“ What glorious times have we enjoyed together tramping or riding through the fields and woods, over the hills and by the streams and through the swamps, or at the sea, on the sands and rocks, or over the salt marshes, with gun or camera or botany box, or with nothing at all! We have shared the best the [Pg ix] world can give us, nature's gifts. And returning home, tired and happy, we in the evening, before a bright wood fire, you close by our side or at our feet only so that you can touch us, have lived over what the day has given us. ”

“ When you go to the Happy Hunting Ground you are truly and deeply mourned, and the great legacy you leave us is the memory of your loyalty, your devotion, your trust, and memory of the many happy hours and happy days you have given us in your too short life. ”

“ Or sometimes at night before a camp fire with the quiet of the wood sounds all about us, have dreamed of the ducks and the grouse and the partridges, or of rare flowers or a beautiful landscape which the past day has brought, or of what the next day will bring. ”

“ We talk to you, more than half believing, or trying to believe, that you understand, and I am not sure but that to you alone we always tell the absolute truth, we whisper to you our secrets, we confide to you our hopes and ambitions, we tell you of [Pg xi] our successes and our disappointments, and often in deep grief you alone see what we think is weakness to show to the outside world. Whatever happens to us we are sure of one friend, even if the whole world is against us. ”

“ It would almost seem that you were created only to serve us, for wherever man has been, even in the far past where history is almost a myth, you have been also, close by his side. Old Egypt, Persia, Greece, and ancient Rome have told of your fidelity and of your devotion. ”

“ I wish to thank the Authors for their kindness in permitting me to reprint their poems and I also wish to acknowledge the courtesy of the many Publishers who have given me permission to reprint selections from their publications. To many friends I wish to express my obligation for the use of their collections. ”

“ By permission of the Author, and of the Publisher
David McKay, Philadelphia
[Pg 40]
[Pg 41]
TIM, AN IRISH TERRIER
[Pg 43]
TO A TERRIER
From Green Days and Blue Days
BY
PATRICK R. CHALMERS
By permission of the Author. Published by Maunsel & Co., Ltd.
Dublin
[Pg 44]
[Pg 45]
TO A TERRIER
[Pg 47]
RHAPSODY ON
A DOG'S INTELLIGENCE
From Rhymes of Home
BY BURGES JOHNSON
By permission of the Author, and of the Publishers
G. P. Putnam's Sons, New York
[Pg 48] ”