PASSAGES IN THE LIFE OF A DOG.-No. VI. BY ONE OF THAT SUFFERING RACE. (Continued from Vol. IV., Page 364.) How long didst thou think that his silence was slumber? Ere he faded before thee,- the friend of thy heart? BEFORE resuming my narrative, I cannot help wishing you, "my dear old English gentleman," and all readers of OUR JOURNAL, ―a Happy New Year; being quite sure that you have had a Merry Christmas," or some one has missed the "star of the evening." [Charlie! you are a wag.] Mais allons. When we arrived at our town-house, Dr. Kent was immediately sent for; and, after hearing all the circumstances connected with the case, frankly confessed that, like the surgeon in Macbeth, he could not undertake to "minister to a mind diseased," but recommended as much change as possible in locality; and as the medical man who attended Miss Emily had ordered her to travel, it was soon decided that we were to visit the Continent, and move from place to place. Nothing of importance occurred until our arrival at Boulogne; where, on landing, we were surrounded by a set of diminutive menlike soldiers, who act there as do our customofficers; and one of them seeing something bulky under Miss Emily's shawl, pulled it on one side to see what it was. On this, I (for it was I who was there) bit his hand. Oh, how he spluttered and jabbered about! "Sacre!"cried he; and in his rage he was going to strike me. But he had calculated without his host; for no sooner was his hand raised than poor old Nep, whose temper had not improved by his self-imposed abstinence, seized him by the throat, bore him to the ground, and would, had not Mr. Vandelour called him off, have strangled him on the spot. Paris, Baden-Baden, Frankfort, Rome, and Venice, were in turn visited; and at each of those places the most celebrated veterinarians were "consulted" on poor Neptune's complaint, for he still ate only just sufficient to keep life in him. Without a single exception, each of these wiseheads declared in turn-that he suffered from some scientific and long-named complaint; and, between them, they administered a wheelbarrow-full of medicines. Of course he became weaker and weaker; until one morning, when Miss Emily came down to breakfast, he could with difficulty crawl upon the floor (this he did to meet her, as she came into the room), when he looked in her face, wagged his beautiful tail, tried to stand, but fell at her feet to rise no more. Alas! poor Nep was dead! Nor Laugh, ye fashionable flies; and sneer, ye wife-beating husbands! A beautiful maiden weeps the death of a friend, although "only a dog!" She was not of the Chesterfield school, but she felt like a true woman. was she ashamed of nature. She had lost the parting gift of the man she loved-the companion of many a pleasant ramble, and many a happy hour. I had lost my protector,— the preserver of life! my The next day poor Nep's remains were buried in the garden of a friend of my master's. Miss Emily planted a willow at his head, and had a stone erected at his feet, the meaning and simplicity of which far outshone many a marble monument that I have seen in our cemeteries, "besprinkled o'er with lies." It bore this inscription. HERE TWO FRIENDS PARTED!" In three days after this, we again changed our quarters, and went to Switzerland; still hoping against hope (nearly twelve months had been already tried) that a change would dispel the heaviness that seemed to weigh down my dear young mistress, as dew-drops do a rose. Among other things in the letterbag, that my master received once a month from London, was that mighty organ of good and evil tidings,-"The Times." Business letters were opened by my master, and letters from friends by Mrs. Vandelour; and although there were dozens of neat little notes, in as many neat little handwritings, for Miss Emily-yet she opened none of them. She merely put them all into her little basket, and ran up-stairs with them into her own room; so quickly that I had scarcely time to get in before she closed the door. She had learned from a letter received. from the Major, during our stay at Rome, that he had arrived safe and well, and that he was about to join in the Affghan war. She had also since heard it rumored that the English arms had been victorious; and being naturally anxious to read the account, she had taken the paper, doubting not that honorable mention would be made of the Major. "Why" did Mr. Vandelour so eagerly peruse his business correspondence, and Mrs. V. even trivial notes on the London season? My sweet young mistress read, word for word, the columns headed "India,success of the British arms," &c., and aloud (although I was the only living thing present) when she came to the following: "When the swarthy warriors made a stand, desperate as the tiger when at bay, their cannon vomiting forth storms of iron hail, Major Broadsword led on the gallant Thirteenth to the charge, and, sword in hand, encountered and slew the chieftain of this iron-knit band; putting the rest to flight, and remaining master of the field." Had she stopped here, all would perhaps have been well, and she would (for that day at least) have been most happy; but she read on. Her voice suddenly became lower, so low that I could