dreadful 16th of -April--Lees' Mills. Three days after the fight some one sent a Boston -paper to us, which gave the news of the first advance having been made -by Companies ---- and ---- of the Third, and the terrible slaughter of -the men, but gave no names. His mother knew her son was killed, and two -days later a letter from his Captain told us how well he had done his -duty, and how bravely he had died. The strain was more than she could -bear, she took to her bed, and at the end of five weeks we buried them -side by side, and my happiness along with them. Now do you see why I've -changed?" - -After a slight pause, he resumed: "I forgot to tell you,--the other boy, -the one who talked to you about the meeting-house steeple five hundred -feet high, enlisted in the same company as soon as he got old enough, is -sick in the hospital here now, and I want to take him back home, and -that's what I'm here about. I want you to help me to get him out of the -Army. He was a new recruit when he saw his brother killed, and hasn't -been well since. You know he never was a strong boy, but he would go to -war to be with George. He wouldn't consent to his brother facing danger -all the time, while he was safe at home. He's all I've got left, except -my old father, who can't last much longer, and they tell me if I can get -you to go with me to General ---- he'll order his discharge." - -The sad story--one of many I had heard, touched me deeply. But I could -offer no consolation, such wounds as his were too deep to be reached by -words. All I could do was to change the current of sad thoughts and -extend the meagre hospitalities of the camp. Then the ride to the field -hospital, the interview with the once bright, happy boy I had seen seven -years before, now with the seal of death implanted upon his beautiful, -honest and manly face, then to headquarters, the handing over of his -discharge, and then the parting, with heavy heart, from one whose burden -of sorrow I had been able to lighten. - -Opportunities to do these acts of kindness for those kindred of the -fallen, whose hearts were overburdened with mighty sorrows, were about -the only rays of sunshine which ever invaded the tent life of those -whose responsibilities were often more burdensome than the sorrows of -others, which they were so often called upon to assuage. - -In the summer of 1865, during another visit to my native town, a longing -came over me to revisit the scene of the accident to the oats, and I -searched in vain for two companions to take the places of those of -twelve years before. But, so far as I could ascertain, there was not a -known saddle horse in the county, and the race of nobody's dogs had gone -quite out of fashion; so I was compelled to adopt the "buggy," and, -along with it, between its "fills," a lively and "spunky" little -specimen of a Vermont Morgan, that learned after the first hours of -driving that there was a kind friend holding the reins, and with whom, -from that moment, cordial relations were established. A very easy drive -carried me to the "old home," about noon of the second day, and, as I -drove up to the door, a kindly faced, frank-mannered woman of middle age -came out of the house, and asked me to alight, hitch, and walk in. As I -entered I asked where they all were? "Who do you mean by all?" queried -my hostess. I answered, "The C----s who lived here twelve years ago." - -She took me to an open window, and, pointing to the top of a "Meeting -House" spire that came just above the point of a rise in the ground, -said: "Just at the bottom of that steeple you'll find them all, save my -uncle C----, the grandfather of the boys; they are all buried there, -and, if you want to renew your acquaintance with them, you'll have to go -over there to do it. I'm the old maid of the whole family, and taught -school until I came here right after Cousin George's death--he was the -last of the four--to take care of uncle, who was awfully broken up, and -is to this day. I guess nothing but death will ever mend his broken -heart. He wanders about with no object in life, always wishing for the -end to come. He's out in the fields somewhere; he will be here pretty -soon and awful glad to see you. It seems to me he only cares now for -those who knew the four who lie buried over there. He lives in the past -altogether, and takes no interest in the present or future." - -A walk of five minutes through a meadow to a group of maples brought me -to the spot where I found, reclining beneath the shades, my acquaintance -of other days. At first he did not recognize me, and was a little -offish, but gradually became interested, and at last came to me with -both hands extended and with eyes filled with tears: - -"I didn't know ye at first, but I oughter have known that voice -anywhere. Your animals scart the drove into the oats, but you were so -good to us afterward. If it hadn't been for you, 'Vin' would have died -in that ere hospital, for he didn't live long after we got him home. Oh, -he was sich a comfort to us while he did live. I shall never forgit the -last days; and may God spare me from ever goin' through any more like -'em." - -While we were walking toward the house, I learned that Vincent, the -youngest boy, lived five weeks after he was brought home; that the -father died the next autumn, and, although nearly three years had passed -since the culmination of the "Great Sorrow," the atmosphere seemed -impregnated with it. The want of signs of life and movement without, and -the evidence of long continued quiet and order within, told as plainly -as words the story of an all-absorbing grief. - -During the dinner, the incidents of the oats, the conversation with -"Vin" about the steeple, his desire to trade for the "Kaliker" horse, -and all that was said upon the occasion of our first meeting, was -rehearsed, without a single item being omitted. The meal finished, there -came the walk to the "Meeting House Burying Ground," where I saw the -seven simple headstones standing for four generations. The first to Mary -Gale, wife of G. C.; the second to "George C., a soldier of the -Revolutionary War, born at Old Middlebury, Mass., June 12, 1756, died in -this town, March 7, 1833;" next to him came his daughter-in-law; then a -vacant space for his son--the second George, and then the graves of the -other four of the third and fourth generation. - -I have seen men stand in such a presence without being moved, but I -could never quite understand how they did it. Upon this occasion -something got into my throat, and I could not speak; something else -filled both eyes, and I had to turn away to conceal a weakness which I -could not control. - -As I turned toward my companions, the elder, pointing to the line -exclaimed; "Pretty soon there'll be four generations of Georges in this -lot, and that's about all there is to it, I guess. There couldn't be any -design in takin' all of 'em from me in so short a time. A merciful God -wouldn't have done such a cruel thing; if a kind God had had anything to -do with it, he would let some of 'em outlive me to have been a comfort -in my old age and to have kept the old place where we were all born in -the family name. No, I don't b'leve in sich kindness; all of 'em ought -to have lived; they were jest as good as they could be, not one of 'em -ever told a lie or did a mean thing as long as they lived. Then if they -were so good, as they were, and nobody can dispute it, why were they all -taken away from me so soon, and so many mean critters, good for nothing -to nobody, allowed to live? No, the ministers may talk to me from now to -the end of eternity, that their God, if he really does sich cruelties, -is merciful, and I won't b'leve 'em. It's all nonsense to murder a man -alive and break his old heart and call it merciful and all for the best. -There is no mercy or best about it, it's all wrong from beginnin' to -end, and I don't b'leve the heathen's god or anybody's God could be so -cruel and unjust. - -"My father battled from Bunker Hill 'till the last Red Coat had left the -land and then came here and began a new battle with the virgin forests -of Vermont. And ever sence I was born and old enough to work, my sweat -has watered this soil so dear to all of us. There's not a foot of the -cleared part of this old farm I have not worked over, and the whole of -it is as sacred in my eyes as if it were a lordly estate handed down -from scores of generations before me. The boys loved it as I do and -liked to work over it. Now what does it all amount to? In a short time -when I have passed over yender to join the rest on 'em, the old place -will go into the hands of unfeeling strangers who'll care no more about -it than savages. Most likely they'll rob the soil and skin it of the -last spear of grass, and all these noble old trees that have been my -friends sence I was a boy, will be cut down to feed the nearest sawmill. -It's astonishing, how mean most folks act toward natur! They treat her -as though she had no rights and forgit all about the good things she -gives us. But I suppose there is no good in sentiment if God is agin -ye." - -His niece interrupted him gently: "Come away, uncle, you are nervous and -excited and saying too much." - -"No, I'm not nervous or excited; I'm saying what I b'leve, and I want -everybody to know it. Look at those graves holding all I had in the -world, and no one had better, and then tell me if I have no cause to -complain?" - - - - - TIM THE DISSIPATED - - -Very late in the year 1848--Christmas day, to be exact--I found myself -in New Orleans, bankrupt in health and looking forward, hopelessly, to a -seemingly not far off culmination of my earthly affairs. But, owing to -the possession of a strong constitution, the good offices of kind -friends, and careful medical treatment, I was enabled to disappoint the -prophets and to evade the undertaker. By the time I had regained my -feet, the balmy days of March had come around, and I improved the -opportunity to make my duty-calls upon the kind-hearted friends who had -taken an active interest in the welfare of a stranger who had been cast -upon their shores. I found them wonderfully to my liking, generous, -cordial, and frank, to a degree I had never dreamed of. - -It was fortunate for me that I happened to become a denizen of that -interesting old city during one of its better periods. Socially it was -at high-water mark; the theatres were good and the French opera the -better of all outside of Paris. In the winter it was the rendezvous for -the well-to-do families of the whole far South. The rich cotton planters -from Tennessee, Mississippi, and Alabama, and the sugar planters from -along the "coast" came to this Southern metropolis, and brought with -them their pretty daughters with their velvety voices, unaffected -speech, garnished with its tint of African accent, and their frank, -disingenuous ways; and also came their sons, who were not so -fascinating, but were good fellows at heart--the majority of them--and, -as a rule, save for one weakness, they were all right. But they had the -unpleasant habit of "drawing at sight," and to the credit of their -alertness, I am compelled to record that they were apt to see very -quick. - -The presence of a large colony of well-to-do planters assisted to make -New Orleans a very attractive winter resort. But they were not more -given to pleasure than the average citizen of the place, who, as a rule, -did not take life very seriously. He was in business, but not its slave, -and each day brought with it its pleasurable recreation. With their -peculiar and novel ways they were, to me, a revelation; the community -made up of them seemed almost ideal, and had it not been for the -presence of the slave and the slave market, the old French city, in its -relation to a certain select few, could have passed for a kind of brick -and mortar Arcadia. - -Among the favorite recreations of that period was a drive down the shell -road to Lake Ponchartrain, where there was a famous afternoon resort -kept by Capt. Dan Hicox, a once famous "Captain on the Lakes," a teller -of good stories and fabricator of the best fish and game dinners and -suppers to be found in the whole South. To say that his establishment -was popular would give but a faint idea of the real conditions. Of a -pleasant afternoon, in certain seasons of the year, nearly all that was -jolliest and brightest in New Orleans society could be found sitting -upon the captain's piazzas, enjoying the breezes of