Nature.

Waikato Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1580, 19 August 1882, Page 6

Nature.

MY HIGHLAND COLLIE AND HER ADOPTED KITTENS. The story of Rollo and her contest with the gray cat and the kittens, recorded in Chamber's Journal, has reminded me of an affectionate Highland collie which adopted two kittens under perilous and painful circumstances. In the days of my youth, no iron bands of railway had bound North and South Britain together. Drovee of Highland cattle passed through my native village every autumn on their way to London ; and the sagacity and fidolity of the Scotoh collie dogs excited my admiration. At that time, my father farmed in three counties, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, and Lincolnshire ; and the interchange of stock from county to county and from farm to farm necessitated the uae of a good shepherd dog. Much of ray time in youth was spent in assisting to drive the cattle and sheep. How often I coveted a dog of the true Highland breed ! But so strong and mutual was the affection between drover and dog, that no gold would part them. And as the dogs I refer to did not understand English, and I was a stranger to Gaelic, no purchase would have beon profitable. One day, as my father and I were riding on the old Koman Road, called by us " The Fosse Road," which bkirts the borders of the counties of Nottingham aud Leicester, we met a drove of Highland oxen quietly travelling and grazing on the rich and luxuriant grass, where no tool of Macadam had lifted a hod or broken a stone. The drover and his dog were standing by the aide of an ox which had fallen down sick in the roar of the herd. Which of the two, Sandie or 1 his dog, was the more afflicted, I cannot say ; for while the dover stood mutely pondering over the fallen ox what to do, the dog was licking the face of the poor beast in tenderest sympathy. My father put the drover out of all trouble by proposing to take care of the ox. With many thanks, the drover loft the beast under our care. In a few hours it was able to rise ; and we put it in a large pasture close to the place where it had fallen down. The ox speedily recovered ; and in full sympathy with our Scottish ancestry, we made a pet of the beaet for Scotland's sake. In course of time thG drover came as usual, and was overflowing with gratitude for the kindness shown to the animal. As nothing could be accepted beyond a fee to our shepherd, the Highland drover insisted on giving something more in return. He appealed to me, and asked me what he should give. I replied : " Bring me a Highland shepherd's pup next summer." With an expression of delight he promised. The next summer, the grateful drover walked into our house, and pulled out of a small side wallet a veritable Highland pup, and after saluting it with a hearty kiss, put it into my hands with a prayer that it might prove as " quid as its mither." I called it Gipsy. It became to mo as a sister, and lay in my arms by night, was carried on my saddle by day, or followed at my heels when sufficiently strong to go about the fields. To say that Gipsy understood my words in reference to her duty, is no exaggeration ; and to record all her excellences and fidelity would lead me from my story. Riding home one evening with Gipsy at my pony's heels, I saw a group of boys standing by the side of a bridge, throwing stones into the brook, and shouting, as lads do when hunting water-rats. I found that the object of their sport was two kittens, which they had thrown into the water ; and the attempt made to escape by the little creatures was fun to the cruel lads. I saw that the kittens^ must be eithor stoned or drowned ; and pitying the helpless things, I drove away the lads, and asked Gipsy to fetch them out of the water for me. She entered into the work as heartily as if a drop of my pity had been instilled into her nature. She laid them alive at my pony's feet ; and then rearing herself up to my stirrup, she put each kitten into my hand. I put them into my coat pockets and rode home. A little new milk and a warm bed by the fireside soon brought back life and play. To my surprise, Gipsy, instead of retiring alone to her own bed took the kittens with her, and nestling down in her quiet way allowed them to lie all night cuddled in beside her. In the course of a few days I found, to my surprise, that Gipsy was rich in milk, and the kittens sucking away aa heartily as if she had beon their mother ! As Gipsy had been allowed to keep but one Utter of pups, and the lactiferous period had long since passed away, it being thirteen months, since the weaning of her last pup, I was astonished to see how her generous nature had responded to her sympathy for theVhalf-drowned kittens, and , how nature . itself , had, so strangely assisted in the, good work, , The sight.of Gipsy suckling , her, kittens was the attraction of the village,' and the talk of .the farmers of the neighborhood, , Thefkittens, grew; Rapidly.' into goodsized cats.' 'But, alas for,-, Gfipsy ! her end, was, tragic. In' ihe early, haryest-time of ' the foUowuig 'j yWr/ we/; we^e inking, in. a c^UecVbntfireefmenrbne'Jrisnmen enthusiastic -in tthesppi:fc:than his fellows.; 4*ined; witmijhigTblackthorQ' jshulelah] oneiimsdrapteddbto&iroml ms'^hillelah fell up^onGip,p;l|heM and st|e^cMttj|hjsrj

of her usefulness with the flocks and the herds. Years have passed away since I buried Gipsy beneath the lilac trees of the garden ; friend after friend has departed this life ; yet the strokes of repeated bereavement have not altogether effaced irom my remembrance the pangs which I suffered by the untimely death of my faithful Highland collie. — Exchange.