_Dogs._--ORIGINAL.
1. I never knew a little boy that was not fond of a dog, and I have
never seen many dogs which were not fond of little children.
2. It is not safe for little children to touch every strange dog that
they see, because some dogs are naturally rather cross, and may possibly
bite any one who touches them, when they do not know the persons.
3. But when a dog knows any one, and sees that his master is fond of
that person, he will let such a person play with him. He is always
pleased with any attentions that his master's friends bestow on him.
4. Large dogs are generally more gentle than small ones, and seldom bark
so much as the little ones do. They are also more easily taught to carry
bundles and baskets, and draw little carriages for children to ride in.
5. Some people are very much afraid of dogs, because they sometimes run
mad. The bite of a mad dog produces a very dreadful disease, called
_Hydropho'bia_.
6. This is a long and hard word, and means _a fear of water_. It is
called by that name because the person who has the disease cannot bear
to touch or to see water.
7. Dogs that are mad cannot bear to see water. They run from it with
dreadful cries, and seem to be in very great distress.
8. Whenever, therefore, a dog will drink water, it is a pretty sure sign
that he is not mad.
9. This dreadful disease very seldom affects dogs that are properly
supplied with water.
10. Dogs require a great deal of water. They do not always want much at
a time, and it is seldom that they drink much. But whoever keeps a dog
ought always to keep water in such a place that the dog may go to it to
drink, whenever he requires it.
11. A dog is a very affectionate animal, and he will permit his master,
and his master's children and friends, to do a great many things to him,
which he would perhaps bite others for doing.
12. There are many very interesting stories told of dogs, which show
their love and fidelity to their masters, which you can read in a book
called "Anecdotes of Dogs."
13. But there are a few little stories about dogs that I know, which I
will tell you, that are not contained in that book. I know these
stories to be true.
14. My son had a dog, whose name was Guido. He was very fond of playing
in the street with the boys, early in the morning, before they went to
school.
15. Guido was always very impatient to get out into the street in the
morning, to join the boys in their sports; and all the boys in the
street were very fond of him.
16. He used to wake very early, and go into the parlor, and seat himself
in a chair by the window, to look out for the boys; and as soon as he
saw a boy in the street, he would cry and whine until the servant opened
the door for him to go out.
17. One very cold morning, when the frost was on the glass, so that he
could not see out into the street, he applied his warm tongue to the
glass, and licking from it the frost, attempted to look out.
18. But the spot which he had made clear being only large enough to
admit one of his eyes, he immediately made another, just like it, in the
same manner, for the other eye, by which he was enabled to enjoy the
sight as usual. In the next lesson, I will tell you some other little
stories of Guido, and another dog, whose name was Don, that belonged to
my daughter.