the lake, which were -usually tempered with something taken through a straw or drawn from the -upper end of a bottle recently from the ice-chest. - -In addition to the usual attractions of such a resort, there was a -circular pen with a pole planted in the centre of it to which was -attached a certain two-thirds grown specimen of the common American -black bear. When the merest mite of a cub he had been captured in the -wilds of Michigan, and afterwards sent to "Captain Dan" as a present by -one of his old friends of the lakes. - -"Tim" was a great pet and altogether comical. He found a comic side to -every incident which came under his observation, and, seemingly, never -had a serious thought or an unhappy moment. It might be said of him that -he was reared in luxury, for during his infancy he had a pleasant corner -of the bar-room for his abode, where he became the pet of the patrons -and the recipient of all kinds of good things from the larder, with now -and then a taste from the bottle arranged in a way to fit his appetite, -and very much to his liking. - -In the interests of truthful history, it must be recorded that "Tim," -within a short time after his first julep, became enamored of the -bottle, and, very much after the manner of the old style Southern -bar-room tippler, would watch the patrons of the bar, looking wistfully -into their faces for an invitation to "smile." At the beginning of his -career as an habitual drinker, it took about six or seven "treats" to -put him in a state of good-natured inebriation. When in that condition, -he was the incarnation of animal happiness; lying upon his back with all -four feet in the air, head to one side, tongue half out of his wide-open -mouth, with eyes half closed, he was the perfect personification of good -nature and indifference to earthly happenings. Kings might rule the -world, but Tim's happiness was supreme. He envied no other bear, and if -a tree trunk filled with the most delicious honey had been within easy -reach he would not have raised a paw for a barrel of it. The things of -this world troubled him not, and he possessed only one phase of the -great passion of avarice--he always, when sober, wanted enough strong -drink to make him happy. He had the appetite of the habitual human -drunkard, but, when in his cups, differed from his human _confrère_ in -one important particular; he was good natured and kind and never -quarrelsome or cruel like the human brute in a similar condition. - -Sometimes, when he was floored, a friend would try to coax him to -another drink by temptingly placing a well-filled glass near his nose, -an invitation that would generally excite in him an effort to rise and a -very comical and unsteady attempt to follow the lead of the disappearing -glass; usually he would wobble over, but would right himself enough to -sit up and gaze intently after the fascinating beverage beyond his -reach. In respect to demeanor or quantity, he was quite human; he never -knew he was making a beast of himself, or when he had enough. I do not -pretend to say that Tim's habits of drink were not reprehensible; for -the purposes of this true story he must have the blame. It was certainly -not the fault of his master; he simply suffered the usual penalty of -having too many thoughtless and convivial friends. - -In course of time, Tim became quite a bear, altogether too large for a -bar-room pet, and was removed to a specially prepared pen and chained to -a pole with a platform rest at the top. The change for Tim was not a -success. He spent his time in running around and climbing up and down -his pole, all the time whining, pleading, and scolding; he grew thin, -and looked and acted as though he regarded life as a failure. -Occasionally, a friend, pitying his unhappy condition, would unchain him -and lead him to his old haunt. In fact, it was nearly impossible to lead -him in any other direction. As soon as released from his pole he would -start for the bar-room, dragging his friend with him, nor would he stop -until he reached his favorite room, when, standing up with his hands on -the counter, he would mumble out in his most intelligible bear-language -a peremptory demand for a drink. Sometimes he was indulged to an extent -which would enable him to catch a glimpse of his lost paradise, but -usually he was returned to his pen after having disposed of only enough -of his favorite beverage to give him an appetite for more. - -It had often been suggested that if Tim could have a congenial -occupation his grief for his lost liberty would not be so acute. -Accidentally, an employment for all his spare time was forced upon him. - -One day, during a great thunderstorm, when the wind was blowing strong -from the east, a small alligator, about six feet long, was carried by a -wave to a part of the piazza near where I was sitting. He undertook to -get back into the lake with the receding water, but, being determined to -detain him, I caught him by the end of the tail. Within half of a second -the problem of extremes meeting was solved. As soon as he felt my hold -he doubled himself around, brought his jaws to-together with a savage -snap, and came within an infinitesimal measure of catching my hand. By -that time my blood was up, and I made up my mind to effect a capture of -my belligerent caller. With the use of a strong chair for a weapon, I -succeeded in preventing his return to the lake. Soon assistance with a -rope arrived, and a tight-drawn noose around the upper jaw did the rest. -"De 'gater swished dat tail a' his awfully Massa, but we done got him -sure," was the announcement that conveyed to "Captain Dan" the -information that he was the owner of a "'gater." Our captive was put in -a safe place for the night, and the next morning what to do with him -became the burning question. - -After considerable discussion a valuable suggestion came from one of the -colored spectators. He said: "I reckon if dat 'gater and Tim had a -chance dey'd make fust-rate frens inside a week." A unanimous vote -approved of the proposition, and in five minutes "de 'gater was in de -pen" and the gate closed. - -It was Tim's custom whenever he heard company approaching his place of -abode to meet them at the threshold. Upon this occasion, as usual, he -was ready to bestow the hospitalities of his establishment, but the -manner of his receiving was neither urbane nor graceful. His front door -was suddenly opened and an unwelcome guest unceremoniously thrust upon -the hospitality of the unsuspecting Tim, who was wholly unprepared for -such a visitor. It was his first experience with a Saurian. He had never -seen one before, and it took only a second for him to make up his mind -to pass the act of non-intercourse. He scampered to his pole and climbed -to his platform at the top, where, during the next twenty-four hours, he -remained an anxious and frightened observer. - -The new arrangement was no more satisfactory to the guest than to the -host. He missed his shore promenades and bathing accommodations; could -not imagine why he was shut up in a small enclosure, and spent his first -day and night in searching for an opening large enough for him to crawl -through. By noon of his second day of confinement he gave up his -fruitless search and settled down to a midday repose. - -Tim, weary with anxious watching, seeing his opportunity for an -investigation, cautiously descended to the ground, and noiselessly -approached near enough to his guest to reach him with a front paw; then, -for several minutes, he sat upon his haunches and made a very careful -diagnosis of the case before him and came to the conclusion that it was -not to his liking, and that he would have no more of it than he could -help. Acting upon this deliberately formed conclusion, he made a vicious -grab with both paws at the tail of the unsuspecting Saurian. Great was -his surprise to find that his victim was very wide awake, indeed, for no -sooner had he felt the disturbance at his caudal end than he sent his -open jaws around to ascertain the cause. This sudden flank movement was -a great surprise to Tim, who experienced considerable difficulty in -extracting one of his paws from the ample jaws of a "feller" that at -least one bear could not understand. Tim was not encouraged to another -investigation at the moment, but re-ascended to his throne, where he -spent the remainder of the day in licking the wounded paw, casting, now -and then, malicious glances at his unbidden guest, and concocting plans -for the future. - -The next day was bright and sunny, and brought with it apparent peace to -the domain of Tim. The Saurian was calmly reposing in the sunshine, and -Tim was doing his best thinking. He had not quite decided as to the -manner of proceeding, but upon one point he had made up his mind. There -was to be no middle way. His enemy was to be conquered and the savage -attack upon his paw avenged. With his mind then fully made up he -descended for a second investigation and another possible attack. This -time his approach was doubly guarded, and he was particularly careful in -calculating the distance between his position and the jaws which had -given him such an unpleasant surprise. - -After a deliberate survey of the situation, Tim made a sudden spring to -the side of his enemy, caught him under his chest, and turned him upon -his back. This side attack was unexpected and a perfect success, and the -reptile had an active and prolonged struggle to regain his natural -position. Tim watched the struggle with intense interest, seeming to be -happy in knowing that he held the key to the situation. From that time -on, his guest during the daylight hours had no peace. Whenever Tim had -an opportunity, he turned him over, and, when not engaged in that -diversion, he was chasing him around the enclosure. About one month of -such an existence brought the Saurian very near to his end. From a most -healthy and vigorous "'gater" at the time he was caught he had become -weak, weary and lank; so forlorn was his lamentable condition that he -excited the sympathy of some human friend, who, during the night, opened -the gate to the pen. The following morning the persecuted reptile was -nowhere to be found. From that moment Tim became his former self, -watched anxiously at the gate for the coming of friends, and pleaded -pertinaciously for the intoxicating beverage. - -The summer and greater part of the autumn after the "'gater" incident, I -spent at the Mississippi Springs, and, while there, received a letter -from a friend, who, next to myself, was the most ardent admirer Tim ever -had. It was the last word relating to my comical four-footed intimate, -and I cannot close this truthful narration more appropriately than by -quoting from it: - -"You will sympathize with me in our mutual loss. Probably, we have seen -the last of our old friend Tim; he departed from his well scratched pole -about two weeks ago, and is now on the road as an important item in 'The -Most Colossal Show Ever Known.' He had grown so large, and his appetite -for strong drink had increased to such an alarming extent, that the -attending darkies lost confidence in their ability to handle him. During -his later days at the Lake, he appeared to have but one idea, and that -related to opportunities for intoxication. Whenever his pen door opened, -no matter for what purpose, he would make a rush for whoever came in, -and demand to be led to the bar-room, and, if disappointed, would make a -most furious demonstration. - -"'Captain Dan' was immensely attached to him, but felt that the time had -arrived when some disposition must be made of him. The menagerie at -Algiers was the opportunity. A bargain was struck, and the time fixed -for his departure. - -"'Captain Dan' decided to give him a regular 'Fourth of July' send-off, -and, to that end, invited a few of his most intimate friends and -admirers to be present at the performance. The guests were assembled, -and Tim was released from his pole. He made a tremendous rush for the -open bar-room door dragging two stalwart Africans after him at a -break-neck pace. He went direct to his old corner where he found a large -tin pan filled with a milk-punch such as he had never tasted before. He -emptied it in short order and then, taking it between his paws, sat up, -licked the last reminiscence of the punch out of it, and in a few -moments became the most comical object imaginable. In fact he was never -known to be more funny. He was laughed at, poked with sticks, had his -ears pulled, but all to no purpose; he was too happy to be offended. He -made a few efforts to stand erect and to appear sober and dignified, but -ended each attempt by rolling over upon his back a helpless lump of limp -intoxication. - -"In that condition, our old friend was bundled into a box on wheels, and -made ready for his departure to the new life. Before going we all shook -him by the paw, patted his head, and wished him a happy future, and, as -he disappeared in the distance, there was a general expression of regret -that we had seen the last of poor Tim. 