THE TRUSTY DOG.
I am glad to introduce to you, the noble dog whose picture is before you. He was an old and tried friend of mine, and I could tell you a great many things about him. He was more trust-worthy than many a little child that I have known; for though circumstances have thrown me in the way of many beautiful children, some of the little ones with whom I have met, were not so truthful and trusty as they ought to have been.
But I must not forget the work I commenced; and run off into telling you stories of bad children rather than of the good dog. I know that you are already interested in this noble fellow, by this fine portrait of him. Hasn't he a beautiful face. It is as kind and good natured a dog as you ever saw. Now you want to know his name; and, perhaps some of you are feeling curious by this time, to know what he is doing with that great basket which he holds in his mouth, I will first tell you his name, and then come to the question of the basket. His name was "Erie." Mayhap you never knew a dog by this name. It is very peculiar to call a dog "Erie," but, as this was an extraordinary wise dog, he deserved a name somewhat different from ordinary dogs.
Now I will proceed to my story which is true, and may be believed as well as wondered at.
"Erie" had great many wonderful tricks. He seemed to understand what was said to him, and would obey promptly any person in whom he had confidence, when they told him to do anything which was in his power to do. You could trust him to carry any article which he could hold in his mouth, He would take it to any place you might name, where he was accustomed to go, and give to the person you told him to give it to, and never to any other, under any circumstances. If he could not find the person to whom the article was sent, he would surely return it to you with a knowing look which seemed to say, "I tried to do my errand but couldn't." He was usually very good natured, but on such occasions, when he was entrusted with the care of anything; he did not like to be interfered with, and if any one attempted to touch anything which he held in his mouth he would growl at them in a most ferocious manner, as if he would say, "Take care, this is not yours, and I shall treat you harshly if you undertake to carry off what belongs to another."
His master used to love hunting very much, and "Erie" almost always went with him. At such times he was very fond of carrying the game bag in his mouth. There was a closet in the house where his master kept his guns powder, flasks, and all things necessary for hunting. One day Mr. A. left for [the] woods with his gun, while the dog was absent from home. He had gone about a mile, when he thought of his powder flask which in the haste of leaving home he had forgotten. He turned back regretting that he had taken so many unnecessary steps, when his eye fell upon "Erie" running toward him with great speed holding the powder flask in his mouth. The dog had returned home and finding his master gone, had examined the closet, the door of which had been left ajar, and found the gun gone while the flask was left; he seemed to know this ought not to be, and seizing the flask in his mouth he pursued his master and carried him the important article.
Mr. A. taught him to carry meat home from the market, and he was never known to eat it, or allow any other dog to take it from him.
This was very convenient for the family. Often when Mr. A. was in haste, he would write a note telling the butcher what meat to send him for his dinner. This note he would put into the bottom of the meat basket, and give the basket to "Erie," telling him which market he was to go to, and reminding him to be sure and come back quickly. In a few moments the dog would return with the dinner as safely as a child could have done.
One day as he was going home from the market, the basket was heavy, having in it a large piece of meat. "Erie" grew very tired and set the basket down on the pavement to rest his mouth a moment. At this moment a large black dog was passing, who, smelling the meat, thought he would like a piece for his own dinner; so walking up to the basket he attempted to thrust his nose in and help himself. "Erie" gave one of his ferocious warning growls, which said as plain as words, "Take care, take care." At first the other dog retreated a little, but being very hungry he again approached the basket.
"Erie" seemed really to reason about the matter. He knew that the other dog was determined to steal the meat which was especially entrusted to his care. It was as if he thought to himself, "Now if I stop to fight with this dog, some other dog may come and run away with my meat, my only safety is flight," so seizing up the basket he fled as fast as his legs could carry him toward home. The large dog pursued him a little way, but "Erie" out-ran him and reached home in safety, As soon as he had deposited the basket in the hands of his mistress, he turned and ran down street again as fast as he could, in search of the thieving dog, whose dishonesty he seemed to think he must punish. After searching a long time he found him playing with a number of other dogs, and I never saw a dog take a worse whipping than "Erie" gave him.
Now my dear children as you read this story, ask yourselves if you are as honest and trustworthy as this noble dog was. You know that you may be much better than he; for God has made you wiser and given you power to do much, more than any animal.