squid into one of the angular parts of his person, if I had not brained him on the spot. I sat down sad and well-nigh despairing, and counted-yes, actually counted-twenty-eight, twenty-nine, thirty fish, in as many throws, to the lot of that man! How I began to hate him for his invariable success! Mockingly, at seeing me so forlorn, he hove, and tauntingly he hauled each one of his finny prey, and then held it up to the intense disgust of all us on the wrong side.

Nearer and nearer it came-across the channel now- - now in shoal water on our side! Three or four of us make a dash at it, while a loud, victorious hurrah bursts from my lips as, line in hand, I seize the boat's side and scramble in: the others quickly follow, and a few vigorous strokes with the oars, which are luckily in it, carry us to the other side. Each one for himself, in vain the others called to us to send the boat again across. We all prepared to make up for lost time. I looked at my line

As I sat I saw Nemesis drawing near to that-looked, and again felt like swearing; it was man with slow, sure, and stealthy step. Saw, all in a tangle and snarl. Patiently I unrolled, and rejoiced greatly thereat. Quietly the flow- untwisted, unknotted, and, without one single ing tide swept in and neared every minute that word for nearly twenty minutes, tried to unravbad man's boat. There, her nose lifted a little el that horrid line. Didn't I think swearing, with that last wave. Now it moves a little, a however! At length I got it cleared, and then very little; and then a sudden slide of the slop--why then the fish had gone-all gone, and ing sand and the scow is afloat! Nor man nor there they were hard at work on the very side boy on our side spoke or moved, as, with bated we had just come from. breath, we watched her drift off into the stream, and, borne on the wings of a propitious breeze, gradually draw toward us.

I looked at my abomination-that manfearing lest he too should see it. No, he was far too busily intent upon his squid.

I looked reproachfully at my line: I appealed mutely and beseechingly to the man with the boat.

"Come along, old fellow," said he, "I'll give you a start across agen." I liked him forthwith. Again we crossed, and this time I was

After dinner I resumed my inspection of my friend the bee; I went to pay it a visit. I found it at home, but not to be seen. I poked a piece of straw up the hole-an indignant buzzing followed; a decided refusal to come out and see me. What was he about? First I believe it was not a he but a she. The bee was laying an egg-at least I suppose so. There are solitary bees which behave thus. Sometimes in the chink of a wall, sometimes in soft wood these little creatures will deposit a few eggs in cells like thimbles, one fitting into another, for each baby bee must have a nursery all to itself. I am not going, however, to give a long article on insects or their homes-the editor would not let me if I wished; for is not the Rev. J. G. Wood's book on such matters even now being published by the Harpers? and he is a much abler entomologist and naturalist than I am. I am only the grub of one-I may possibly emerge full-grown at last-so I won't now follow this purpose out. I have ever so many scribbled notes about insects I have found and seen in Australia and New Zealand, Africa, and here in America; they shall, however, all go into my waste-basket for the present.

all ready. All ready, with the exception of | lad, a fisherman's son, neither winces nor cries never having thrown a squid before. I tried, during the operation. I at first was going to however, and hurling it three or four times file off the hook, for I had a small file in my round my head, I threw. It pulled up short. pocket. "You'll spoil the squid!" was the lad's I found I had hitched myself with the hook in quick answer; "cut it out!" And cut it out some unknown posterioral region. Fortunate- I did. Taking my handkerchief I tore it into ly it was only through the pantaloons, and my strips and bound it up. I then started for a friend quickly cut it out there and then, and farm-house I saw two or three fields off, and still more quickly retired from my immediate borrowing there a wheel-barrow, returned to vicinity as I undauntedly again attempted to the spot. Piling thereon my fish I put the send the squid flying to the place where I wished boy on the top and started once more homeit to go. Once, twice, thrice I threw, and each ward. The sand was loose and deep, the wheeltime fell short. The skin had taken its de- barrow, an old one, would not bear the weight, parture off my forefinger with the efforts of my so taking the lad on my back and resuming futile attempts. A little lad some ten years once more the barrow and fish I toiled my old is my next neighbor, and he catches at weary way home, where Į duly arrived heated every throw. Shame gives me fresh skill, and and tired, and more than satisfied with my exagain I send the hook abroad-Evoe! Io tri-perience of blue-fishing. umphe! I feel a check, and the line very nearly escapes me. Proudly over my shoulder I place it. Up the beach I run and feel as if I was dragging a hundred-weight behind me. On I rush, shouting in the triumphant excess of my joy, and my first fish is caught-caught, but still unhooked. I sat down and smoked a pipe-a libation, an incense to the gods, to Neptune in especial, for my success. Then came the unhooking process. I placed my bare foot shudderingly on the cold-blooded, slippery beast-a sharp snap of the jaws very near my great toe made me as quickly remove it. After some little manœuvring I at length got my thumb and finger up its gills and cruelly and unremorsefully wrenched out the hook. Again and again, after wrapping my finger with a piece of my pocket-handkerchief, I threw and each time caught a fish. I got four, and the little lad, my neighbor, and my landlord's son, had six. Ten in all. I think of home a mile away, and the ten fish to be carried there under a burning June's sun. A shout startles me, and I hear my name called. Come here-here quick! Lloyd has got a squid through his foot. I look, and the little lad is on his back; and another lad over the hill, out of sight of the sea, thinks he has got a fish, and hauls away with all his might at the poor lad's foot. There a wave comes up and covers him, and he rolls on toward the sea, borne away by the undertow. 0 God! how nearly he was gone, for the men have stopped the other boy and the line is slackened. Almost sick with fear I rush to the place and pick up the lad. A moment and my rejoicing is changed to grief and sorrow. I look at the foot, dreading the operation I know will have to be performed. To my great relief and joy it has only gone through the outer side, and no muscle or vein will interfere with the cutting it I take out my penknife and ask the men to cut while I hold the lad. They all refuse. Those big, strong, sun-browned men, who venture out every week to sea, holding their lives in their hands and fearing not the winds or storm, can not cut a hook out of a little child's foot but turn sick away. Half angrily I ask them to hold him while I do it myself. The

