"Hurrah for dogs!" cried Harry, clapping his hands. "I say they are
as good as men any day. They say, Mother, that the Indians believe
their dogs will go to heaven with them. Will they, Mother?"
"We know nothing of the future state of animals, Harry. We only know
that they are more gentle and intelligent the more kind we are to
them. The most savage animals are tamed by constant kindness. Who
does not remember Sir Walter Scott's pet pig? The reason why the pig
was so fond of his master was that Sir Walter had not treated him
piggishly, but humanely.
You have been told of Baron Trenck's spider. Men have had pet lions
and tigers. When I see a fine, gentle horse, or an intelligent,
loving dog, I find myself repeating Miss Barrett's beautiful words,-
-
"Be my benediction said
With my hand upon thy head,
Gentle fellow-creature."
Now I have a funny story for you of a dog and a hen which a friend
told me that she knew to be true.
A small dog had a litter of puppies in a barn close by a hen who was
sitting on her eggs, waiting patiently, as hens do, for the time
when her chickens should pop their pretty heads out of their shells
into this pleasant world.
The puppies, however, came first, and, as soon as they were born,
she left her nest, and insisted upon brooding them.
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