scarcely hear her speak. And yet I saw her lips move, and her hands tremble. She rose, as if to go down-stairs; but before reaching the door, fell insensible upon the floor. I ran to her face, and barked as loud as I could, in the hope of rousing her. While so doing, my master and mistress came rushing into the room, to see what it was had caused such a noise. It was caused by her fall. A doctor was sent for, and came with all speed; but ere he arrived, mortal had become immortal. Miss Emily's spirit had departed. She was gone where "the wicked cease from troubling, and the weary are at rest,"-dying with HIS name upon her lips. The real cause was not guessed at, until I ran from the couch to the newspaper that lay where she fell. Mrs. Vandelour noticing me, took up the paper, and read, "In following up his victory, the Major fell covered with wounds and honor, a bullet having passed through his heart.' With the "dear remains" we came to England again; and in due course my poor young mistress was buried. Νο doubt with all the pomp and ceremony usual for persons moving in her station in life; but this I cannot speak positively about, as I was not permitted to be present. She lies at Kensall-Green. It was now the height of summer; and much I longed for my sweet lost mistress, and the nice long rambles over the fields about the little village of West End, where we (ie., the Major, Miss Emily, and I) used often to spend hours in the cool of the evening. Only one summer since! But I must not leave my story to enlarge on all, or even a thousandth part of the thoughts that at this moment present themselves. One of the veterinarians who had been called in to Neptune, was asked his opinion and advice about me, and what must be done to prevent me gnawing and tearing everything that I came near; also why it was my breath was offensive. He said I must be "wormed;" and that this would cure me of my propensity for nibbling, and also ward off fits; and to sweeten my breath, he ordered that I should have no animal food of any kind, but be wholly fed on biscuits, buns, &c. The biscuit diet was put in practice directly, and the next day I began on "Huntley and Palmer's Pic Nics;" but at dinner-time could not help crying for a bit of the glorious roast leg of mutton that hissed on the table, when I was told that my doctor had said I was not to have any; it was not good for me. My doctor? No! He never said any such thing; but on hearing of it, gave instructions that "I should have a little of any roast meat once every day; and if I required food twice in a day, then I was to have a biscuit,-not a sugared one, but a good, plain, and wholesome captains' biscuit." You know how we dogs express our joy. Mine, I fear, was boisterous, since I was reproved for barking so. It was after dinner when he told Mrs. Vandelour this; when I had turned away almost choked at the sight of the diamonds and circles placed for my meal, and after I had cried for a bit of meat from the table. A plate of meat was instantly ordered, that my doctor might say what was the proper taken away, and the plate put down to me. quantity to be given at a meal. Half was That I ate it with so much zest, seemed to surprise my mistress, as I had turned away of late from my usual dinner without touching it. But my doctor said that "in feeding, as in keeping animals of whatever denomination, nature should be followed as nearly as possible; and that the teeth of a dog were carnivorous or flesh-tearing (not biscuit-crushing), and the digestive organs short, compared with herbivorous (grass-eating) animals, or omnivorous (eaters of all things); thereby food easily and quickly converted into blood. proving that they were intended to live on But that as nature was not followed in the keeping, so the feeding might digress from nature's rule in part, and biscuit form one meal out of the two; or they might be given conjointly." "But," he said, "the system of feeding wholly on biscuits is very injurious; since it renders the blood poor, the skin harsh, and liable to diseases of many kinds, at the same sime that it confines the bowels, and makes it necessary to give biscuits with one hand and pills with the other,—thus turning the poor dog's inside into a walking repository for damaged flour and medicine." About the "worming," I will tell you byand-bye; but my interpreter, the dog's own friend-my dear doctor, is now so busy with his numerous little and large patients, that he declares it is impossible to hold the pen for me any longer. So let me remain, THE "HIMALAYA" SCREW STEAMER. THE LARGEST SHIP AFLOAT. (a well-known street in Southampton), which has on one side of it 22 three-storied houses with spacious shops. Her width is as great as many a large metropolitan street. Her depth is enormous. The funnel is 24 feet in circumference, at one end of the deck hallooing ever so loud and is scarcely noticed on the deck. A person could not be heard distinctly at the other end.