“Here is one,” responded Ida, having cast her eye over it, “which is rather sad.”
“A gentleman named Llewelyn had a fine hunter, which he called Gelert. One day, the dog refused to accompany his master to the chase, which made him very angry.
“Gelert always kept sentinel at night at the door of his bedchamber, and, on his return from the chase, Llewelyn met the dog coming from the room, covered with blood. He entered in great haste, alarmed for the safety of his child, when he found the bed overturned, and the coverlet stained with gore. In an agony of apprehension, he called aloud to his boy, but received no answer, and rashly concluded that the babe had been killed by Gelert.
“Without stopping to reflect upon the fondness the animal had always manifested for the child, he ran his sword through the poor creature’s body.
“Roused from his slumber by Gelert’s dying yell, the infant awoke, when the father, advancing, found to his heart-rending remorse, a gaunt wolf, torn and bleeding, tremendous even in death, lying on the floor near the tender nursling. The faithful dog had seen the wolf prowling about, and, refusing to accompany his master to the chase, of which he was extremely fond, placed himself near the couch of the boy, and in the end saved his life, though, as it proved, at the sacrifice of his own.
“Llewelyn, who never could forgive himself, afterwards built a chapel, and raised a tomb to the memory of his faithful dog, who fell a victim to a momentary passion. This tomb is still called Beth-Gelert, or the tomb of Gelert; multitudes have there heard the account of his bravery and his untimely death.”
“How very sorry he must have been!” exclaimed Minnie, tears filling her eyes.
“Read that account of the Stockholm dog,” said Mrs. Lee.
“Yes, aunt; but first here is a story of the fidelity of a dog, which is very affecting.”
“A French merchant, having some money due from a correspondent, set out on horseback, accompanied by his dog, on purpose to receive it. Having settled the business to his satisfaction, he tied the bag of money before him, and began to return home. His faithful dog, as if he entered into his master’s feelings, frisked round the horse, barked, and jumped, and seemed to participate in his joy.