The Adventures of a Dog, and a Good Dog Too | Page 6

him. The road was quite clear, and the poor pup quite lost in the
unusual treat of a good meal; so I took my way homewards, with an
empty stomach but a full heart. I was so pleased to see that little fellow
enjoy his dinner so thoroughly.
This sort of life, wherein one was compelled either to fight for every bit
one could get to eat or go without food altogether, became at last so
tiresome to me that I set about for some other means of providing for
my wants. I could not understand how the old doggess used to manage,
but though she never had anything to give me, she did not seem to be
without food herself. She was getting so much more cross and
quarrelsome, perhaps on account of her age and infirmities, that I now
saw but little of her, as I often, on a fine night, preferred curling myself
up under a doorway or beneath a tree, to returning to the kennel and
listening to her feeble growls. She never seemed to want me there, so I
had less difficulty in keeping away from her.
Chance assisted me in the choice of my new attempt at getting a living.
I was walking along one of the narrow streets of Caneville, when I was
stopped by an old dog, who was known to be very rich and very
miserly. He had lately invented a novel kind of match for lighting pipes
and cigars, which he called "a fire-fly," the composition of which was
so dangerous that it had already caused a good deal of damage in the
town from its exploding; and he wanted some active young dogs to
dispose of his wares to the passers-by according to the custom of
Caneville. As he expected a good deal of opposition from the venders
of a rival article, it was necessary to make choice of such agents as
would not be easily turned from their purpose for fear of an odd bite or
two. I suppose he thought I was well fitted for the object he had in view.
I was very poor--one good reason, for his employing me, as I would be

contented with little; I was strong, and should therefore be able to get
through the work; I was willing, and bore a reputation for honesty--all
sufficient causes for old Fily (that was his name) to stop me this fine
morning and propose my entering his service. Terms are easily
arranged where both parties are willing to come to an agreement. After
being regaled with a mouldy bone, and dressed out in an old suit of
clothes belonging to my new master, which, in spite of a great hole in
one of the knees, I was not a little proud of, with a bundle of wares
under my arm and a box of the famous "fire-flies" in my paw, I began
my commercial career.
But, alas! either the good dogs of Caneville were little disposed to
speculate that day, or I was very awkward in my occupation, but no one
seemed willing to make a trial of my "fire-flies." In vain I used the
most enticing words to set off my goods, even going so far as to say
that cigars lighted with these matches would have a very much finer
flavour, and could not possibly go out. This I said on the authority of
my employer, who assured me of the fact. It was of no use; not a single
"fire-fly" blazed in consequence, and I began to fear that I was not
destined to make my fortune as a match-seller.
At length there came sweeping down the street a party which at once
attracted me, and I resolved to use my best efforts to dispose, at least,
of one of my boxes, if it were only to convince my master that I had
done my best. The principal animal of the group was a lady doggess,
beautifully dressed, with sufficient stuff in her gown to cover a dozen
ordinary dogs, a large muff to keep her paws from the cold, and a very
open bonnet with a garden-full of flowers round her face, which, in
spite of her rich clothes, I did not think a very pretty one. A little
behind her was another doggess, not quite so superbly dressed, holding
a puppy by the paw. It was very certain that they were great animals,
for two or three dogs they had just passed had taken off their hats as
they went by, and then put their noses together as if they were saying
something about them.
[Illustration: LADY BULL]
I drew near, and for the first time in my life was timid and abashed. The

fine clothes, no doubt, had something to