* Relays of officers will communicate the orders of the commander to either end of the ship. On the platform where the commander is stationed, there are a series of bells to communicate with the engine department. A NOBLE OPPORTUNITY was recently afforded us for inspecting this noble vessel, whilst in the East India Docks'; and not long previous to her steaming to Southampton. A finer sight could not be conceived. Everything, from first to last,-from stem to stern, was on a most princely scale; and as regards comfort, nothing appeared to be wanting that the most fastidious person could desire. There was a degree of "finish" about the On the Himalaya entering Southampton Water, workmanship which proved that money was-Calshot Castle, the ancient defence of that entrance, and the Solent, looked like a molehill when contrasted with the steamer. They could have in her hold. Nearly 200 passengers' berths are been stowed away-guns, artillery, men, and all on board of her, 150 of which are first-class, with rooms as large as those at some hotels; 200 persons can dine luxuriously in the saloon. The fittings-up of the steamer are superb, and the upholstery work is most expensive. no consideration. Then there were elegancies out of number, -amongst which we observed, at the remote end of the saloon, a handsome pianoforte. But it is quite needless to particularise further; where all the arrangements might justly be pronounced perfect. The kitchen, bakery, store-rooms, &c., were alone worth a visit. Everything was so complete! We had prepared a long article about the "Himalaya," for insertion in our last; but want of space prevented its admission. We therefore now content ourself with the particulars given of its arrival at Southampton (taken from the Hants Advertiser of January 14), in which are contained many minutiae of great public interest. The Peninsular and Oriental Company's screwsteamer, "Himalaya," arrived at Southampton yesterday (Friday, Jan. 13) from London. She left the docks on the day previous, and averaged, during her voyage, about 14 miles an hour. The Himalaya is the largest ship in the world, and is intended for the conveyance of the mails between Southampton and Alexandria. A large party, consisting of many of the directors and other chief persons connected with the Peninsular and Oriental Company, with their friends, came round to Southampton in the Himalaya. It was thick weather yesterday, over Southampton water; but about midday, a huge mountainous mass emerged from the fog near the dock-buoy, which was immediately made out on shore to be the Himalaya. She hoisted a signal for the docks, and steaming up the Itchen river, entered the dock with perfect ease; and soon came alongside, Occupying and filling a berth which is usually occupied by two large steamers. A large crowd of persons assembled in the docks to witness her arrival. While in the centre of the dock, her huge but beautiful proportions could be seen to advantage. Although Southampton people are accustomed to see monster steamers, the amazing length and bulk of the Himalaya struck every one with surprise. She is ship-rigged, but not heavily so; and she drew 15 feet of water forward, and 18 feet aft. Of course she is light now; but when she is heavily laden and deeper in the water, the fineness of her lines will be more conspicuous than at present. On stepping on board, her vastness was again evident. She has a flush deck, and is, moreover, nearly as long as Bernard Street The All the curtains cost three guineas a yard, and the damask five guineas. The ladies' saloon is a large, elegant, and commodious apartment, with servants' room and bath room adjoining. and cost about £150,000. She would have cost The Himalaya is an iron ship, built by Mare, much more, had she been built of wood. engines are by Penn, and are the direct acting trunk engines, such as were fitted into some of the screw line-of-battle ships,-the Agamemnon, for instance. They work beautifully, and will give immense speed. The Himalaya will bring Gibraltar within three days' distance, Malta six days, and Egypt nine days. She would take 2,000 soldiers a distance as far as the Cape of Good Hope in about three weeks, and 2,000 emigrants to America in a week. This magnificent vessel is as yet the crowning effort of a princely enterprise. The appearance and success of such a colossal steamer has been foretold, but never before realised. There can be no doubt now that the great oceans will be bridged over by steamers like the Himalaya, ere long. At present, however, she is one of the wonders of the world. We might greatly enlarge upon the foregoing, and still keep within the confines of truth. However, enough has been said to afford a very fair idea of the liberality shown in fitting up this "palace of the great deep." We only wish we were going out with a snug party on the maiden voyage. It would be delightful." " *Some idea may be formed of the gigantic proportions of this ship by the following fact. A person on board walking completely round it seven times, will have been over one mile of ground.— Ed. K. J. EDUCATION.-A FRIENDLY HINT. If we would have our children to excel, we should see that the exercises of the body and those of the mind, serve always as a recreation,-the one to the other. The stoppage of the rails all over the kingdom-the state of the London streets-the extortion of omnibus proprietors and cabmasters, &c.