A TRUE WATCH-DOG. [To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR.""] "
dog " letter in the Spectator of July 15th is wonderfully like my experience, some years ago, with my little red Blenheim, Frisk.' She always slept in a basket, close to the hall-door. One night she dashed up the stairs, loudly barking, ran first to my eldest sister's room, then through a swing-door to another sister's room, barking out- side each door, then upstairs again to my room at the top of the house, where she remained barking till I got up and opened it, when she ran in, still barking, and waited till I was ready to go down with her. She scampered on before me, I following close, and when we both reached the hall she dashed still barking to the door, to show me whence her alarm had arisen. It was the policeman turning the handle of the door from the outside to see if it was pro: perly closed ! One night, a long time after the first ad- venture, I was wakened by a quiet scratch at the door of my room. No barking, this time ; but, tiresome as it was to be disturbed on a cold night, I got up and opened the door, and was conscious in the darkness that Frisk' was standing there. " Come in, Frisk,' " said I. But no movement ; ' Frisk' stood waiting. " Come in, Frisk,' " I repeated, somewhat sharply. No movement, no bark ! Then, being sure that something must be wrong, I lighted a candle, and there stood ' Frisk' outside the door, never offering to come in. She trotted quietly down before me, not speaking a word. When we were both through the swing-door, and at the head of the stairs, I saw that the inner door to the hall was open, and also that of the morning-room, from which shone a bright light. My heart went pit-a-pat for a moment; then seeing Frisk' run quietly down the stairs, I followed her, when she calmly jumped into her basket again, and I, ven- turing into the morning-room, found that my brother-in-law had left the lamp burning by mistake,—a proceeding which. Frisk' plainly knew was wrong, and had therefore come upstairs to inform me, but had not thought it necessary to disturb the rest of the household this time ! She had come straight up to ray room without disturbing any one else, to tell me of the irregularity of a light burning when every one was in bed, and that being done, jumped into bed again, con- scions of having performed her duty.—I am, Sir, &c., GEORGINA. A. MARSH-CALDWELL. Linley Wood, Talk o' 110 Hill, Staffordshire.
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