HOW A LOST DOG FOUND A GOOD HOME

A YOUNG Shepherd-dog, about half grown, got separated from his owner in some way one morning in the city of Melbourne, Australia, and was lost. While running about to find his master, he came across a boy and his sister, Charlie and Clara by name, who were playing in their backyard. Attracted by his good nature and his innocent, puppylike ways, they at once made friends with him, romped and played with him, and treated him kindly all the rest of the day, not forgetting in the meantime to give him something to eat.

Seeing that he had fallen in with good friends, Dash, as they chose to call him, decided, it seems, to stay with them. This greatly pleased Charlie and his sister, who had recently arrived in this far-off land from the United States, where they had been obliged to leave the pet dog they had there, which thought so much of them that he dragged his kennel several blocks to get back to his old home from the place where the family lived to whom they had given him previous to their leaving for Australia.

When their father came home in the evening and saw Dash, he was not in favor of keeping

him, thinking that if he were left to himself he would probably make his way back to his former home. But the children plead hard that he might be permitted to stay, saying he was "such a nice dog." The father, however, insisted that the dog be put outside the back gate at nightfall and allowed to go his way. Finally, at their mother's suggestion, Charlie and Clara got their father to promise that if Dash was still there the next morning they might keep him.

It was a cold, rainy night, and the father had little idea that Dash would be seen about in the morning. But a dog knows who are his friends, and, sure enough, there he was the next morning! During the night he had gone down the alley and back up the street along a long row of houses, and, finding the right one, had jumped over the picket fence in front and taken up his quarters on the front porch.

Needless to say, the children were delighted to find him there when they got up the next morning. Now he was theirs!

Dash became a splendid watch-dog, and was highly prized by the whole family. Charlie and his sister made a cart and a nice phæton for him, in which he hauled them about, and the father made a good kennel for him to sleep in, and treated him kindly,

THE DOG AND THE MARE

DOGS sometimes form friendships with other animals.

A Newfoundland dog had become fond of a mare belonging to his master, and took delight in protecting her and following and leading her about.

Whenever the groom began to saddle the mare for his master to take a ride, the dog would lie down with his nose between his paws and watch until all was ready. As soon as the work was finished he would jump up, seize the reins in his mouth, and lead the mare out of the stable to his master, whom he followed in his ride.

On returning, the reins were again given to him, and he would lead the mare back into the stable. Evidently he loved the mare, and tried to be of service to his master.

So may children be helpful to their parents if they watch for opportunities.

HOW PRINCE FED THE HORSES

A FARMER Owned a very large shepherd-dog, noted throughout the neighborhood for his friendly greeting of strangers, and for his devotion to his master's horses. The dog's name was

Prince. He spent much of his time with the horses in the stable and out in the pasture.

One day one of the teams had been turned out for exercise in a small field close to the roadway. Just across the fence over in the road lay a bundle of corn-stalks which had fallen from a load that had passed by the day before. The horses saw it and wanted it, as was evidenced by their longing glances and the stretching of their necks over the fence in a vain endeavor to reach it.

Prince, who had gone down to the field to see his friends, stood watching them closely. Presently he trotted off down the field to where one of the fence boards had become loose and dropped down at one end. Slipping through, he went back to the bundle of stalks, seized it, and, dragging it along to the hole in the fence, pulled it through, having considerable trouble in doing so. Finally, he succeeded in placing it before the horses, which at once began eating it. Prince stood by, panting, wagging his bushy tail, and evidently highly pleased with the whole performance.

CANINE CHIVALRY

SOMETIMES dogs show a noble spirit of chivalry. An illustration of this occurred at Don

aghadee between two large dogs, one a Newfoundland and the other a mastiff.

They were both powerful dogs, and though each was good-natured when alone, they were very much in the habit of fighting when together.

One day they had a fierce and prolonged fight on the pier, from the end of which they both finally fell into the sea. As the pier was long, and extended far out into the water, they had no other means of escape but by swimming back to the shore.

Throwing water on fighting animals is a frequent and very effective way of putting an end to their hostilities. So in this case, when the dogs fell into the water their fighting ceased. Each now began to make for the land as best he could. The Newfoundland being an excellent swimmer, was quickly out and back on the pier shaking himself, and at the same time watching the efforts of his late antagonist, which, being a poor swimmer, was struggling exhausted in the water, and about to sink. In dashed the Newfoundland dog, took the other gently by the collar, kept his head above water, and brought him safely to shore.

From this day on these dogs were good friends. They never fought again. They had learned a better way to live together as friends in peace.