Prefaces are not always necessary; but when an author has either to
acknowledge a courtesy, or to make an apology, then a preface becomes a
duty. I have to do both.
Firstly, then, as regards acknowledgment. I have endeavoured in this
book to give sketches--as near to nature as a line could be drawn--of a
few of my former friends and favourites in the animal world, and many of
these have appeared from time to time in the magazines and periodicals,
to which I have the honour to contribute.
I have to thank, then, the good old firm of Messrs. Chambers, of
Edinburgh, for courteously acceding to my request to be allowed to
republish "My Cabin Mates and Bedfellows," and "Blue-Jackets' Pets,"
from their world-known Journal.
I have also to thank Messrs. Cassell and Co., London, for the
re-appearance herein of several short stories I wrote for their charming
magazine _Little Folks_, on the pages of which, by the way, the sun
never sets.
Mr Dean, one of my publishers, kindly permitted me to reprint the story
of my dead-and-gone darling "Tyro," and the story of "Blucher." This
gentleman I beg to thank. I have also to thank Messrs. Routledge and
Son for a little tale from my book, "The Domestic Cat."
Nor must I forget to add that I have taken a few sketches, though no
complete tales, from some of my contributions to that queen of
periodicals yclept _The Girl's Own Paper_, to edit which successfully,
requires as much skill and taste, as an artist displays in the culling
and arrangement of a bouquet of beautiful flowers.
With the exception of these tales and sketches, all else in the book is
original, and, I need hardly add, painted from the life.
Secondly, as regards apology. The wish to have, in a collected form,
the life-stories of the creatures one has loved; to have, as it were,
the graves of the pets of one's past life arranged side by side, is
surely only natural; no need to apologise for that, methinks. But,
reader, I have to apologise, and I do so most humbly, for the too
frequent appearance of the "_ego_" in this work.
I have had no wish to be autobiographical, but my own life has been as
intimately mixed up with the lives of the creatures that have called me
"master," as is the narrow yellow stripe, in the tartan plaid of the
Scottish clan to which I belong. And so I crave forgiveness.
Gordon Stables.
_Gordon Grove, Twyford, Berks_.