Like Most Persons Of His Caste Of Mind,
His Predilection For Pet Animals Was A Prominent Instinct.
He was
always followed by two dogs, whom he regarded with especial favour.
The moment he caught your eye, he looked down admiringly upon his
four-footed attendants, patting their sleek necks, and murmuring,
"Nice dogs - nice dogs." Harry had singled out myself and my little
ones as great favourites.
He would gather flowers for the girls, and
catch butterflies for the boys; while to me he always gave the title
of "dear aunt."
It so happened that one fine morning I wanted to walk a couple of
miles through the bush, to spend the day with Mrs. C - -; but the
woods were full of the cattle belonging to the neighbouring
settlers, and of these I was terribly afraid. Whilst I was dressing
the little girls to accompany me, Harry W - - came in with a message
from his mother. "Oh, thought I, here is Harry W - -. He will walk
with us through the bush, and defend us from the cattle."
The proposition was made, and Harry was not a little proud of being
invited to join our party. We had accomplished half the distance
without seeing a single hoof; and I was beginning to congratulate
myself upon our unusual luck, when a large red ox, maddened by the
stings of the gad-flies, came headlong through the brush, tossing
up the withered leaves and dried moss with his horns, and making
directly towards us.
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