out.

I

THE LITTLE BLACK DOGS OF
BERKSHIRE.

AM at Mount Washington-not among the White Hills of New Hampshire, where they build their hotels in the crevices and gorges, far below clouds and cool breezes, but in Berkshire, where our Mount Washington has its verdant bosom dotted with neat white farmhouses, raised high in pure air almost to its summit.

Said summit claims to be one of the highest in the old Bay State, on the map bearing the honored name of Everett, and marked as 2624 feet high by the exact measurement of Professor Hitchcock. In this vicinity its round and rocky face is named, the "Dome." The farmhouse where our party abide is on the elevated slope which, with varied undulations, rises toward the Dome, commanding a fine view of the ranges of hills and mountains around.

A

short walk brings us to the summit, where, on
one side, the blue Catskill seem almost in
stone-throw reach, while the valley, through
which constantly glides the smoke of the Har-
lem Railroad, lics close below. On the other
side spreads out the valley of the Housatonic,
with its wooded scenery, white villages, and
spires.

DOGMATISM.

On my arrival at my destined quarters I was
startled and amused with the singular saluta-
tion with which I was greeted. It was a vol-
ley from a squadron of little black dogs, ludi-
crously small and ridiculously fierce and up-
roarious. Behind were their owners, so earn-
est in outcries to quiet this ill-mannered de-
monstration that, what with the barking of
dogs, and rushing out of owners, and calls,
invitations, upbraidings, and general hurry-
scurry, I was quite bewildered.
parasol in hand, and a troop of little black ter-
Here I am,
riers taking aim at my feet. On the platform
stands my baggage, while from the windows in
front of me are peering out my friends within,
mischievously merry at the hubbub and my ill-
concealed dismay.

When at last seated in the parlor and re-
stored to conscious intelligence I seemed to be
surrounded by a company of ladies, each tend-
ing a little black dog with all those melodious,
tender, melting tones with which pet children
and pet lap-dogs are regaled, to wit: "Sprite,"
the young doctor's dog; "Nelly," the doctor's
wife's dog; "Prince," the doctor's sister's dog;
"Juno," the New York lady's dog; "Fido,'
the young girl's dog. At every meal most of
these names are repeated in the pet language
that runs thus: "Poor itty doggie! was he
hungry? So he was! Here, itty darling, take
some icy creamy! He sude have some cakey,
so he sude!"

I am not fond of dogs, and I wonder often

723

why they are attracted to me as they usually are. room full of company, and inquiringly examine I have seen a strange dog come into a the whole circle, and then make a "bee line," as the hunters have it, with his nose to my hand, which was duly saluted in dog fashiona fashion which would be far more acceptable I could the dogs be induced to use pocket-hand

kerchiefs. I read somewhere in Charlotte Brontë's stories that this attention from dogs was the sure index of a kind and benevolent disposition, at least in the dog's view of the case. Having gained this reputation among these Canine-ites, it becomes me to sustain it only by dwelling on their good qualities.

