A DOG-STORY.
[To TH1 EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."] Sin,—The following history of canine sympathy may interest your readers. I was once the happy owner of a large and beauti- ful bull-terrier, Rose,' and at the same time of a still dearer, though less beautiful, little mongrel, 'Fan,' both passionately attached to a member of my household, commonly called their best friend. A certain shawl belonging to this adored friend was especially sacred in 'Fan's' eyes. She never allowed any one to touch it without remonstrance—' Rose' least of all—and when her best friend was in bed, it was • Fan's' custom to ensconce herself in her arms, and not to allow any dog, and only the most favoured of human beings, to approach without violent growlings, if not worse. 'Fan' was a tiny grandmother who had long ruled the household; 'Rose,' an inexperienced new-comer. One day, in a fit of youthful folly, Rose ' jumped over a gate and spiked herself badly, and was consigned for ten days to the care of the veterinary surgeon. On her return, she was cordially welcomed by 'Fan' and myself ; bat when she rushed upstairs to the room of her best friend (then confined to her bed), my mind forboded mischief. We followed, and I opened the door. With one bound ` Rose ' flew into her best friend's arms, taking 'Fan's' very own place, and was lost in a rapture of licking and being caressed. ' Fan ' flew after her, but to my amazement, instead of the fury I expected, it was to join with heart and tongue in the licking and caressing. She licked ' Rose ' as if she had
been a long-lost puppy instead of an intruder; and then, of her own accord, turned away, leaving Rose' in possession, and took up a distant place on the foot of the bed, appealing to me with an almost human expression of mingled feelings,— the heroic self-abnegation of new-born sympathy struggling with natural jealousy. The better feelings triumphed (not, of course, unsupported by human recognition and applause) till both dogs fell asleep in their strangely reversed positions. After this, there was a slight temporary failure in 'Fan's' perhaps overstrained self-conquest ; but on the next day but one she actually, for the first (and last) time in her life, made 'Rose' welcome to a place beside her on the sacred shawl ; where again they slept side by side like sisters. This, how- ever, was the last gleam of the special sympathy called forth by Rose's ' troubles. From that day 'Fan' decidedly and finally resumed her jealous occupation and guardianship of all sacred places and things, and maintained it energetically to her life's end.—I am, Sir, &c., C. E. S.
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