Chapter I: The Soldier's Dog

DID you ever see a dog with a coat on? I am going to tell you about one who was a great traveller. I think you will say it was a remarkable dog, and will not be surprised that Frank was very proud of her.

But first I must tell you who Frank was, and where he lived.

In the beautiful village of W—, a few miles from the city of Boston, there was a lovely cottage almost covered with woodbine, which had been trained over the walls. In this cottage lived Mr. and Mrs. Colvin, with their two sons, Edward and Frank.

Mr. Colvin had been a sea-captain, and in one of his voyages, he brought home an English officer, who had been wounded in the battle before Sebastopol. This gentleman, whose name was Jameson, had a little dog Tony, who was greatly attached to him. They ate together and slept together, and wherever Colonel Jameson was, whether walking the deck or sitting near the helmsman, or standing in the door of the captain's office, there you would see Tony, also.

One day the captain said,—

"Colonel Jameson, you seem very fond of your dog."

"Yes, sir," the gentleman answered, "and if you have time, I will tell you where I found her."

"I should like to hear it," Captain Colvin answered.

"Well, sir. It was one day, just after a terrible battle; I was making my way over the bloody field to see whether I could find any of my comrades, when I heard a low moan, coming from a tent. I went in and found a poor fellow with his arm shot off. Some injury he had received on his head had made him quite delirious. I tried to bathe the wound, but a little puppy lying close to his side would not let me touch him."

"To make a long story short, the brave boy died a few days later; but not until he had sent messages by me to his widowed mother and sister at home, and had given me his only treasure, his faithful friend Tony."

"I took her to my tent, and she has been true to me ever since. In all the battles in which I afterwards engaged, Tony was in my pocket. When I was wounded, she moaned until she grew sick."

"We understand each other very well, don't we, Tony?" he asked, turning to the dog.

"Bow! Wow!" barked Tony, in a joyful tone.

"She knows I have been talking about her. See how intently she watches my every movement. Here, Tony, stand up and shake hands with me."

The creature instantly raised herself on her hind feet, and held out her right paw.

"Is that the hand you offer to a gentleman? Give me the other," said the colonel.

But Tony knew she was right; and she continued holding out her paw, till he said, laughing,—

"You think it's my mistake, then; excuse me, Tony."

Then the dog jumped on her master, and wagged her tail as if she were very much pleased.

Before the voyage was over, