Well, it doesn’t cost much to give advice, but it isn’t always so easy to take it. What is the question in mind? Have been slighted and abused, have you? Tell us about it. Scolded you after you hunted birds all day for him, and then forgot to give you any supper. That was pretty hard; pretty mean treatment, I should say. Had your master been drinking? No? How came it about? “Why, just before time to start for home I found a big flock of quail, and showed him just where they were; and he crept up, gun in hand, and tried to fire, but for some reason the gun did not go off. “That put him out of humor, and he scolded the gun, and by that frightened the birds so they flew away. “Then he sent me to find them, and I could get no snuff of them, hunt as hard as I could. Then he spoke to me as he never did before, and throwing the gun upon his shoulder started for the house, never noticing me by any word, whistle or sign. “Well, I dropped my tail between my legs, and followed at a good distance. “He didn’t forget the cow, or the pig, or the pony, but took no notice of me, and I don’t believe I could eat now if I had a chance.” Poor fellow! come here and lie down by me. Never mind, never mind; these men seem sometimes to have no heart for us, no matter how faithful we have been. I am so thankful we have a master of another kind. One of you run and bring some of that supper that was left. We had a very nice supply this evening, and there is enough for two hungry fellows yet. You just say no more till you have had the meat from that bone, and see if you don’t feel better. Things hurt worse when one is tired and hungry. There, now rest a while, and I will tell you a story about a great-uncle of mine, who lived in Groton. He was pretty well educated, and did a great many things that some of his four-footed friends would not be trusted to do, even if they knew enough. Well, Diamond—that was his name—was pretty good-natured, but a little sensitive. Being very affectionate, it was easy for those whom he loved to hurt his feelings. His master was a mechanic, and had to go to his shop every day. The distance was so great that he did not come home to dinner; so his wife would prepare his dinner, put it in a pail, or in a basket, as it might happen, lay in the bottom a nice bone for Diamond, and give it all to him to take to his master. That he would do as faithfully as any one. When the master had finished eating what had been brought, or as much as he wanted, he would take the bone, and any scraps left, and give them to his faithful carrier, who had been, the while, lying under the bench, patiently waiting. But one day there was a break. The mistress said she was going shopping that day, and would take the dinner to her husband herself.