The Dog's Book of Verse Part 11

Full dismal blows the wind Without my cabin, here, And many times I find Myself possessed of fear.

I often hear a sound As if a stranger tried To enter here, but found The door made fast inside.

The nights are filled with dread, And fancy even scrolls Gray visions of the dead-- Ghosts of departed souls.

But never near me creeps What fancy oft invites.

My dog a vigil keeps Throughout the awful nights.

HOWARD C. KEGLEY.

ARGUS

When wise Ulysses, from his native coast Long kept by wars, and long by tempests tost, Arrived at last--poor, old, despised, alone, To all his friends, and e'en his queen, unknown, Changed as he was, with age, and toils, and cares, Furrowed his rev'rend face, and white his hairs, In his own palace forced to ask his bread, Scorned by those slaves his former bounty fed, Forgot of all his own domestic crew, His faithful dog his rightful master knew!

Unfed, unhoused, neglected, on the clay Like an old servant, now cas.h.i.+ered, he lay; And though ev'n then expiring on the plain, Touched with resentment of ungrateful man, And longing to behold his ancient lord again, Him when he saw, he rose, and crawled to meet ('Twas all he could), and fawned, and kissed his feet, Seized with dumb joy; then falling by his side, Owned his returning lord, looked up, and died.

ALEXANDER POPE.

CHAINED IN THE YARD

'Twas only a dog in a kennel And little noise he made, But it seemed to me as I heard it I knew what that old dog said.

"Another long month to get over; Will n.o.body loosen my chain?

Just for a run 'round the meadow, Then fasten me up again.

"Give me my old life of freedom, Give me a plunge and a swim, A dash and a dive in the river, A shake and a splash on the brim."

I patted his head and spoke kindly, I thought that his case was hard, Oh, give him a run in the open, Your dog chained up in the yard!

ANONYMOUS.

WHY THE DOG'S NOSE IS COLD

"What makes the dog's nose always cold?"

I'll try to tell you, curls of gold, If you will sit upon my knee And very good and quiet be.

Well, years and years and years ago-- How many I don't really know-- There came a rain on sea and sh.o.r.e; Its like was never seen before Or since. It fell unceasing down Till all the world began to drown.

But just before it down did pour, An old, old man--his name was Noah-- Built him an ark, that he might save His family from a watery grave; And in it also he designed To shelter two of every kind Of beast. Well, dear, when it was done, And heavy clouds obscured the sun, The Noah folks to it quickly ran, And then the animals began To gravely march along in pairs.

The leopards, tigers, wolves and bears, The deer, the hippopotamuses, The rabbits, squirrels, elks, walruses, The camels, goats, and cats, and donkeys, The tall giraffes, the beavers, monkeys, The rats, the big rhinoceroses, The dromedaries and the horses, The sheep, the mice, the kangaroos, Hyenas, elephants, koodoos, And many more--'twould take all day, My dear, the very names to say-- And at the very, very end Of the procession, by his friend And master, faithful dog was seen.

The lifelong time he'd helping been To drive the crowd of creatures in; And now, with loud, exultant bark, He gayly sprang aboard the bark.

Alas! So crowded was the s.p.a.ce He could not in it find a place; So, patiently, he turned about,-- Stood half-way in, and half-way out, And those extremely heavy showers Descended through nine hundred hours And more; and, darling, at their close Most frozen was his honest nose; And never could it lose again The dampness of that dreadful rain.

And that is what, my curls of gold, Made all the doggies' noses cold.

MARGARET EYTINGE.

DOG LANGUAGE

Our Towser is the finest dog that ever wore a collar, We wouldn't sell him--no, indeed--not even for a dollar!

I understand his language now, 'cause honest, it appears That dogs can talk, and say a lot, with just their tails and ears.

When I come home from school he meets me with a joyous bound, And shakes that long tail sideways, down and up, and round and round.

Pa says he's going to hang a rug beside the door to see If Towser will not beat it while he's busy greeting me.

Then when he sees me get my hat, but thinks he cannot go, His ears get limp, his tail drops down, and he just walks off--slow; Though if I say the magic words: "Well, Towser, want to come?"

Why, say! You'd know he answered "Yes," although at speech he's dumb.

MARION HOVEY BRIGGS.

A DOG'S LOYALTY

Many a good And useful quality, and virtue, too.

Attachment never to be weaned or changed By any change of fortune; proof alike Against unkindness, absence, and neglect; Fidelity that neither bribe nor threat Can move or warp; and grat.i.tude for small And trivial favors lasting as the life, And glistening even in the dying eye.

ANONYMOUS.

PART III

THE DOG IN ACTION

_Course, hunt, in hills, in valley or in plain-- He joys to run and stretch out every limb, To please but thee he spareth for no pain, His hurt (for thee) is greatest good to him.