“My dear Son,—You will remember that I told you I had engaged to take out several passengers to India. There was one more than I expected. This was a noble dog, of the St. Bernard breed. He was the property of a lady who had formerly lived in India, and was returning therewith her three children, after a visit to her home in America. Mrs. Lenox has two sons and one daughter, a little fairy, the pet of all on board. The sons are indolent, quarrelsome fellows, who not only make themselves unhappy, but also try to annoy their mother in every way.“Inez, the little girl, never comes on deck without being accompanied by Cæsar, the great dog. He is her companion, protector, and friend. He follows her gravelyup and down the deck, lying by her side when she is quiet, or giving his body as a pillow for her to lie upon. I have often seen her soundly sleeping with her curly head resting on his shaggy hair.“Neither of the boys likes the dog. They shut him up, blind his eyes, and play all manner of tricks upon him. One day Cæsar came on deck limping badly. I examined his foot and found it deeply cut. I still suspect it was the work of Lawrence, the eldest boy.Inez was almost frantic with grief. She insisted on holding the bandages while the mate bound up the wound, all the time weeping over her pet.“Cæsar fully appreciated her affection. He looked mournfully in her face, wagging his tail, and, as soon as the dressing was completed, began to lick her hands and face in token of his gratitude.“Every day the wound was carefully dressed, Inez standing by and caressing the dog. At theend of a week the cut was almost entirely healed. The little girl could scarcely express her joy. She danced up and down the deck, or rode on Cæsar’s back, holding on to his shaggy hair.“One morning I went on deck and saw Inez playing near the bow of the ship. Next I heard a scream, and saw Cæsar leap into the water. My heart gave one great bound, and then the loud cry, ‘Child overboard!’ made all hearts quail with fear.“There was a stiff breeze, and the vessel making near ten knots an hour. My fear was that before the boats could be lowered we should be too far off; but I was mistaken. The grateful dog plunged down when he saw his mistress sink, and rose with her clothes firmly grasped in his teeth. Then he commenced swimming after the vessel, while the sailors in the boats were making toward him as fast as possible.“It was a moment of silentrejoicing when our pretty Inez was safe on board again. Mrs. Lenox wept and strained the dripping child to her heart, after which she hugged faithful Cæsar, drenched as he was, in her arms.“If a dog can feel happiness,—of which I have no doubt,—Cæsar did during the rest of that day. The sailors rubbed his coat dry, and fed him sumptuously. Everybody praised him; but what he enjoyed more than all else was the sight of Inez brought on deck by hermother, and set down by his side. He walked round her, smelled her clothes, seeming to fear they were still damp, then licked her hands and face, wagging his tail, giving short, joyful barks, and trying, as well as he knew how, to show her his delight at having had it in his power to save her life as a return for all her care of him.”
“My dear Son,—You will remember that I told you I had engaged to take out several passengers to India. There was one more than I expected. This was a noble dog, of the St. Bernard breed. He was the property of a lady who had formerly lived in India, and was returning therewith her three children, after a visit to her home in America. Mrs. Lenox has two sons and one daughter, a little fairy, the pet of all on board. The sons are indolent, quarrelsome fellows, who not only make themselves unhappy, but also try to annoy their mother in every way.
“Inez, the little girl, never comes on deck without being accompanied by Cæsar, the great dog. He is her companion, protector, and friend. He follows her gravelyup and down the deck, lying by her side when she is quiet, or giving his body as a pillow for her to lie upon. I have often seen her soundly sleeping with her curly head resting on his shaggy hair.
“Neither of the boys likes the dog. They shut him up, blind his eyes, and play all manner of tricks upon him. One day Cæsar came on deck limping badly. I examined his foot and found it deeply cut. I still suspect it was the work of Lawrence, the eldest boy.Inez was almost frantic with grief. She insisted on holding the bandages while the mate bound up the wound, all the time weeping over her pet.
“Cæsar fully appreciated her affection. He looked mournfully in her face, wagging his tail, and, as soon as the dressing was completed, began to lick her hands and face in token of his gratitude.
