idges slowly rose. Who could
possibly miss them! Bang! bang! went both barrels, but the birds
continued their flight unharmed. The dog now fairly lost patience,
turned round, placed his tail between his legs, gave one sad howl, long
and loud, and set off at full speed homeward, leaving the gentleman to
holloa after him at the top of a gate, and continue the shooting as best
he could by himself.

If you desire to be properly served by those you employ, you must be up
to your business. I have often heard young people complain that they
can do nothing properly, the servants are so stupid; when they come down
late, that they were not called in time; or, if they have not learned
their lessons, that the room was not ready. I daresay, when the Cockney
sportsman returned with an empty gamebag, he abused the stupid dog for
running away.

BASS, THE GREAT SAINT BERNARD DOG.

Sir Thomas Dick Lauder had a dog named Bass, brought when a puppy from
the Great Saint Bernard. His bark was tremendous, and might be
distinguished nearly a mile off.

He was once stolen, when a letter-carrier, well acquainted with him,
heard his bark from the inside of a yard, and insisted on the man who
had him in possession delivering him up.

Terrific as was his bark, he was so good-natured that he would never
fight other dogs; and even allowed a little King Charles spaniel named
Raith to run off with any bone he might have been gnawing, and to
tyrannise over him in a variety of ways. If attacked by an inferior
enemy, he would throw his immense bulk down upon his antagonist and
nearly smother him, without attempting to bite.

He took a particular fancy for one of the Edinburgh postmen, whose duty
it was, besides delivering letters, to carry a letter-bag from one
receiving-house to another. This bag he used to give Bass to carry.
The dog accompanied him on his rounds, but invariably parted with him
opposite the gate of the Convent of Saint Margaret, and returned home.

On one occasion the postman, being ill, sent another man in his place.
Bass went up to the stranger, who naturally retired before so
formidable-looking a dog. Bass followed, showing a determination to
have the post-bag. The man did all he could to keep possession of it;
but at length Bass, seeing that it was not likely to be given to him,
raised himself on his hind-legs, and putting a great fore-paw on each of
the man's shoulders, laid him flat on his back in the road, then