OUR BOYS & GIRLS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 957, 4 July 1890, Page 4

OUR BOYS & GIRLS.

THE STORY OF PRINCE. A True Story. (by L. N. CHAPIN. IN ST. NICHOLAS). His ancestry was illustrious and traditional. He belonged to the race of the ‘Scottish Chiefs ’ and the * Shepherd Kings.’ He was a noble speoimen of the brute creation ; of rather slender form ; a pointed muzzle ; aDd quivering nostrils, that could deteot the feet of his master, even where oounfcless feet had passed before, and that guided him unerring in any quest; glossy hair, plaited on his breast like a shield : ears erect, and slightly drooping at the tips , ana eyes that understood and spoke all lang iiges. Snoh was ‘Prince.’ ITe was bat a dog; yet within the range of his narrow life he was exemplary, to a degree that might well be imitated by some alleged to be of a highor type. In manners, geutle and high-bred ;to h:s inferiors, thoughtful and considerate; in his friendships, fidelity itself. Ho knew hi» duty, and he did it; he knew his station and he kept it. He was a native of Norway. Not of Norway far across the se3, but the Norway that is here at home, in our own Empire State ; yet this Norway is not wholly unlike that other, for winter sits enthroned on all the frozen hills, and summer empties her golden cornucopia down all the valleys. Many are the stories told to show the intelligence, affection, and fidelity of Prince. He was wonderfully knowing, and seemed to understand sign-language, and even human speeuii, quite as well as his betters. He was a farmer’s dog ; and it is always surprising Lc oh real, practical help a farmer will get from a good dog. It is said in Scotland, that a collie will do the work of many men, and that it is this alone which renders the business of sheep-raising profitable in that oonntry. There, too, these intelligent brutes have occasionally been trained to do something besides honest work. One Scotch dog was so trained that, receiving instructions from his master as to which one of a neighbour’s flook he wonld like to have added to his own, the dog would accomplish the theft in the master’s absence. Not later than the end of the last century, a man was hung in Scotland because he had taught his dog to do, and the dog had done, that very thing. One is tempted to believe that an animal so intelligent knew he was doiug wrong. Old Prince was trained to work like any farm hand, and, unlike some farm hands, would do his work without complaining. He could be sent to the furthest part of the farm to bring anything that was wanted, if it was not too heavy for him to carry or drag. On one occasion a visitor was present who doubted that Prince was as clever as his owner claimed. When the company were leaving the hay.field for dinner, the visitor was asked to drop his handkerchief where Prince could not see it. Arriving at the house the loss was explained to Prince, and he was told to fetch the handkerchief. He uuuuueu liu 9 i*uu duuu returnee* it* When directed, he would go to any oertain field and from a large number of tools, would seleot and bring home one named. I have known boys who would take all day to do such an errand, and probably bring the wrong thing after all.

One day Prince was told to go to th 6 woods where the men had been chopping, and to bring home the axe. He was gone a long time, much to the surprise of all; for when Prince had an errand to do, he never pl&yad by the way. Finally he returned, dragging with him a heavy beetle. I suppose that very few city boys, and n >t all country boys, now, know what a ‘ beetle * is. It is a poov derous wooden mallet, for driving the steel wedges usfd in splitting logs Of cours* everybody thought it very Btrango that bs, should have brought this instead the axe 5 aQ d Prinoo himself looked at his master evidently very tired, find Yt ?y ~o;r?ecL

and saving as plainly as looks could;, tha* there was something to explain. So the men l hurried down to the woods for a solution of the mystery. Thore they found the axe deeply aet in the end of a log. Poor Ptince had actually almost gnawed the handle oli in his efforts to get the axe. Finding this impossible, he had brought the beetle instead , thinking, perhaps, it might do. Faithful old Prince 1 There is something very touching in this attempt to do his duty. There was no worker on the farm that could not have been spared quite as well as Prince. How many steps he saved tired feet 1 Every night he would go to the distant pasture for the cows, never missing one, although the hills In the vicinity are very high and the valleys are very deep. And even the cattle came to know him as a friend. You may be sure that for all this faithful Bervice Prince received many a kind return. Indeed. h 8 was regarded almost as a member of the family.. ~ But, alas ! even faithful friends grow old and the bast of servants lose their usefulness. And to Prince their came a time when age told upon him. The speed went from his nimble legs ; and, I am sorry to say, soma of the sweetness went from his temper. All were foroed to admit that the farm-work required a younger hand. But what was to be done with Prince? It was well known that he would never stand the giving of his honoured place to another. It had been tried but made trouble at onoe. Prince took it as an insult. Ho grew insanely jealous. r.n fact, he seemed to reoover some of his lost youth in his determination to remain at his post. He was too nearly human not to reseat being superseded. So the farmer thought he would try to find Borne one who would take Prince, and give him a home, and be kind to him in his latter days. The next time the farmer wont to Little Fall to trade, he took Prince with him , and, while there, called on his groceryman, and asked whether he would accept Prince as a gift. He told of the dog’s intelligence and faithfulness, and said that while Prinoe had lost his usefulness on the farm, he was still a good dog to have about the house where there were children. *1 want the old fellow to have a good home for the rest of his days,' said the farmer with some feeling. The grocery-keeper said he would be very glad to take him ; and so it was arranged that when the farmer was ready to start for home ho was to come and leave the dog with the grocer. Prinoe was a silent listener to this arrangement, and, as events proven, was doing some very serious thinking. When the farmer was ready to go the dog was nowhere to be seen. He went back to all the places he bad visited, and finally to the hotel-stable, where he had left the team ; but Prince was not to be found. At last, he started for his home, twenty-five miles away, wondering what oould have become of the old dog. Nothing of the kind had ever ocourred before Could Prince have gone home ? Possibly On arriving, sure enough, there was Prince. He had not approved of being given away ! But, as has been said, a younger dog was a necessity on the farm, and in oomse of time one was found, and installed as Prince’s aucoesßor But old Prince made this young dog's life very miserable. On every occasion he would snap at him, and otherwise manifest the bitterest animosity. Although the veteran’s teeth were nearly gone, he was in physical strength far superior to the little fellow, and he bullied him relentlessly. The new comer stood this as well as he could for ooinc time ; but one day he disappeared. All supposed that he waa tired of being abused, and had gone away to escape from his oppressor. Not so however. After two or three days’ absence he returned, bringiug with him a large dog, that had never been seen in that region before. Then these two dogs pitched into old Prince, and must literally have whipped him to death ; for the poor fellow crawled around behind the barn, stretched himself out, and made a full surrender to ‘ our last great enemy.’ Then the big dog disappeared as strangely as he had come, and that was the last ever seen of him by the people at the farm. Poor Prince ! We all know the story of the Welshman who erected a splendid monument to the memory of his faithful dog as told in the poem. Beth-Gelert—‘ Gaylord’s Grave.’ I think that dear old Prince, too, deserved a monument. The story of Prince, as here related, is so remarkable is many respects, 1 fear there may be misgivings on the part of some as to its absolute truthfulness. I had not the honour of a personal acquaintance with Prince, but the facts here given came to me from one who did, and whose veracity I cannot question.