This dog and man at first were friends, but when a pique began, The dog, to gain some private ends, went mad and bit the man; Around, from all the neighbo’ring streets, the wond’ring neighbours ran, And swore the dog had lost his wits to bite so good a man. The wound it seemed both sore and sad to every Christian eye, And while they said the dog was mad, they said the man would die; But soon a wonder came to light, that showed the rogues they lied, The man recovered of the bite—the dog it was that died. The master did not attempt to enlighten me. At the close of the elegy, he merely observed as approval, “Oh, the dog died, did he, mister?” But no doubt Oliver Goldsmith could see something underlying its surface, as there were then political dogs in Islington, whose virulent bites were very painful; surely also, are there to be found elsewhere in our day. My neighbours were farmers on a small scale: they had a son to whom I was much attached. They kept several cows, and a horse named Depper. She was a useful creature, having carried me many miles. I could spend many half-days with Depper, instead of being at school, and I believe those in charge liked my company, so that the time passed away. I had often little jobs to perform for the old people which sometimes brought me a meal of good food; at other times a good farmer’s cake, which was always a luxury; and I had charge of the cows when they were fed in the lanes and roads. This brought a few pence to my parents, so much needed in those days of low wages—about eight or nine shillings per week when labourers made full time. It would have been a curious sight in our day, as then, to see the old couple mounted upon Depper’s back, when they were going out to see friends. A light cart was a scarce article in those days with small occupiers (my neighbours had only a tumbril as a carriage); an appliance called a pillion was fastened upon the rump of the horse, and secured to the saddle, the greatest difficulty being to mount and dismount; but that difficulty was overcome.