It added greatly to the appearance of gentleness and simplicity in his
character, that he would readily accept the attentions of strangers,
and walk with almost any one who asked him. This however was the
amiability of good breeding, and did not interfere with the fact that
his heart belonged solely to his mistress. Such wisdom as he had was
of the heart and not the head. He knew no tricks to win attention,
he was not particularly intellectual; but by way of counterpoise, he
was very religious, and quite unsectarian in his views. He had an
actual mania for going to church; Catholic, Methodist, Presbyterian,
what not--he patronized all with that same fine disregard of lesser
distinctions that characterized George Eliot’s Deronda.
[Illustration: MRS. PHELPS’S DOG DANIEL DERONDA.]
Once he ran away three miles from home, to attend services at a Baptist
church--being recognized there by different persons. When the service
was over he started to return. But the road was long, he was already
tired, and time passed slowly. When, as the hours went by, the truant
was still absent, his mistress grew alarmed; and finally, having put
the police to search, set out herself. By good fortune she had not gone
far before, in the middle of the street, she saw the truant himself,
coming wearily homeward, hot, dusty and bewildered. She called him
by name, and when he heard the familiar voice, and realized that his
dearest friend was near, his look of relief and recognition was most
wonderful.
Accidents come to all, and one day, when Daniel was out walking with
his mistress, he somehow involved himself with a carriage, and the
wheels passed over his neck. He was picked up, a limp, inert little
body. Remedies were applied, though with small hope of success; but at
last, to the astonishment of all, he revived, and erelong was as much a
dog as ever.
He was well-known in Gloucester, and I believe it was humorously
proposed at one time, to make him assistant janitor of the East
Gloucester Temperance Club. Gentler little assistant there had never
been; but the suggestion was not carried out. And soon he passed
away from his friends. He met with another accident, and, after much
suffering, was mercifully put out of pain.
“He loved me, and I loved him,” said his mistress. What better epitaph
could he have?
* * * * *
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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