and the row
of poor kennels which stood on the bank, many of them, like our own,
projecting half over the water. I could not help wondering at the pretty
effect they made at a distance, with the blue river dancing gaily by
their side, the large trees of the wood on the opposite bank waving in
beauty, and the brilliant sun changing everything that his rays fell upon
into gold. He made the poor kennels look so splendid for the time, that
no one would have thought the animals who lived in them could ever be
poor or unhappy. But when the rich light was gone,--gone with the sun
which made it to some other land,--it seemed as if the whole place was
changed. The trees shivered as though a cold wind was stirring them. The
river ran dark and sullenly by the poor houses; and the houses themselves
looked more wretched, I thought, than they had ever appeared before. Yet,
somehow, they were more homelike in their dismal state than when they had
a golden roof and purple sides, so, resuming my walk, for I had stopped
to admire the pretty picture, I soon came near the door.

It was open, as usual. But what was _not_ usual, was to hear other sounds
from within than the voice of the old doggess, making ceaseless moans.
Now it seemed as if all the doggesses of the neighbourhood had met in the
poor hut to pass the evening, for there was such confusion of tongues,
and such a rustling sound, as told me, before I peeped inside, that
there was a large party got together, and that tails were wagging at a
fearful rate.

When I stood before the open door, all the scene broke upon me. On her
bed of straw, evidently at the point of death, lay my poor doggess. Her
eyes had almost lost their fierce expression, and were becoming fixed and
glassy--a slight tremor in her legs and movement of her stumpy tail, were
all that told she was yet living; not even her breast was seen to heave.

I had not much reason to bear love to the old creature for any kindness
she had ever shown me, but this sight overcame me at once. Springing to
her aide, and upsetting half a dozen of the gossips by the movement, I
laid my paw on hers; and, involuntarily raising my head in the air, I
sent forth a howl which shook the rotten timbers of the old kennel, and
so frightened the assembled party as to make them scamper out of the
place like mad things. The sound even called back the departing senses of
the dying doggess. She drew me to her with her paws, and made an effort
to