—all live actively in our memory. It is long since we had an "Old English Winter;" and perhaps some of us will not pray for such another specimen ! Connected with the heavy fall of snow, one thing surprised us excessively; and that was, the apathy of the London tradesmen as to its removal from before their doors. Nor did any one lend a hand to render the streets passable. A very few shillings collected among the neighboring tradesmen, would have set all straight in a few short hours, all over London; and made the high-ways and by-ways fordable. But no! All the world seemed astonished-frozen up-indifferentmorbidly inactive. The poor were unemployed, and did nothing but grumble (as usual)-business was a misnomer-boys "cut out WE suffered among the rest. The Hammersmith and Bayswater omnibuses either asked such enormous fares that nobody would give them; or they sulkily refused to come out at all. This has caused us many a long sloppy walk, night and morning; and, by consequence, a constant succession of colds, coughs, &c. Mont Blanc. Bah! Talk to us of the ascent and descent of Holborn-hill. We have all of us been performing exploits within the last week, compared with which the ascent of Mont Blanc is a trifle. The only difference was, that you had not a dozen stout guides to help you; nor any provision of cold fowls, champagne, and brandy flasks; and when you achieved the perilous crossing of a street, or safely traversed the mauvais pas of a slide on the footpath, you did not halt and give three cheers, or drink the Queen's health in a bumper. You were, indeed, all unconscious of your heroism, though fully sensible of your hardships. London on Wednesday, January 4th, was Mont Blanc; and a good bit over, taken horizontally. The footway was a figure of speech. There was literally no footway, and what had been a footway was bound by a long Alpine chain of snow; with here and there narrow gorges, through which the adventurous traveller penetrated to what once was a road, but which had become a confused mass of snow. Avalanches came thundering down from the house-tops. You could hardly recognise the familiar town. Its features were all changed; and it was so hoarse with cold, you could not hear its voice. Its noisy rumblings were all silenced, its busy throngs thinned to a shivering, stumbling, staggering pedestrian here and there. You might as well look for a rose in bloom as for a cab; a friend in need was not more rare. Now and then an omnibus loomed in the distance; ploughing along, pitching and sending slides on the pavement, whilst the like a ship in a chopping sea. Their very propolicemen looked on and grinned at them-gress, as Leigh Hunt says of pigs, was a kind of old people fell down, damaged their shins, or sticking. Nothing, indeed, advanced but the broke their bones-and accidents of the most fares, which rose to the full height of Mont fearful kinds were of common occurrence. Blanc. The rise marks the height of the public Nobody, however, seemed to care; nor to take distress. But other evidences were not wanting. any steps to remedy the existing evils. This The town was like the sea shore after a storm, is a startling and very curious fact. strewed with wrecks and stranded craft. Abandoned carts and wagons were to be seen embedded in the snow. The news from the railroads is only of fast trains; that is to say, of trains fast set in the drifts. Nothing is now fast in any other sense, except in the instance of those improper persons who are both fast and loose. It is too obvious that the war has commenced, and that we are already invaded by the climate of Russia. The foe is not only at our gates, but at our fingers' the nose. And, in the midst of these sufferends; and what is most insulting, taking us by ments of the season! Pretty compliments! and ings, you are, in aggravation, offered the compliprovoking past all endurance it is to hear a man with his nose blue, his fingers frozen, and his feet slipping at every step, talk of "fine seasonable weather," '-an expression reserved for these bitter occasions, and never heard on a fine balmy summer's day, when nothing but murmurs against the heat are uttered. These worthies have since tried to keep up their high fares; but they find their mistake. The public have learnt, during the snow, that walking is "good" for them; and now the omnibuses run to and fro comparatively empty. If people would only hold together, and agree to walk,-coach, cab, and omnibus proprietors would soon be brought to their senses. But John Bull is an idiot. He grumbles, but still pays. Hence the frequent attempts-seldom unsuccessful-to pick his pocket. Here let us record the whimsical com ment of a London correspondent, on the appearance of our great city" during the snow. It has reference to the week commencing Jan. 3rd, and ending Jan. 10th: This frost has had only one parallel within our time; and we need hardly add we are as old as leon's Russian retreat. Methuselah. We allude to the winter of NapoThe frost was then, as also in the present instance, preceded by fog; but both of greater density and duration. It lasted three weeks, with only partial breaks. Then down came the snow, which drifted to the depth of six feet in some of the streets. The Thames was frozen over, and a fair held on it. The