'Captain Dan's' lip trembled, and -I feel sure if he had had it to do over again, he wouldn't have done -it." - -This parting with Tim proved to be the end of his connection with the -friends of his babyhood and youth: none of them so far as I know, ever -saw him again. - -Possibly a little bit of a lesson may be shown from the simple life -described. Tim, no doubt, came of decent parents of good habits and -morals, and in his downfall, there was no question of heredity involved. -In his infancy he was placed within easy reach of the temptations of the -bowl, and so, in his manhood, became as much of a victim to strong drink -as his surrounding circumstances would permit. Therefore, the inference -is, if he had not been tempted, there would have been no fall, and Tim -would have led a sober life and have been a respectable member of bear -society, provided human beings had left him in the home intended for his -race. - -His degradation, like that of the North American Indian, came from -contact with our superior Western civilization. - - - - - CARLO, THE SOLDIER - - -The Ninth New York Volunteers was organized in April, 1861, in the City -of New York. Two of its companies were extra-territorial. C was composed -of men from Hoboken and Paterson, New Jersey, and G marched into the -regimental headquarters fully organized from the town of Fort Lee in -that State. With this last named company came "Carlo," the subject of -this sketch. - -When he joined the regiment, he had passed beyond the period of -puppy-hood and was in the full flush of dogly beauty. He was large, not -very large,--would probably have turned the scales at about fifty -pounds. His build was decidedly "stocky," and, as horsey men would say, -his feet were well under him; his chest was broad and full, back -straight, color a warm dark brindle, nose and lips very black, while he -had a broad, full forehead and a wonderful pair of large, round, soft, -dark-brown eyes. Add to this description an air of supreme, well-bred -dignity, and you have an idea of one of the noblest animals that ever -lived. His origin was obscure; one camp rumor asserted that he was born -on board of a merchant ship while his mother was making a passage from -Calcutta to New York; and another told of a beautiful mastiff living -somewhere in the State of New Jersey that had the honor of bringing him -into the world. It would be very interesting to know something of the -parentage of our hero, but, since the facts surrounding his birth are -unattainable, we must content ourselves with telling a portion of a -simple story of a good and noble life. It may be safe to assert that he -was not a native American; if he had been, he would have provided -himself with the regulation genealogical tree and family coat-of-arms. - -During the first part of his term of service, Carlo was very loyal to -his Company, marched, messed, and slept with it, but he was not above -picking up, here and there, from the mess tents of the other Companies a -tid-bit, now and then, which proved acceptable to a well-appointed -digestion. - -His first tour on guard was performed as a member of the detail from Co. -G, and always afterward, in the performance of that duty, he was most -faithful. No matter who else might be late, he was ever on time when the -call for guard mount was sounded, ready to go out with his own -particular squad. At first, he would march back to Company quarters with -the old detail, but, as soon as he came to realize the value and -importance of guard duty, he made up his mind that his place was at the -guard tent and on the patrol beat, where he could be of the greatest -service in watching the movements of the enemy. In the performance of -his duties as a member of the guard, he was very conscientious and ever -on the alert. No stray pig, wandering sheep, or silly calf could pass in -front of his part of the line without being investigated by him. It is -possible that his vigilance in investigating intruding meats, was -sharpened by the hope of substantial recognition in the way of a stray -rib extracted from the marauding offender whose ignorance of army -customs in time of war had brought their tender "corpuses" too near our -lines. - -As a rule, Carlo, what with his guard duties and other purely routine -items, managed to dispose of the day until dress parade. At that time he -appeared at his best, and became the regimental dog. No officer or -soldier connected with the command more fully appreciated "The pomp and -circumstance of great and glorious war" than he. As the band marched out -to take position previous to playing for the Companies to assemble, he -would place himself alongside the drum-major, and, when the signal for -marching was given, would move off with stately and solemn tread, with -head well up, looking straight to the front. Upon those great occasions, -he fully realized the dignity of his position, and woe betide any -unhappy other dog that happened to get in front of the marching band. -When upon the parade field, he became, next to the Colonel, the -commanding officer, and ever regarded himself as the regulator of the -conduct of those careless and frivolous dogs, that go about the world -like the street _gamin_--having no character for respectability or -position in society to sustain. - -Of those careless ne'er-do-wells the regiment had accumulated a very -large following. As a rule, they were harmless and companionable, and, -like the inevitable "befo' de wah" Judge and Major, they were always on -hand ready for a free lunch and drink. It was only at dress parade that -they made themselves over-officious. Each Company was attended to the -parade ground by its particular family of canine companions, and, when -all of them had assembled, the second battalion of the regiment would -make itself known by a great variety of jumpings, caperings, barks of -joy, and cries of delight. To this unseasonable hilarity Carlo seriously -objected, and his demeanor plainly told the story of his disgust at the -conduct of the silly pates of his race. He usually remained a passive -observer until the exercise in the manual of arms, at which particular -period in the ceremonies, the caperings and the barkings would become -quite unendurable. Our hero would then assume the character of a -preserver of the peace. He would make for the nearest group of -revellers, and, in as many seconds, give a half a dozen or more of them -vigorous shakes, which would set them to howling, and warn the others of -the thoughtless tribe of an impending danger. Immediately the offenders -would all scamper to another part of the field, and remain quiet until -the dress parade was over. This duty was self-imposed and faithfully -performed upon many occasions. After the parade was dismissed Carlo -would march back to quarters with his own Company, where he would remain -until the last daily distribution of rations, whereupon, after having -disposed of his share, he would start out upon a tour of regimental -inspection, making friendly calls at various Company quarters and by -taps turning up at the headquarters of the guard. His duties ended for -the day, he would enjoy his well-earned rest until reveille, unless some -event of an unusual nature, occurring during the night, disturbed his -repose and demanded his attention. - -During the first year of his service in the field, Carlo was very -fortunate. He had shared in all of the transportations by water, in all -the marchings, skirmishes, and battles, without receiving a scratch or -having a day's illness. But his good fortune was soon to end, for it was -ordained that, like other brave defenders, he was to suffer in the great -cause for which all were risking their lives. - -The morning of April 18, 1862, my brigade then stationed at Roanoke -Island, embarked upon the Steamer Ocean Wave for an expedition up the -Elizabeth River, the object of which was to destroy the locks of the -dismal swamp canal in order to prevent several imaginary iron-clads from -getting into Albemarle Sound, where we had assembled at that time what -was known as a "Pasteboard Fleet," which the supposed iron-clads were to -destroy. - -Among the first to embark was the ever ready and faithful Carlo, and the -next morning, when his companions disembarked near Elizabeth City, he -was one of the first to land, and, during the whole of the long and -dreary march of thirty miles to Camden Court House, lasting from three -o'clock in the morning until one in the afternoon, he was ever on the -alert, but keeping close to his regiment. The field of battle was -reached: the engagement, in which his command met with a great loss, -commenced and ended, and, when the particulars of the disaster were -inventoried, it was ascertained that a cruel Confederate bullet had -taken the rudimentary claw from Carlo's left fore-leg. This was his -first wound, and he bore it like a hero without a whine or even a limp. -A private of Co. G, who first noticed the wound, exclaimed: "Ah, Carlo, -what a pity you are not an officer! If you were, the loss of that claw -would give you sixty days leave and a Brigadier-General's Commission at -the end of it." That was about the time that General's Commissions had -become very plentiful in the Department of North Carolina. - -The Command re-embarked, and reached Roanoke Island the morning after -the engagement, in time for the regulation "Hospital or Sick Call," -which that day brought together an unusual number of patients, and among -them Carlo, who was asked to join the waiting line by one of the wounded -men. When his turn came to be inspected by the attending surgeon, he was -told to hold up the wounded leg, which he readily did, and then followed -the washing, the application of simple cerate, and the bandaging, with a -considerable show of interest and probable satisfaction. Thereafter, -there was no occasion to extend to him an invitation to attend the -Surgeon's inspection. Each morning, as soon as the bugle call was -sounded, he would take his place in line with the other patients, -advance to his turn, and receive the usual treatment. This habit -continued until the wound was healed. Always, after this, to every -friendly greeting, he would respond by holding up the wounded leg for -inspection, and he acted as though he thought that everybody was -interested in the honorable scar that told the story of patriotic duty -faithfully performed. - -Later on, for some reason known to himself, Carlo transferred his -special allegiance to Co. K, and maintained close connection with that -Company until the end of his term of service. He was regarded by its -members as a member of the Company mess, and was treated as one of them. -But, notwithstanding his special attachments, there can be no reasonable -doubt about his having considered himself a member of the regiment, -clothed with certain powers and responsibilities. At the end of his -term, he was fitted with a uniform--trousers, jacket, and fez, and, thus -apparalled, marched up Broadway, immediately behind the band. He was -soon after mustered out of the service, and received an honorable -discharge, not signed with written characters, but attested by the -good-will of every member of the regiment. - -If alive to-day, he must be very old and decrepit; and I am sure that if -he is, in his honorable old age his honest traits of character have not -forsaken him. No doubt, he takes a just pride in the good service he -rendered to his country in the years of its great trials, and it is -fortunate that his having four legs has placed him beyond the temptation -to join the ranks of the Grand Army of treasury looters, who have traded -off the honorable name of soldier for that of the pensioned mercenary. - - - - - JEFF, THE INQUISITIVE - - -Among the gunboats doing duty on the inland waters of North Carolina, in -the early Spring of 1862, which composed what Commodore Goldsborough -designated his "Pasteboard Fleet," was the Louisiana, commanded by -Commander Alexander Murray, who was noted for his efficiency and good -nature. His treatment of his crew made him one of the most popular -officers in the whole fleet. He entered into all of their sports, and -sympathized with the discomforts of forecastle life. He was fond of -animal pets, and always welcomed the arrival of a new one. At the time -of which I am writing, his ship carried quite a collection of tame birds -and four-footed favorites. - -Among them was a singular little character known as "Jeff." He was a -perfectly black pig of the "Racer Razor Back" order, which, at that -time, were plentiful in the coast sections of the more southern of the -slave-holding States. They were called "racers" because of their long -legs, slender bodies, and great capacity for running; and "Razor Backs" -on account of the prominence of the spinal column. The origin of this -particular species of the porcine tribe is unknown, but there is a -tradition to the effect that their progenitors were a part of the drove -that came to the coast of Florida with De Soto when he started on the -march which ended with the discovery of the Mississippi River. History -records the fact that a large number of animals were brought from Spain -for food, and that a considerable number of them succeeded in getting -away from the expedition soon after the landing was effected. - -Our particular specimen of this wandering tribe of natural marauders was -captured by a boat's crew of the Louisiana in one of the swamps adjacent -to Currituck Sound, when he was a wee bit of an orphaned waif not much -larger than an ostrich-egg. He was an ill-conditioned little mite that -had probably been abandoned by a heartless mother, possibly while -escaping from the prospective mess-kettle of a Confederate picket. In -those days Confederate pickets were not very particular as to quality or -kind of food, and I have a suspicion that even a "Razor Back" would have -been a welcome addition to their _menu_. - -When "Jeff" was brought on board, his pitiful condition excited the -active sympathy of all, from the commander down to the smallest powder -monkey, and numerous were the suggestions made as to the course of -treatment for the new patient. The doctor was consulted, and, after a -careful diagnosis, decided there was no organic disease: want of -parental care, want of nourishment, and exposure, were held responsible -for "Jeff's" unfavorable condition. It was decided to put him on a light -diet of milk, which proved an immediate success, for, within forty-eight -hours after his first meal, the patient became as lively as possible. As -days and weeks went on, there appeared an improvement of appetite that -was quite phenomenal, but no accumulation of flesh. His legs and body -grew longer; and, with this lengthening of parts, there came a -development of intellectual acuteness that was particularly surprising. -He attached himself to each individual of the ship. He had no favorites, -but was hail-fellow-well-met with all. He developed all the playful -qualities of a puppy, and reasoned out a considerable number of problems -in his own way, without the aid of books or schoolmaster. His particular -admirers declared that he learned the meaning of the different whistles -of the boatswain: that he knew when the meal pennant was hoisted to the -peak, could tell when the crew was beat to quarters for drill, and often -proved the correctness of this knowledge by scampering off to take his -place by one particular gun division which seemed to have taken his -fancy. - -I can testify personally to only one item in the schedule of his -intellectual achievements. It is a custom in the navy for the commander -of a ship to receive any officer of rank of either branch of the service -at the gangway of the ship. In this act of courtesy he is always -accompanied by the officer of the deck, and often by others that may -happen to be at hand. After the advent of "Jeff," whenever I went on -board the Louisiana he was always at the gangway, and seemingly was -deeply interested in the event. It may be said of him, generally, that -he was overflowing with spirits, and took an active interest in all the -daily routine work of his ship. He had a most pertinacious way of poking -his nose into all sorts of affairs, not at all after the manner of the -usual pig, but more like a village gossip who wants to know about -everything that is going on in the neighborhood. - -In the gradual development of "Jeff's" character, it was discovered that -he had none of the usual well-known traits of the pig. He was more like -a petted and pampered dog, was playful, good-natured, and expressed -pleasure, pain, anger, and desire, with various squeals and grunts, -delivered with a variety of intonations that were very easily -interpreted. He was never so happy as when in the lap of one of the -sailors, having his back stroked. His pleasure upon those occasions was -evinced by the emission of frequent good-natured grunts and looking up -into the face of the friendly stroker. When on shore, he followed like a -dog, and was never known to root. Except in speech and appearance, he -was the counterpart of a happy, good-natured, and well-cared-for -household dog--possibly, however, rather more intelligent than the -average canine pet. - -The Fourth of July, 1862, was a gala day at Roanoke Island. The camps of -the island and the vessels in the harbor were _en grande fête_. Colors -were flying, bands playing, drums beating, patriotic steam was up to -high pressure, and a goodly number of glasses of "commissary" were -consumed in wishing success to the cause. The good old day, so dear to -the hearts of Americans, was made more glorious by the exchange of camp -hospitalities and an indulgence in such simple hilarity as the occasion -seemed to require; but "Jeff" was not forgotten. Early in the morning, -he was bathed and scrubbed, more than to his heart's content, and then -patriotically decorated. In his right ear was a red ribbon, in his left -a white one; around his neck another of blue, and at his mizzen, or, in -other words, his tail, he carried a small Confederate flag. Thus adorned -he was brought on shore to pay me a visit, and, as he came through my -door, he appeared to be filled with the pride of patriotism and a -realization of the greatness of the occasion. His reward for this -unusual demonstration was instantaneous, and consisted of some apples -and a toothsome dessert of sugar. Afterward he made the round of the -camps with a special escort of warrant officers and devoted Jack Tars. -From after accounts it appeared that he had been so well received that -his escort experienced much difficulty in finding their way back to the -ship. - -During this triumphant march over the island an incident occurred which -developed the slumbering instinct of the swamp "racer." In a second, as -it were, and seemingly without cause, "Jeff" was seen to move off at a -tremendous pace at right angles with the line of march. He was seen, -after he had run a few yards, to make a great jump, and then remain in -his tracks. The pursuing party found him actively engaged in demolishing -a moccasin, which he had crushed by jumping and landing with his feet -upon its head and back. Hogs of this particular kind are famous -snake-killers. A big rattler or a garter snake is all the same to them. -They advance to the attack with the greatest impetuosity, and a feast -upon snake is the usual reward of exceptional bravery. - -In his habits of eating, "Jeff" was a confirmed and persistent -_gourmand_, and in time paid the usual penalty for over-indulgence of a -very piggish sort of appetite. While the meal pennant was up, it was his -habit to go from one forecastle mess to another, and to insist upon -having rather more than his share of the choice morsels from each. In a -short time he came to the repair shop very much the worse for wear, with -an impaired digestion and a cuticle that showed unmistakable evidence of -scurvy. For the first, he was put upon short rations; for the second, -sand baths on shore were prescribed. Under this treatment poor "Jeff" -lost all his buoyancy of spirits and his habitual friskiness, and became -sad and dejected, but bore his troubles with becoming patience. He took -to the cool sand baths at once, and gave forth many disgruntled grunts -when lifted out of them. - -The last time I saw "Jeff," July 10, 1862, he was buried up to his ears -in the cool sands of the Roanoke Island shore, with eyes upturned and -looking like a very sad pig, but I fear none the wiser for his offences -against the rights of a well-regulated digestion. - -This account has not been written for the only purpose of glorifying the -one particular pig, or pigs in general, but rather to call attention to -the fact that this universally despised animal, by associating with -human beings and receiving gentle treatment, may develop interesting -traits of character, which would otherwise remain unknown; and also to -prove that kindness bestowed upon lower animals may be appreciated and -reciprocated in a manner which the upper animal, man, who boasts of his -superiority, would do well to imitate. - - - - - TOBY, THE WISE - - -The chief subject of this truthful history is a jet-black, middle-aged -bird, commonly known in England as a rook, but nevertheless a notable -specimen of the crow family. - -In his babyhood he was, in the language of the ancient chroniclers, -grievously hurt and wounded full sore, and particularly so in the left -wing. He was so badly disabled that he had to forego the pleasure of -flying through the air, and was obliged to content himself as best he -could with trudging about on the rough surface of our common mother -earth. - -In his sad plight, with the maimed wing dragging painfully along, he -chanced to pass the window of a _sanctum_ belonging to and occupied by a -charming old English gentleman, a perfect example of the old school, -learned, benevolent, and very fond of animals and feathered pets. No one -can tell what chance it was that brought the unhappy and wounded young -rook to the window of this good man. But possibly it was a real -inspiration on the part of the young bird. Toby was wet, weary, wounded, -and hungry, and as he looked in upon the cheerful wood fire and the -kindly face of the master of the house, his longing expression was met -with a raising of the window and an invitation to walk in to a breakfast -of corn and meal that had been hastily prepared for him. He gazed and -thought, and thought and gazed, upon the joys within and still he -doubted; but, finally, appetite and curiosity got the better of his -discretion, and, as he walked cautiously in, the window was closed -behind him. So the wounded waif entered upon a new life. - -At first he was a little shy and cautious, and it took considerable time -for him to convince himself that his protector was his friend. After a -few weeks, however, he realized the value of his new position, and -consented to the establishment of intimate relations. In fact, Toby -became so attached to his master, and so affectionate, that he was not -happy out of his presence. - -During the first month of his captivity, his wounded wing was bound -close to his body for the purpose of giving the fractured bone an -opportunity to unite, and during most of that time he would walk by his -master's side, cawing and looking up into his face as if asking for -recognition. When the wing got well, and his ability to fly was -re-established, he would anticipate the direction of the promenades by -flying in advance from shrub to bush, alighting and awaiting the arrival -of his master. - -The most singular part of Toby's domestication was his exclusive loyalty -to a single person. He had but one intimate friend, and to him his -loyalty was intense. He would tolerate the presence of other members of -the household, but when strangers appeared he was decidedly offish, and -scolded until they disappeared. - -Three times a day Toby is decidedly funny, and goes through a comical -performance. In his master's _sanctum_ there is a contrivance which, on -a small scale, resembles the old New England well-pole. At one end, -which rests upon the floor, Toby commences his ascent with a great -flapping of wings and uproarious cawing. When he arrives at the upper -end of the pole, some eight or nine feet from the floor, it falls and -lands him upon a platform, beside a plate