THE SPANIEL AND THE WATER LILY

"The poet Cowper was a great friend to animals. Many of his most beautiful letters to his friends have very pleasant passages about his pretty tortoise shell kitten, and his distress that she would grow up into a cat, do what he would."

"He was a lover of tame rabbits and hares, and speaks of all these animals as if they were his friends and fellow-creatures. In one of his little poems he tells a pretty story of his spaniel Beau. I was so pleased with it that I learned it by heart unconsciously, from reading it over so often."

Spaniel
Buy this dog figurine from GoCollect.com

"Do repeat it, Mother," cried both the boys.

Mrs. Chilton then repeated the poem; and, as some of my young readers may not be familiar with it, they shall have a copy, too.

"This, also, boys, is a true story," said their mother.

The Dog And The Water Lily.

The noon was shady, and soft airs
Swept Ouse's silent tide,
When, 'scaped from literary cares,
I wandered on his side.

My spaniel--prettiest of his race,
And high in pedigree--
(Two nymphs adorned with every grace,
That spaniel found for me--)

Now wantoned, lost in flowery reeds,
Now, starting into sight,
Pursued the swallow o'er the meads,
With scarce a slower flight.

It was the time when Ouse displayed
His lilies newly blown.
Their beauties I intent surveyed,
And one I wished my own.

With cane extended far, I sought
To steer it close to land;
But still the prize, though nearly caught,
Escaped my eager hand.

Beau marked my unsuccessful pains,
With fixed, considerate face;
And, puzzling, set his puppy brains
To comprehend the case.

But, with a chirrup clear and strong
Dispersing all his dream,
I thence withdrew, and followed long
The windings of the stream.

My ramble finished, I returned;
Beau, trotting far before,
The floating wreath again discerned,
And, plunging, left the shore.

I saw him with that lily cropped
Impatient swim to meet
My quick approach; and soon he dropped
The treasure at my feet.

Charmed with the sight, "The world," I cried,
"Shall hear of this thy deed.
My dog shall mortify the pride
Of man's superior breed."

But, chief, myself I will enjoin,
Awake at duty's call,
To show a love as prompt as thine
To Him who gives me all.

"I think that's a right pretty story, Mother," said Frank, when his mother had finished reciting it; "but will you tell me what 'high in pedigree' means; for I'm sure I don't know. I never heard the word before; and who are nymphs, who found the spaniel for Cowper?"

"'High in pedigree,' Frank, means nothing but that he had a very respectable grandfather and mother."

"Then, Mother, we are high in pedigree; for I'm sure that grandfather and grandmother--, at the farm, are the very best and most respectable people in the world, and send us the best butter and cheese. But what are nymphs?"

"There was, in olden times, Frank, before the birth of Christ, and among many people since there is a belief in a sort of fairies, or fanciful existences. They thought that in each stream, and wood, and grotto lived a beautiful young woman, invisible to common eyes, and these lovely fairies were called nymphs. So it became common to call any beautiful young woman a nymph."

"The best line in it," said Harry, "is, 'And, puzzling, set his puppy brains.' That I can quite understand."

"Now," said Mrs. Chilton, "it is time to light the candles, and for little boys to go to bed."