rmission had been
given to the servants to go to the neighbouring fair a mile off. The
young nurse, in the giddiness of girlhood, left the baby in his cot.
According to the then existing custom, the hall-door was wide open and,
save the sleeping baby, Black York and cats, no living thing held
possession of the premises. A strange priest arrived, to ask and receive
hospitality. He entered the hall, and the dog, otherwise quiet, sprang
forward and assailed him like a tiger. The priest retreated, York's back
was ridged for battle, and a mouthful of unquestionable teeth hinted to
his Reverence, that the canine customer would prove an ugly one. He
retreated accordingly, and York sat down beside his sleeping charge.
There he remained on guard until the absent mother returned; when she
entered the drawing room, her four legged representative laid his tongue
gently across the infant's face, and without opposition permitted Father
Malachi to walk in."

Equally interesting is the biography of Mr. Bell's setter, Juno, who
from a puppy was one of the best dogs that ever entered a field. "She
appeared to be always on the watch, to evince her love and gratitude to
those who were kind to her;" and she had other than human friends. "A
kitten, which had been taken from its mother, shewed the usual horror of
cats at Juno's approach. She however seemed determined to conquer the
antipathy, and by the most winning perseverance completely attached the
kitten to her; and as she had lately lost her puppies, she became its
foster-mother. Juno also played with some tame rabbits, enticing them by
her kind manner; and so fond was she of caressing the young of her own
species, that when a spaniel of my father's had puppies, and all but one
were destroyed, Juno would take every opportunity of stealing this from
its mother, and lick and fondle it with the greatest tenderness. When
the poor mother discovered the theft, she hastened to bring back her
little one; only to be stolen again at the first opportunity, until at
length, Juno and Busy killed the poor puppy between them, from excess of
tenderness."

I close this account of the setter, by giving an instance of the
remarkable power of dogs to return to their homes from a distance, so
often cited, and which was exemplified by my father's setter Flush, a
dog of remarkable beauty and value. His master drove him in his dog cart
as far as London, a distance of above fifty miles, being the first stage