containing his food. This -climbing up the pole precedes each meal, and takes place punctually at -the same hour and minute of each day. - -In the spring of 1890 Toby was tempted from his loyalty, and flew off -with a marauding flock of his kind. He remained away all summer. He was -missed but not mourned, for his master felt certain he would return; -and, sure enough, one bleak, cold morning in November, Toby was found -looking longingly into the room where he had first seen his good master. -The window was opened, he walked in and mounted his pole, and after him -came a companion, a meek, modest, and timid young rook, more confiding -than Toby, and differing from him in many other respects. He, too, was -duly adopted, and was christened Jocko. He was easily domesticated, and -soon became a part of the _entourage_ of one of the finest old -Bedfordshire manorial homes. - -With age Toby has taken on quite an amount of dignity. He is neither so -noisy nor so companionable as formerly, but is more staid and useful. -One of his favorite resting places, where he enjoys his after breakfast -contemplations and his afternoon siestas, is among the branches of a -fine old English oak, whose protecting shades, in the far-off past, were -the scene of the stolen love-meetings of Amy Wentworth and the -profligate Duke of Monmouth. - -Neither of these knowing birds has been able to understand the mystery -of a looking-glass. They spend many hours of patient investigation -before a mirror in their master's room, but all to no purpose, for the -puzzle seems to remain as great as ever. They usually walk directly up -to it, and betray great surprise when they find two other rooks -advancing to meet them. For a while they remain silent and motionless, -looking at the strangers, and waiting, apparently, for some sign of -recognition. Then they go through a considerable flapping of wings and -indulge in numerous caws, but after long waiting for an audible response -they give up the useless effort, only to return next day as eager as -ever to solve the mystery. - -The older bird and his admiring junior are perfectly contented with -their home, and never leave it. They often look out from their perches -upon various wandering flocks of vagrant rooks, but are never tempted to -new adventures. The old fellow is very wise. Like a fat old -office-holder, he knows enough to appreciate a sinecure in which the -emoluments are liberal and the service nominal. His devoted follower -never falters in his dutiful imitation of his benefactor. - -Toby proves by his actions that he appreciates the advantages of the -situation, and in his simple way makes some return for the pleasures he -enjoys. During a considerable portion of the pleasant days of the year -he is in reality the watchman upon the tower, ever on the outlook to -give notice of the approach of visitors to his castle, and no one can -intrude upon the premises under his self-appointed watchmanship without -exciting vigorous caws, which are enthusiastically reinforced by those -of his faithful subordinate. Aside from his affectionate devotion to his -master, displayed as often as occasion permits, this duty of "chief -watchman of the castle" is Toby's most substantial return for favors -received! - -In a letter of last May, the master wrote: "My two crows are sitting on -chairs close to me, and cawing to me that it is time for me to let them -out of the window, so I must obey." This quotation gives but a faint -intimation of the exceptionally friendly relations existing between -these devoted friends. Blessed are the birds that can inspire such -affection in the heart of a noble old man, and doubly blessed is he who -is the object of such loving appreciation. Long may they all live to -enjoy the fulness of their mutual attachments! - -This brief sketch is not intended for an amusing story. It is only a -narration of facts in support of an often repeated theory, viz: that the -humblest creatures are worthy of our tender consideration, and, when -properly treated, will make pleasing returns for the affection we may -bestow upon them. - - - - - TWO DOGS - - -In 1877, at his English home, I first made the acquaintance of "Max," a -fine specimen of a Dandy Dinmont dog. He was of the usual size, with -brown, velvety eyes--very expressive--a long body, tail, and ears, -coarse hair of a blackish brown and light-tan color, and with short -legs, not particularly straight. The ancient Greeks, with their severe -ideas regarding lines of beauty, would not have called him beautiful to -the sight. But, notwithstanding his looks, he was, to all who knew him -well, very beautiful; for he was a dog of marked intelligence and -superior moral character. So fine was his sense of integrity that a most -delicious and canine-tempting bone might remain within his reach for -days without his touching it, no matter if he were ever so hungry. - -His usual daily occupation commenced with a very early walk with his -master. Then, in regular order, after the family and guests had -breakfasted, the butler would give him his napkin, folded in his own -private ring, which he would carry from the dining-room to the kitchen, -where it would be spread upon a table, slightly raised from the floor, -arranged for serving his food. After the morning meal had been eaten, -his napkin would be refolded, and he would return it to the butler. The -same routine was always repeated for dinner. His time until evening, if -possible, was devoted to his master, of whom he was exceedingly fond, -but he would sometimes walk with the guests when told to do so by his -master, to whom he always appealed when invited for a promenade by a -stranger. - -Every day, after dinner, when the family and guests had assembled in the -drawing-room, "Max" would insist upon giving his regular daily -exhibition, and there was no peace from his importunities until he had -completed the usual performance. His master always carried with him from -the dinner table a biscuit which, in the drawing-room, he would hold up -and say: "Max, I have a biscuit for you. Can't you give us a little -dance and a song?" Whereupon he would commence to turn around upon his -hind feet, at the same time doing his best in the direction of singing a -very doleful sort of a song, all the while looking exceedingly grave, -the result of his abnormal effort. This part of the daily programme was -so exceedingly comical that it always excited unbounded applause from -the audience. The dance would go on until the master called out -"enough," when the performer would stop and look imploringly into his -master's face, as if asking him if he might continue the performance, -which consisted of his master going through the motion of firing, -accompanied with a noise which passed, in the doggish mind, for the -explosion of a gun, and was a signal for the actor to fall down -apparently dead, with eyes firmly closed, and keeping perfectly quiet. -In this position he would remain until his master told him to come to -life. The biscuit would then be given him, and that would end each day's -work, by which he, we may infer, believed he earned his daily bread. - -With passing time my little friend took on the garb of age, and, a few -years before his end, became totally blind, and among the most pathetic -sights I ever witnessed were his attempts to see his friends. I had been -so many times at his home that he had come to know me almost as one of -the family, and at each visit, after his loss of sight, as the carriage -drove up to the front door, when recognizing my voice, as I spoke to his -master, he would put his paws upon the steps of the carriage and wag me -a hearty welcome, at the same time trying his best to see me. - -His career ended in November, 1883, when his master buried him near a -garden gate, put a neat wire fence around his grave, and planted flowers -over his remains. And now those who may chance to go to Toddington will -find embedded into the garden wall a handsome marble slab, with a -mortuary inscription and a verse composed by his kind master engraved -upon it, which runs as follows: - - "MAX - Died, November, 1883. - - If ever dog deserved a tear - For fondness and fidelity, - That darling one lies buried here - Bemourned in all sincerity." - - -One bright morning in the month of November, 1879, the front door of my -house was opened, and there came bounding through it and up the flight -of stairs, the most vivacious, clean, and inquiring little dog -imaginable. As soon as he arrived upon the second floor, calls came to -him from several directions at the same time, and he did his best to -answer them all at the same moment; all the while barking and dancing -around in the most frantic and delighted manner. Within five minutes -after his _début_, he was perfectly at home and upon the best of terms -with the entire household. - -The name of this new member of the family was "Phiz," and his alleged -place of nativity Yorkshire, England. In other words, he was a pure -Yorkshire terrier in descent, a mixture of blue, light gray, and silver -in color; in size a little larger than the average dog of that breed, -and, as one of his dog-expert friends often remarked: "He is one of the -doggiest dogs of his size I have ever known." This was literally true, -for there never was a more manly and courageous little animal. In his -prime, his bravery was far beyond the point of reckless indiscretion, -and any dog whose appearance did not happen to please him, he would -attack, no matter how large, or under what disadvantageous -circumstances. The severe shakings and rough tumbles of to-day were -forgotten by the morrow, which found him ever ready for a new encounter. - -The red-letter events in his active life occurred in Madison Square, -which he would enter as though shot from a catapult; and woe of woes to -the unfortunate plethoric pug which might happen to pass his way! It was -his habit when he saw one of these stupid and helpless unfortunates to -"ring on full steam and board him head-on mid-ships." For a few seconds -after the coming together, there would be visible a comical mixture of -quick moving legs, tails, and ears, and a frantic attempt on the part of -the astonished pug to emit a wheezy sound of alarm, followed by a -condition of most abject submission. "Phiz," standing over the prostrate -body of his victim, head erect, tail and ears stiffened with pride of -victory, made a picture of doggish vanity, once seen, never to be -forgotten. These scenes, in the warm season, were almost of daily -occurrence, much to the chagrin of many pug-loving dames. - -"Phiz" only amused himself with the innocent pug (for he never was known -to offer to bite one), but he was always savagely in earnest in his -demonstrations of detestation of the face-making, ever-yelling average -street small boy. And he had no special love for the undersized -butcher's and grocer's assistant, whom he delighted to attack whenever -he could waylay them in a dark passage between the kitchen and front -basement hall. Some of these attacks were so sudden, fierce, and -unexpected, and were attended with such a volume of snarls and barks, -that the grocer's boy had been known to drop his basket of eggs, and run -as if pursued by a terrible beast of huge dimensions. - -As the subject of this sketch took on additional years, he accumulated -much knowledge, and, by the time he had accomplished the mature age of -six, he was far more wise than any serpent the writer had ever known. He -had never been taught to perform tricks, nor had been in any manner -trained, but by his own observation he had managed to pick up a world of -useful information, which proved of great value to him. Among his -acquirements he had learned how to make known, in an original and -intelligent manner, all the wants of a well-bred dog. He could tell -those around him when he desired to go up or down stairs, call for water -or food, ask to go out, and give a note of warning when a stranger was -coming up the street steps, but he was never known to bark at the like -approach of one of the family or a friend. - -One of his undeviating customs was the morning call at the chambers of -his master and his mistress, when he would first make himself known by a -very delicate scratch upon the door. If not answered, then another and -more vigorous scratch; still no response, then a gentle bark of -interrogation, and then, if the door was not opened, would come a most -commanding full-voiced bark, saying as plainly