“Every day the wound was carefully dressed, Inez standing by and caressing the dog. At theend of a week the cut was almost entirely healed. The little girl could scarcely express her joy. She danced up and down the deck, or rode on Cæsar’s back, holding on to his shaggy hair.
“One morning I went on deck and saw Inez playing near the bow of the ship. Next I heard a scream, and saw Cæsar leap into the water. My heart gave one great bound, and then the loud cry, ‘Child overboard!’ made all hearts quail with fear.
“There was a stiff breeze, and the vessel making near ten knots an hour. My fear was that before the boats could be lowered we should be too far off; but I was mistaken. The grateful dog plunged down when he saw his mistress sink, and rose with her clothes firmly grasped in his teeth. Then he commenced swimming after the vessel, while the sailors in the boats were making toward him as fast as possible.
“It was a moment of silentrejoicing when our pretty Inez was safe on board again. Mrs. Lenox wept and strained the dripping child to her heart, after which she hugged faithful Cæsar, drenched as he was, in her arms.
“If a dog can feel happiness,—of which I have no doubt,—Cæsar did during the rest of that day. The sailors rubbed his coat dry, and fed him sumptuously. Everybody praised him; but what he enjoyed more than all else was the sight of Inez brought on deck by hermother, and set down by his side. He walked round her, smelled her clothes, seeming to fear they were still damp, then licked her hands and face, wagging his tail, giving short, joyful barks, and trying, as well as he knew how, to show her his delight at having had it in his power to save her life as a return for all her care of him.”
During the weeks which followed, Fred and his sister talked much of the noble dog and hisgrateful friend Inez. They thought Inez’ mother could not be grateful enough to the affectionate creature, and made many plans respecting the way they would show their gratitude if they were in her place.
Fred said, “I would build a beautiful dog-house with a top like one of the heathen temples, and have an account of Cæsar’s heroism printed in large letters on a signboard over the front.” But Hatty thought that Cæsar would betterappreciate good care, plenty of meat, and Inez’ fond caresses.
“I am glad you feel so,” remarked Mrs. Carleton. “It was a noble act in the dog, though I suppose he ran no great risk of losing his own life. Dogs, especially of the St. Bernard breed, are quite at home in the water. But, Fred, can you think of any man who not only risked his life, but freely gave it up for yours?”
Fred’s eyes dropped to the floor as he answered,—
“Yes, mother, Jesus Christ.”
“What is he sometimes called?”
“The God-man.”
“Have you ever been grateful to him, my dear?”
“I think I do love him, mother, though I never can love him enough for all he has done.”
Transcriber's NoteThe author uses wont instead of the more usual won't; this has been retained as printed.Minor puctuation errors have been fixed without note.The following errors have been corrected:Page12—Hattie amended to Hatty (for consistency with other occurrences)—"His sister Hatty took her hands from the dish-water ..."Page12—its amended to it's—"Clara says it's a real Maltese."Page13—whethe amended to whether—"... and see whether she will drink it."Page23—Kent amended to Carleton—"Mrs. Carleton had taken great pains with the new suit."Illustrations have been moved so that they are not in the middle of a paragraph.
Transcriber's Note
The author uses wont instead of the more usual won't; this has been retained as printed.
Minor puctuation errors have been fixed without note.
The following errors have been corrected:
Page12—Hattie amended to Hatty (for consistency with other occurrences)—"His sister Hatty took her hands from the dish-water ..."Page12—its amended to it's—"Clara says it's a real Maltese."Page13—whethe amended to whether—"... and see whether she will drink it."Page23—Kent amended to Carleton—"Mrs. Carleton had taken great pains with the new suit."
Page12—Hattie amended to Hatty (for consistency with other occurrences)—"His sister Hatty took her hands from the dish-water ..."
Page12—its amended to it's—"Clara says it's a real Maltese."
Page13—whethe amended to whether—"... and see whether she will drink it."
Page23—Kent amended to Carleton—"Mrs. Carleton had taken great pains with the new suit."
Illustrations have been moved so that they are not in the middle of a paragraph.