r
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.