I was watching Willie and Grouse at play on the lawn a few days since.
I saw in the poor dumb brute a spirit that is too seldom found in man.
[Illustration: {WILLIE POURS WATER OVER GROUSE.}]
Grouse is an old bird-dog,--a setter. He was bought before Willie came
to be his little master. He has soft, brown hair, and is a very
clever, good-natured dog. Willie can do anything with him, and he
never gets angry; but when Willie hurts him he only looks up and
pleads with his large, misty eyes.
They had been playing a long while. Grouse got tired and lay down on
the grass. Pretty soon I saw Willie get some water in a basin. I
wondered what he was going to do with it. Then he walked close up to
Grouse, who lay on the lawn, and threw the water all over him.
It was very unkind for Willie to do so, don't you think it was? I
called Willie to me, and told him it was too bad for him to plague
such a good old dog. I told him he was a very naughty boy to do so.
Willie said he supposed it was wrong to plague Grouse, but he didn't
mean to hurt him much.
So Willie went back to where Grouse lay in the sun drying himself. He
patted the poor dog on the head, and asked him if he would forgive him
for his unkindness.
Then Grouse, as if he knew what was said, licked Willie's hand. He
looked up forgivingly into his face with his dewy eyes, as much as to
say, "I am one who can love his enemies."