Anecdotes of the Habits and Instinct of AnimalsLee, R., Mrs.
General
Anecdotes of the Habits and Instinct of Animals
Lee, R., Mrs.
Animal behavior -- Juvenile literature
For the last three months of my mother's existence, Peter was almost
always on her bed, night and day; and during the final four weeks, when
death was daily expected, he was sad and dull: which was attributed to
the change in the habits of the family. Forty-eight hours before all was
over, Peter crept into a corner under the bed, which had always been his
place of refuge when in trouble; and we with difficulty prevailed on him
to quit it, even when his mistress wished to see and say farewell to
him. On that occasion he hung his head, and appeared to be so miserable,
that apprehensions of malady on his part were entertained. He returned
to his corner, and was not thought of for some time. At length all was
quiet in the room, and I was about to leave it, when I recollected
Peter. He was with difficulty prevailed on to leave his corner, where he
lay, curled up and trembling. I lifted him up to take a last look of his
beloved mistress, but he laid his head on my shoulder, and was so much
distressed that I carried him away immediately. On the following day, he
accompanied me up stairs, and when I passed my mother's door, he looked
up in my face as much as to say, "Are you going in there?" but I replied
"No!" and he never again asked for entrance. The coffin was soldered
down, and removed from the bed-room to the dining-room; and thus had to
pass the drawing-room where all the family were assembled. On ordinary
occasions, Peter was furious at the sound of strange footsteps in the
house, and even barked loudly when any one knocked or rang at the
street-door. On this occasion, however, he suffered the men employed to
pass and repass frequently, without making the slightest noise; but that
he was conscious of some unusual occurrence was evident from his jumping
into my arms, where, as the coffin was brought down, he sat with ears
erect, and eyes fixed, and panted and trembled in the most agitated
manner till all was quiet. As long as the body remained in the house, he
took every opportunity of walking round it and lying under it, and when
it was removed at five o'clock one morning, to begin its journey to the
family vault, he was again much agitated, but never offered to bark. On
the following day, I and others started to attend the funeral at a
considerable distance, and my daughters were to arrive at eight o'clock,
to pass the day in the house of their deceased grandmother. I took leave
of Peter, placed him on a mat in the hall, and said, "Stay there till
the girls come." He laid himself down; and the servants assured me, he
never moved till the parties arrived; when he met them with subdued
looks, and closely attached himself to them as long as they were
present. I returned two hours after midnight; and the first sound which
I heard, when the carriage stopped at the door, was a noisy
demonstration of joy from Peter. He thenceforward resumed all his usual
habits, barking on all occasions; but he never was quite the same in
disposition.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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