as possible: "Why don't -you let me in?" These gradations from the lesser to the greater in -effort and tones, all in the direction of asking for a certain thing, -proves conclusively the presence of powers to reason developed to a -considerable degree. - -"Phiz" was selfishly interested in three things: a walk, cats generally, -and dogs particularly; and no conversation relating to these could take -place in his presence without exciting his active attention. When these -subjects were being discussed he would leave his couch and go from one -conversationalist to another, looking up into their faces in the most -inquisitive manner, all the while making a great mental effort to -understand exactly what they were saying. - -His most remarkable manifestations of intelligence would occur at the -time when his master and mistress were about to leave their home for -their usual summer absence of about six months. On the first two or -three occasions of this kind he came to the carriage to wag a good-bye. -Later he must have arrived at the conclusion that certain preparations -meant a long period of loneliness for him, and then, from the -commencement of "putting things away" and packing boxes, he would appear -very much dejected--no more cheery barks and frisky wags, but, on the -contrary, he would show great depression of spirits, and, finally, when -the time arrived for the carriage and for carrying out the baggage, -"Phiz" would hide in some out-of-the-way place, there to nurse his -grief, undisturbed and unseen. - -The subject of this sketch reached the ripe old age of eleven with all -functions and faculties unimpaired, save sight, which, we are compelled -to record, was totally obscured. I happened to be with him when he came -to the painful realization of his great misfortune. It was during his -accustomed late-in-the-afternoon walk. Failing to find his way along the -sidewalk he had stopped, while I, without seeing him, had passed on, but -only for a short distance, when I was attracted by a most pitiful and -grief-stricken cry. I looked around, and there was my poor little friend -and companion, sitting close to the lower stone of a flight of steps, -with his nose pointed straight up to the heavens, and crying as though -his heart would break. I hurried to him, took him gently in my arms, and -carried him to his box, which he hardly left for many days. His grief -was so intense that he refused to eat or be cheerful, and made very -faint responses to the most affectionate advances. Within a week or -more, however, he began to resume his interest in affairs, having, no -doubt, like human beings similarly afflicted, through process of -reasoning, become reconciled to his misfortune. - -If he had been a man instead of a dog, he would have had an easy chair, -a pipe, and, in his moods of vainglory, fought his many battles over and -over again. But, as he was only a dog, he found his way about the house -as best he could, varying occasionally his dull routine by a short -promenade over the paths which were once the race-track of his wild and -gleeful prancings. And thus he passed on to that everlasting night, from -whence no dog whether good or bad has ever returned to wag a solution of -the mysteries which must have puzzled the minds of many generations of -wise and philosophical dogs. - - - - - TWO INNOCENTS ABROAD - - -I passed a portion of the summer of 1890 at Banff, a fascinating resort -in the heart of the Canadian Rockies, established and controlled by the -Canadian Pacific Railway Company. - -It would be very difficult to find a more charming and picturesque -location for a summer resting-place. The hotel is situated about four -thousand five hundred feet above the sea-level, and is nearly surrounded -by lofty peaks and mountain-ranges which present a great variety of -rugged outline. - -To the venturesome mountaineer, the inducements to climb seem almost -endless. In the immediate vicinity of the hotel, there is a choice of -ascents of from six to eleven thousand feet. Most of them may be made by -any one who has a cool head, a sure foot, and sufficient endurance; but -there are two or three which ought to be undertaken only by experienced -mountaineers. I made several of the lesser ascents alone, and, in each -instance, against the advice of inexperienced and timid persons, who -declared that I would either be dashed to pieces, by falling down a -precipice, or devoured by bears, which are supposed to be rather -plentiful. - -My last climb was to the top of the middle peak of the "Sulphur Range." -It was neither difficult nor dangerous; but the view from the little -table at the top was simply wonderful. As far as the eye could see, in -any direction, were mountain peaks, none covered with snow, but all -presenting magnificent rock-formations of a character which is quite -peculiar, I believe, to that part of the great American range. - -The little table at the top of the peak is about thirty feet in diameter -and is covered with broken rock. While sitting there, musing upon the -natural wonders by which I was surrounded, I noticed the approach of two -chipmunks, coming up from the side of the mountain. They halted when -they saw a strange animal; but, finally, after sitting upright for a -short time and giving me a deliberate and careful stare, they concluded -to come on, and presently they discovered a little clump of stunted -grass growing from a crevice between the rocks, which they proceeded to -despoil of its dwarfed seeds. When they had finished their scanty meal -they looked about for something else to eat. Feeling sure of their -desires, I crushed a soft biscuit into small pieces, and dropped them at -my feet; and soon my little friends were busy eating the crumbs, -apparently quite unconscious of the fact that they were within easy -range of an animal supposed to have been created in the image of his -Maker, but the only one which kills for the sake of killing, and boasts -of the pleasure he derives from the destruction of innocent animal life. - -Within a very few minutes this pair of little innocents became quite -familiar, and the crumbs continued to fall until they had filled their -stomachs and then the ample pouches on each side of their jaws. Thus -loaded they presented a most comical appearance. When I rose to my feet -their surprise made them appear still more comical. They were inclined -at first to scamper off, but, upon reflection, concluded they would see -the whole show; and, as I moved over to the edge of the table, to go -down the mountain, they followed a short distance, and gave me a most -quizzical parting glance, which said as plainly as their little faces -could express their thoughts: "Good-bye. Be sure to come again, and -don't forget the biscuits." - -This is not a story; it is only an incident which proves what confiding -little fools the chipmunks were to trust themselves within reach of a -specimen of that tribe of superior animals which delights in the -destruction of life, kills for pleasure, and enjoys the infliction of -pain upon innocent and helpless creatures. - -The excuse for their confiding folly consisted in the fact that they had -never seen a man before. - - - - - ABOUT COLUMBUS - BY AN OLD SHOWMAN - - -For fully a third of a century the large elephant bearing the name of -the great discoverer was well known to all the "Show" loving inhabitants -of our country. He was remarkable for his great size and bad temper, -and, if he had been left in his native wilds, might have established a -notable reputation as a rogue elephant. His keepers were of the opinion -that he made the mistake of his life when he became a mere show animal, -engaging in an occupation that required a certain amount of decent -behavior. - -It was said of him that he was a very reasonable sort of an animal when -permitted to have his own way, but never submitted to confinement with -any sort of grace. He was always enraged at being chained to the ring or -stake, and sometimes decreed capital punishment, which he executed -himself, for the unfortunate keeper who was guilty of the offence of -chaining him. He was very much given to breaking and bolting, and when -once in the open, and fairly on the go, he became a very dangerous -customer, and his keeper, if wise, would give him a wide field until his -rampage was finished. - -One among the many of them, who died in the seventies, was his friend, -and never had any trouble with him, and he always insisted that the -lively escapades of his ponderous charge were the result of an all -absorbing longing for liberty. He used to describe the magnificent old -pachyderm as the living embodiment of a justifiable revolt. He had not -much sympathy for the keepers who had been executed, nor did he have -much respect for their knowledge or discretion. According to his theory, -they were mere machines for so much per month; they never studied the -character or feelings of the splendid animal in their charge; they were -inconsiderate, unnecessarily harsh and cruel, and, from the -unnaturally-confined elephant's standpoint, in most instances got what -they deserved. - -The Columbus incident, of which an account is to follow, was not a -particularly exceptional one, and the description of it was written by -the friendly old keeper who had charge of the hero of it during two -consecutive years back in the thirties. The narration is a modest one, -and its phraseology proves it to have been written by a man of rare -courage. It was printed in a Cincinnati newspaper in the month of -February, 1870, and is now given, with the editorial head note just as -it appeared. - - "THE ELEPHANT COLUMBUS." - - "Letter from another witness of his rampage near New Orleans." - - "The account of the rampage of the elephant Columbus near New Orleans, - in 1839, which we published some time since, has refreshed the - memories of many old showmen, and as we are always glad to publish - anything of interest to them, we give the following letter, which we - think will prove entertaining to our readers generally: - - South Pomfret, Vt., - January 30, 1870. - - To the Editor of the _Chronicle_: - - I have just received a copy of your paper, of December 31, 1869. I do - not think the statement headed 'A Curious Circus Reminiscence' is - quite correct. At that time I was the advertiser of one branch of the - Combined Circus and Menagerie. We were to exhibit in Algiers until the - 7th of January, and in New Orleans on the 8th, that being the most - popular day with the people of that city. William Crum was driving - Hannibal, and George Potter Columbus. It was Crum's horse that was - knocked down, and Crum was killed. Samuel Ward and myself were - standing within ten feet of Crum when he was killed. We had a bet on - the height of the two elephants, and that was the reason why they were - brought alongside of each other. Columbus was shot under the eye - before he killed the drayman. We did not exhibit in Algiers. The - people were too much frightened to attend. So we went to New Orleans - on the 1st of January, instead of waiting until the 8th. - - On the same evening the difficulty occurred, James Raymond and James - Humphrey, proprietors, came to me and wanted I should go and look - after Columbus. I told them I would if John Carley would go with me. I - knew him to be an old elephant man. They asked him: he said he would - like to go, but was sick and would rather be excused. The next morning - George Growe, a young green hand, who came with Foster's company, - volunteered to go with me. I must confess that when he came forward it - cooled my courage, but two horses were saddled and brought to the - door. I mounted mine in rather a confused state of mind, wishing - myself anywhere except where I was. When we started out it was dark - and foggy. I told Growe to go ahead, and, after going about half a - mile, we put up for the night on a flatboat. At daylight the next - morning we started again, and proceeded down the river about nine - miles, where we found Columbus in a canefield, with his head against a - pecan tree, asleep. I may now remark that Growe's courage had somewhat - cooled off, and he had fallen some half mile to my rear. I rode toward - the elephant until I got within hailing distance, and then spoke to - him to come to me. He raised up and began shaking his head. Presently - he started for me the best he could, and my horse did a good business - getting out of his way. He followed me for about six miles, and then - came