As to the number of these little black dogs I would not risk my credit for veracity. But if I were now standing before a justice of the peace, with right hand upraised, I should swear (no, being nine-tenths of me a Quaker, I should in and about this same house where I dwell reverently affirm) that there are not less than five little-very littleblack terrier dogs.

is Miss Jenny's Prince-so affectionate and so The favorite among them with all the family chivalrous in his demonstrative courtesies that even that mirror of chivalry, the Black Prince of historic fame, must be cast into the shade. When first presented to his present lady-love by her departing brother, loud wailings ensued there was found this young Black Prince sitting toward evening in the brother's chamber, and by an old shoe of his departed master, his nose up in the air and piteous moans and cries issuing from his bereaved bosom. No food, no caresses could entice from the sole remains of and wailed till "kind nature's sweet restorer, his beloved master, and so by them he mourned balmy sleep," came to his relief.

self in his chivalrous heart, her departure brought
Then, after his mistress had enthroned her-

PRINCE.

on similar agonies of grief. Stationed on her | Tableaux Vivants in our farm-house parlor, bed, with an old glove of hers before him, he howled and moaned, would take no food, and was pertinaciously stationary and miserable till her return. Alas! how few of us, hapless humans, have friends that would thus refuse food, howl, and wail over our old shoes till our return!

"LET DOGS DELIGHT."

725

which latter appendage surmounted his back like a blunt peg, giving a peculiarly ludicrous air to his demonstrations of joy at our arrival as he vainly tried to wag his little stump like other dogs. His chief peculiarity was an extreme sensibility to noise, especially to musical sounds. To amuse his friends, his master, when Trip was asleep near by, would jar a single string of his violin. Then Trip would, in his sleep, emit a comical sigh. A louder string would draw forth a grunt. A still louder would educe a decided groan. A louder still would cause a howl and set him on his feet, and a final sweep with the bow would send him yelping out of the room to the great merriment of specta

tors.

called an "endless screw," which turns and re- | those stormy days when the theological world
turns in an endless sort of unintelligible way. was in bitter conflict as to how Adam's sin had
Now Trip was on the carpet in
In my extremity I grew bewildered and seemed affected our race.
to myself such a sort of screw, made up of little heresiarch of the New School party. Near by
black dogs turning up and down and over and was the New School chapel, and nearly facing it
Trip's master was a leading
under and every other way. I grew desperate, was the little Old School church, where no New
and ventured on sundry indications of distress, School minister could show his face in the pul-
whereupon the dogs kindly retreated to their pit. A boarder in our family ventured into
several mistresses, and I regained lost com- this Orthodox fold, and Trip concluded to ac-
posure without any serious loss of character. company him to judge for himself as to these
But the dog-tracks on my "Sabba-day" frock mooted doctrines.
remain to this day!

Well known as the New A genuine terrier is a perfect incarnation of as Trip deliberately trotted up the aisle and School Doctor's dog, a general smile appeared self-complacent activity and self-satisfaction at stationed himself on his haunches directly in his own achievements, whatever they may be. front of the minister, just as he commenced the A huge wagon, a team of stout horses, and a burly mountaineer driver pass our door. sermon. He listened quietly a while, and hearrushes Sprite, who imagines himself the chief to sleep with nose on his paws. Outing nothing very much amiss composed himself protector of our domains. He barks and raves close of the sermon the minister waxed anias if he designed to demolish and exterminate mated, when a deep-drawn sigh from Trip inToward the horses, wagon, and driver; and, when all are dicated that he was disturbed by such theology out of sight, returns trembling in every nerve with self-gratulation, sinks by you on his haunch-forth a deep groan, and finally Trip started off as that. A still more animated passage drew es, licks his chops, and looks up with such tri- with a moan and howl as if it was more than umphant satisfaction as if he were saying, "I've any New School dog could possibly endure. done the job-and that old chap will never ven- He trotted home head down, and knowing all ture here again!" arity in some of the terrier race that brings to much as any of them. No doubt he was more There is another peculi- about the effect of Adam's sin-at least as memory my father's pet-old Trip-who shall be introduced to illustrate.

Poor Trip! he was the homeliest wretch that ever wore dog-skin-so grotesquely homely that one could not but pity as well as laugh. When our young people were boasting each of the "pure breed" of their respective favorites, the youngest of all, with innocent complacency, claimed that his dog was "pure mongrel." Trip was of this breed. was sustained by four thick, short legs, remindHis square cut body ing one of a small school-bench.

Some pre

OLD TRIP.

vious owner had cut off both ears and tail;