NOT HIS CANINE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 1, Issue 75, 18 March 1880, Page 3

NOT HIS CANINE.

Alfred de Musset alwayf declared lie hated dogs for the reason that twice in his life an animal of the canine race had come within an ace of wrecking his fortunes.' Tim first time was at a royal hunting party, when the poet, Louis Philippe’s guest, when a bird was flushed, fired hastily and sent the citizen king’s favorite pointer to meet Cerberus. The second time was when, a candidate for the Academic, dc Musset went to pay the customary visit to an influential Immortal whose chateau was in the environs of Pans. At the moment that the poet rang at the gate, an ignoble whelp of incredible ugliness, covered with mud, rushed to meet him with joyous harks, and fawned upon him to the detriment of the poet's new pantaloons. Disgusted as do Musset was, it would have been perilous to have driven off the Immortal’s faithful dog, so he was compelled to let the frightful animal lick iris hands, cover him with caresses and mud, and precede him to the drawing room. A moment later the Academical! entered. Do Musset noticed his embarrassment, at which he was not surprised, considering the behavior of the animal. They adourned to the diningroom, followed by the dog, which, aftergiving vent to his delight by various gambols and cries, placed two muddy paws on on the cloth,, seized the wing of a cold chicken, and began contentedly to devour 'it. “ That’s the most abominable brute I have ever heard of,” thought do Musset, and continued aloud, “Yon are fond of dogs, I see.” “ Fond of dogs ! ” said the Immortal, “Ihato dogs.” “But this animal here 1” I have only tolerated the beast because it is yours, sir ! ” “ Mine ? ” said de Mussett, “ I thought it was yours, which was all that prevented me from killing him ! ” The two men roared with laughter, and do Musset made a friend. Late that day a yellow dog crossed the frontier of the Rhine at Strasburg with the air of an animal that had scored upon the tablets of ifs memory a decidedly unpleasant recollection, and headed for Constantinople with undiminished celerity.