to a halt in front of a large pile of lumber on the levee, which - he proceeded to throw into the river as fast as possible, and then - started after me at a more moderate gait. When we got in front of a - church at Algiers he made a second halt. I then told him to lie down, - and, to my astonishment, he obeyed. I got off from my horse, took my - knife, stuck it in his ear and held him down until assistance came - from the canvas, which was about half a mile off; then Growe took him - by the ear and led him to the canvas, and, the same day, we crossed - over to New Orleans. Growe took care of him all that winter and left - with him in the spring, but was killed by him the next summer, as I - learned afterward. - - Poor Crum met with a terrible death. Columbus' tusk entered his groin - and came out at his shoulder, going through the entire length of his - body. - - These are some of the exact facts as they occurred for I was on the - spot, and saw the whole affair. I could say much more, but do not - think it necessary." - -The writer of this letter was for two years the constant and interested -companion and friend of, possibly, the most unruly and bad-tempered -elephant ever exhibited in the United States, and the reason he got -along with him without accident was that he devoted his undivided -attention to his charge, studied his character, gave him frequent -opportunities for bathing, and as much liberty as circumstances would -permit. - -The old keeper used to say that Columbus "was full of odd whims and more -given to mischief than malice." When there was any hard work to be done, -like lifting cage wagons out of the mud, or clearing roads of fallen -trees, he was always ready to do his full share, and was never so happy -as when actively engaged in some laborious occupation. Once in a while -he would take it into his head that he would like a good run and an -opportunity to indulge in mischief, such as uprooting trees, scattering -fence rails, pulling off barn doors that happened to be standing open, -etc. etc. It was his habit to signify his desire, after the "show was -over," by trumpeting nervously, dancing in his elephantine way, and -tugging at his chain. These notifications did not come very often, but -when they did, if not too inconvenient, his request was complied with. -These calls never came just before the performance or while it was in -progress. The mischief-loving old sinner was far too wise for that, for -he had a most lively appreciation of the usual inflow of goodies from -the boys and girls who were courageous enough to encounter the danger of -"feeding the elephant." - -The last conversation I had with the successful old keeper, only a year -before his death, was about his singular charge, and he insisted upon -the truthfulness of his old theory--that the elephant was not naturally -bad, but hated confinement, demanded kindness and consideration from -those who were the visible instruments used in depriving him of his -liberty, and, when he received neither, revenged himself by killing the -tyrants who were depriving him of the freedom to which he was naturally -entitled. - -My old friend used to say: "It's awfully hard lines for such a -magnificent old beast as Columbus was to be tied up and deprived of -liberty, and, if I had been in his place, I would have killed more fools -of keepers than he did. Why, the old elephant was just as smart as any -of us. He had thought the whole thing out for himself and put the boot -on the right leg every time. He knew we'd no right to confine him the -way we did, and made up his mind to be judge, jury, and executioner, and -in his time he did a lot of killing. I don't quite remember how many he -made away with; some put it as high as ten, but I guess seven or eight -would be about correct. - -"When I was first asked to take charge of Columbus, I was in the -business part of the 'Show,' and had never thought of becoming an -elephant-driver. But somehow, without effort or knowing why, I got well -acquainted with the old fellow, and, although often warned of his -dangerous amusements, was never afraid of him. - -"During the winter of 183- and 183- we were in quarters at C----. The -confinement had been long and close, and during the whole winter -Columbus had been restive and cross. When it came time to start out for -the summer's business no one could be found to drive him. So, as a last -resort, the owners offered me a large salary for the job. I had no fear -concerning the success of the undertaking, but hesitated about becoming -a professional 'elephant-man,' but the big pay was a great temptation, -and I yielded. - -"The first few days after we started out upon the road, my charge was -cross and cranky, and I had to watch him all the time as a cat would a -mouse. Upon one occasion, when against my orders, just for the mere -deviltry of the thing, he went out of his way to turn over a plantation -cart that was standing by the roadside, I went for him savagely, with -hook and spear, and gave him a big dose of something he didn't want; he -soon had enough, threw up his trunk, and yelled like a schoolboy being -flogged. - -"This submission proved to be his complete surrender to my will, and -from that time we got on like a pair of loving brothers. We became -strong friends, and I used to talk to the old rascal as I would to a -human being. I have always believed he understood more than half I said -to him. - -"He became very fond of our morning race. It was the custom to start -early in the morning--never later than four o'clock. When we would get -fairly out of a village where we had exhibited the day before, I would -ride up alongside and ask him if he would like a run, he would answer by -throwing up his trunk, giving a trumpet sound of joy, and starting off -at a stiff gait, keeping it up until I called a halt, and, if we -happened to be near a stream deep enough to hold him, he would take to -it, and stay until the rest of the show came up. - -"No, I never had much difficulty in getting along with Columbus. From -the start he found out I was not afraid of him, and that I would give it -to him if he cut up any of his wicked capers; and he also came to -understand that I was his indulgent friend who humored many of his -harmless whims and treated him kindly. - -"At the end of two years I was both glad and sorry to leave him. The -watchful confinement had become irksome, and I was sure that as soon as -I would leave him he would get into trouble,--which he did, and had a -bad time of it to the end of his days. I have always felt kind of sorry -for having put the knife through his ear, and never would have done it -if I had not been excited and scart half out of my wits. If I had given -my common sense half a chance, it would have told me that his lying down -was a sign of recognition of authority, and that he was willing to throw -up the sponge and behave himself. But I guess he forgave me, for, -whenever afterwards I went near him, he would give me the old time -friendly greeting. - -"It's many years now since I left the show business, and I've thought -the whole thing over, and concluded it's all wrong. The confinement is -unnatural and cruel. Even the little animals in cages, while they seem -to be happy, are as miserable as they can be. Take a careful look at -them when they are not tired out or asleep, and you will find an anxious -expression on all their faces--a sort of looking out of their cages for -some one to come along and open the door. - -"The great cat tribe, Lions, Tigers, Leopards, Panthers, and the rest of -them, are always pushing their noses against the bars for liberty, and -are usually pretty cross because they can't get it. - -"At any rate, it's pleasant for me to look back upon my many years of -intercourse with the poor creatures, and to feel that I never, save in -the single instance, treated one of them unkindly." - -Assisting in the two years of successful management of Columbus was the -inevitable "elephant dog," who was his constant companion and friend. -They slept together nights and tramped side by side during the days, and -often, when the elephant would not obey his keeper, the faithful -companion would, in some mysterious way, induce his huge friend to do -the reasonable and behave himself like a respectable and order loving -beast. - -I have forgotten the manner of the taking off of the old slave of the -"Show," but he, with his friendly keeper, who to the end of his days was -his champion, have long since passed on to that mysterious resting place -from which neither man nor elephant have sent any message back, and let -us hope that after their many trampings, and as a reward for the many -miseries endured while upon earth, that they are now enjoying the -rewards bestowed upon the forgiven and blest. - - - - - IN RELATION TO MYSTERIES - - -The relation of the three unusual incidents following these introductory -words are only simple statements of facts for each reader to solve in -his own way. Concerning them I have no theory whatever, and avow -emphatically an entire disbelief in their sometimes alleged supernatural -origin. That, for the present at least, they are inexplicable must be -admitted, but that they will always remain within the realm of mysteries -beyond the power of solution is very doubtful. - -Up to the present time many accepted, or rather seeming, mysteries, -which, with the assistance of ages, have crystallized into form, have -been permitted to pass unchallenged, but the time has arrived when the -old fields, now almost sacred groves, where superstition has taken root -and blossomed, are about to be explored. The almost omnipotent -search-light of science is turning its rays into the dark nooks and -corners of complacent ignorance, greatly to the discomfiture of many old -theories and beliefs, whose foundations are as unsubstantial as dreams. - -Until the possibly far-off culmination of the great scientific epoch, -new mysteries known only to the laboratories of Nature will continue to -be born. But those who have watched the progress of scientific -achievement, through the last half of the Nineteenth Century, must -believe that, within the next like period, the visible manifestations of -secrets coming from the bosom of Nature (of which the outer shell now -only is seen) will have been ascertained to belong to a previously -undiscovered series of natural phenomena. - -We know as a certain fact of the existence of a natural element of power -called electricity, but what is it, and whence does it come? To the -ignorant it performs miracles in an apparently supernatural way, while -to the intelligent it is regarded as a subtle natural force coming from -the universal laboratory of boundless nature and as unending as time -itself. In electricity, as in many other manifestations of the forces of -nature, we see only results, and know little or nothing of the first -cause. The time, however, let us hope, is not far off when origins will -be as easily demonstrable as is now the seeing of effects we cannot -understand. - -Present indications point to the early solution of all superstitions, -many of which for centuries have construed some of the simplest -happenings, which could not upon any known principles be explained, into -demonstrations flowing from supernatural sources. Superstition must -certainly fall before the great and impartial sweep of modern research. -In at least one direction, the battle will be of long duration, but at -the end of the conflict, the vicious old fabric coined out of ages of -falsehood as old as our civilization, sustained by centuries of -superstitious ignorance and countless unspeakable cruelties and crimes, -will totter from its foundation in the limitless sphere of human -credulity, and fall, let us hope, to its final decay. - -The destruction of that inveterate enemy of intellectual progress and -the human race, will be the culminating triumph of scientific -achievement and the crowning glory of human effort in the interest of a -more exalted conception of the Deity, better morals, and a higher plane -of civilization. - -From my birth to and including a part of the year 1846, I lived with my -grandparents in the town of Pomfret, Vermont. The inhabitants of that -old rural community during my time were, I believe without exception, -descendants from the early English colonists of Massachusetts, -Connecticut, and Rhode Island. They were an orderly, law-abiding, -industrious, and honest people, intensely