state of the streets was not then, however, nearly so bad as now; and we have never seen anything so desolate and dreary as the aspect of the town on Wednesday. The effect has been likened to the cab strike; but nature's look-out far surpasses the other strike in inconveniences. The cab strike, after all, left us our legs, but the slippery snow of Wednesday made them too often perform the revolutionary exploit of bringing the head down to the same level. For many hours, London was in a state of blockade; having little communication within, and none externally. To pass from Pall Mall to Oxford-street has been an expedition requiring no small nerve and resolution; and many an adventure might be written from one not very distant part of the town to another. Little indeed do the mariners of England, who live so much at ease in the Turkish waters, dream of the perils besetting the hardy passenger in the streets of London, in this Russian winter. The idea of red-hot shot is rather pleasing than otherwise, to the imagination just saluted with a snow-ball; and the inhabitant of this city, in a state of wintry siege, envies the warriors in the peaceful occupation of the Bosphorus. So much for London in the snow. The accounts from the country are equally curious of their kind. Of the many disasters occasioned by this severe visitation, we would fain keep silence. Wind, storm, snow, and tempest, have laid thousands upon thousands prostrate. They have sunk to rise no more. WE live to ruminate upon their destruction. "Such is life!" THE METROPOLITAN POULTRY SHOW. THE GRAND WINTER SHOW took place at the Baker-street Bazaar, on Tuesday, January 10th; and was, beyond all dispute, the best we have yet had. The rooms were very well arranged, all things considered; and the animals exhibited were for the most part displayed to advantage. We were quite pleased to see so much "good" company present on the opening day; and to note the interest taken in a careful examination of the birds. The Cochin China mania has, we are glad to see, very greatly subsided. Of this class, there were some remarkably fine specimens; and we should say "healthy" ones, for when the cocks opened their ungainly mouths to crow, the sound thereof might have been heard at a distance very remote indeed! The prices affixed to these gawky birds, some of them at least, were low enough in all conscience; but the fact is, it is now ascertained that the cost of their food (they eat enormously), set against the produce of their eggs, is such as to render their "value" problematical. They eat their heads off! The snow storm no doubt prevented many breeders sending up their birds; but there was nevertheless a goodly collection. There were 1,139 entries of poultry, 425 pens of pigeons, and 50 pens of rabbits,-making a total of 1614 competing pens. The Dorkings (our special favorites) came out among the Cochins in the finest possible relief. What noble specimens were here exhibited! For a cock and two hens there were 27 entries. The prizes went to the Rev. Mr. Boyes, Mrs. Finch Noyes, and Mr. W. Smith. In the sixth class, for a cock and two pullets, were 48 pens, many of them of great merit. The difference in the prize follows:-Mr Smith, Mr. Terry, and Mr. pens was but trifling, but they were taken as Boyes. The next was the competition confined to cocks only; and here both prizes were gained by Mr. Fisher Hobbs. A pen of this gentleman's birds was purchased for his Royal Highness Prince Albert. Those for hens, were awarded to the Rev. J. Boyes and Mr. Bleabington. We were delighted to find our opinion of these birds strongly confirmed by the best practical judges among the visitors. They are, doubtless, "profitable" in every point of view; whilst the Cochins are hideous to look at, and a perfect nuisance to all the neighbors near whom they dwell. The The gold and silver-pencilled and spangled Hamburghs were some of them beautiful creatures. The Sebright Bantams were only passable,-with one or two exceptions. We have bred many infinitely superior. game fowl were indeed noble animals,—quite up to the mark. The Spanish too, were better grown than ever we saw them, and in rude health. But all the feathered tribe were (on the opening day) in the finest condition. We saw them subsequently, however, when many of them were in a pitiable plight; such close confinement had shortened the lives of a considerable number. They were not worth the trouble of removal. The pigeons deserve our very best word. There was a princely collection of them,many sent in by the "Philo-Peristeron Society." Among these were, of course, the very celebrated pouters of Mr. Bult, of Hornsey. What a superb carriage have these most redoubtable birds! The wonder of the world are they, of their kind. They were the theme of general admiration. But so indeed were many others among this select association. The almond tumblers, too, fascinated many a pretty face, and a tender heart-as the fair owner passed by; and we dwelt long on the spot to listen to the amiable conversation that these choice little feathered pets drew forth. Nor did we fail to join in it. We were quite "at home" among these pleasures of our youth. The rabbits too are entitled to honorable |