patriotic, believing in the -fruits of the Revolution, in many of the battles of which they and their -immediate ancestors had taken part. - -Up to the period of my early days they were still engaged in the -continuous difficult task of creating homes for their families and in -building a new state, and had but little time to bestow upon books or -mental culture of any sort. Their lives were laborious and beset with -many hardships. Indeed, it may be truly said of them that, from an -academic or bookish standpoint, they were educated and enlightened only -to a limited extent. Each household had its cupboard of books brought -from "below," and they retained in their memories an interesting stock -of historic traditions and patriotic anecdotes, many of which were -connected with the early history of a majority of the families of this -community. The frequent recital of these served to keep alive the -patriotic spirit, and to impress upon the minds of the rising generation -the importance and value of the heroic services performed by their -ancestors. - -As a rule, this little New England town unit, composed of strong, hardy -unlettered men and women, was exceptionally free from natural stupidity -and the usual _répertoire_ of rural superstitions, but they had a few -which were dear to many of the good old New England housewives of my -particular period. Among them was a belief in the misfortunes likely to -attend new undertakings begun on Friday; they had a perfect reliance in -the ill ending of any enterprise connected with the number thirteen; and -it was rank heresy for any one not to believe in the ill-omened, -grief-stricken howls of the family dog. That this latter belief was not -without a certain reasonable shadow of foundation, I am about to show in -the relation of a series of remarkable incidents, which are of a sort -that up to this time have not been explained. - - - - - MYSTERIES - - - AUGUST 27, 1840 - -In the month of August, 1840, the twenty-seventh day, to be exact, I was -still at the "old H----n Place" with my grandparents. "Just before -bedtime" of the night of that day my grandmother called the attention of -the household to the mournful and unusual howls of the little house dog -that was sitting in the front yard with his nose pointed straight up, -crying most piteously. - -The incident connected with that sad sound was destined to affect me so -nearly that I have never lost it, and can hear it to-day as clearly as I -heard it fifty-four years ago. In about three weeks after the -demonstration by the little dog, the news arrived that my father, -Lorenzo Dow Hawkins, to whom I was passionately attached, had died at -St. Louis, Mo., late in the afternoon of August 27th. My kind-hearted -old grandmother looked down tenderly upon me, and said, "I knew -something dreadful had happened. Poor child, you will never see your -father again!" - -In 1854 I visited St. Louis and saw Dr. Simmons, who had attended my -father during his last illness, and he remembered his death having -occurred in the afternoon, probably, between five and six o'clock. The -difference in time between Vermont and Missouri, would make the moment -of his death late in the afternoon at one place and between eight and -nine at the other. - - Since writing this account, a doubt has arisen in my mind in relation - to the time when the two important incidents occurred. I am not quite - certain that the death of my father and the howling of the dog took - place at the same moment. I do remember, however, that both incidents - occurred _about_ the same time, and I have a vague recollection of - having heard my grandmother say, that the unusual and peculiar howl - meant a death in the family. And when the news of my father's decease - arrived she expressed her belief in the certain connection between the - two incidents. - - - AUGUST 12, 1864 - -In the month of August, 1864, I was visiting at the country residence of -my wife's mother, in the State of Rhode Island. Her oldest son, Alfred -Nicholas Brown, was at that time staying at the New York Hotel in the -City of New York. His younger sister was the owner of, and had with her -at her mother's residence, an intelligent little French poodle of a most -affectionate and sensitive nature. He suffered from the effects of the -summer heat and was very much annoyed by the attacks of house flies, and -in order, as far as possible, to avoid both annoyances, spent the -greater part of his time in a dark closet adjoining the sleeping room -occupied by my wife and myself. - -"Tommy" was an unusually quiet dog, seldom barking, and had never been -known to howl save when certain notes of the piano were touched. About -three o'clock in the morning of the 12th of August we heard a most -plaintive and sorrowful howl from "Tommy" in his closet, which continued -until he was stopped by being spoken to. At half past seven o'clock, the -same morning, while the family were at breakfast a telegram was handed -to the mother, announcing the death of her son at the New York Hotel at -ten minutes past three o'clock that morning. - -The fact of "Tommy's" howl had been mentioned previously, and I am not -quite certain if it was discussed, but have been informed that at least -one member of the family had insisted that it was the forerunner of bad -news. The bad news undoubtedly followed, but did "Tommy" obtain it in -advance, and if he did, how? Or was his unusual howl an accidental -coincidence? - - - MARCH 8, 1871 - -On the afternoon of March 8th, 1871, I was called to the bed-side of an -old and intimate friend who resided at Newport, Rhode Island. He had -spent six weeks of the winter at the Everett House in New York, the -latter part of the time confined to his room, and when I saw him he was -very near his end. - -Our friendship was very close and of many years standing, and we had had -an understanding between us to the effect that the one who survived the -other should inspect, and, at his discretion, destroy, letters and other -private papers left by the one deceased. - -In pursuance of that understanding my friend handed me a package of -keys, and requested me to take the boat that afternoon for Newport, to -go to his house, to open his safe, to look over his letters and other -papers, and to destroy such as I might think ought not to be preserved. - -I arrived at Newport at one o'clock the next morning, and drove directly -to his house. As I opened the front gate, a hundred feet or more from -the front door of the house, his Irish setter dog "Charlie" came -bounding down through the lawn to greet me. When he discovered I was not -his master, he showed signs of great disappointment, but, when he came -to realize that I was an old friend, he was better satisfied. The -servants let me in, and I went to rest in the bed usually occupied by my -absent friend, "Charlie" taking his usual place upon and at the foot of -the bed. - -In a seemingly short time,--about four o'clock, I was startled from a -sound sleep by the most unearthly and weird moan I had ever heard. In a -moment I discovered "Charlie" sitting up upon the bed with his nose -pointed to the ceiling, in great agony of mind, pouring forth with all -his strength the uncanny wails of a broken heart. I spoke to him, but -did not succeed in quieting him until all the servants in the house came -to the room to ascertain the cause of such an unusual disturbance. - -At seven o'clock I received a message telling me my friend had passed -away at ten minutes past four o'clock that morning. - -During every moment of my entire stay at Newport, "Charlie" was always -at my side, and could not be coaxed away from me, and, when I departed -the next evening, he went with me to the wharf, and resisted our -separation almost to the point of biting the servant who was to take him -back to the house. - -During the six weeks of his master's absence, "Charlie" slept outside -the front door, ready and hoping to greet his master whenever he might -return, as was his custom, by one of the Sound steamboats. - -I need not write that this unusual incident left a lasting impression -upon my mind. I have never attempted to solve it and never shall, as I -am quite satisfied that it was an example of natural phenomena entirely -beyond my comprehension. - -The chief character in this narrative, was a most quiet, dignified, and -gentlemanly dog. During my six or seven years of intermittent -intercourse with him, I never knew him to do an ungentlemanly act. He -was a veritable Chesterfield among dogs, and his noble and gentle -bearing was a model even for men. He was also the most beautiful of his -race, perfect in his combination of colors, for he had many all -perfectly blending into an artistic and harmonious whole. His -intellectual qualities were quite in keeping with his physical beauties. -His forehead was large, indicating a well rounded and well developed -brain, which was deposited between a pair of the most beautiful large, -soft, brown, and expressive eyes imaginable. - -He had never been taught tricks of any kind, but, by the application of -his natural understanding and constant reflective observation, had -gradually developed a rare amount of exact intelligence in relation to -many things. This rare intellectual development was largely due to his -constant companionship with his master. In the field, the road, the -stable, the bedroom, the dining-room, and at the table, he was usually -addressed and treated like a human being. At the three daily meals he -had his napkin adjusted to his neck, and sat at the right of his master, -and I think it may be written of him that, although his table manners -were of the dog sort, wherein the tongue played the most important part, -they were unexceptional, and that he was never known to commit a breach -of good table manners. - -Next to his master, I was his oldest and most intimate friend. Often, -when the former was away, I was left in charge as the head of the house; -on such occasions "Charlie" would adopt me as a substitute for his -master, but upon his master's return he would leave me and resume his -accustomed intercourse with the friend who, to him, was superior to all -others. He walked with me whenever ordered to do so by his master, but -not otherwise; I could not coax him even to a short promenade. - -Not having been in Newport at the time, I cannot write of his conduct -there while his master was ill in New York, but was informed by the -servants that he was always, night and day, on the lookout for his -return, and that they often experienced considerable difficulty in -coaxing him into the kitchen for his meals. They arranged for him a -comfortable bed near the front door, where he passed his nights, while -his days were spent in anxiously watching at the lawn gate, in the vain -hope of seeing the loved form of his kind master, whom he was never to -behold again. - -This was a rare instance (though probably not among dogs similarly -situated) of affection and devotion. But then the chief actor in the -pathetic little drama was ONLY A DOG. - -This loving dog, however, in his simple and direct way, silently, but -not the less effectually for all that, taught human beings a lesson, -showing an extent of unselfish fidelity and affection which they would -do well to imitate. - -In closing, I may repeat what Sir John Lubbock once said, that at some -future time, twenty thousand pounds would be offered as a reward to any -one who would teach a dog to talk, and that then the world will be -astonished to learn how insufficiently the knowledge of man's most -disinterested friend has been appreciated. - - - - - Transcriber's Notes - - ---Copyright notice included from the printed edition--this e-text is - public domain in the country of publication. - ---Silently corrected palpable typos; left non-standard spellings and - dialect unchanged. - ---Only in the text versions, delimited italicized text in _underscores_ - (the HTML version reproduces the font form of the printed book.) - - - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Better Than Men, by Rush Hawkins - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BETTER THAN MEN *** - -***** This file should be named 53423-8.txt or 53423-8.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/5/3/4/2/53423/ - -Produced by Stephen Hutcheson, Rick Morris, MFR and the -Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law 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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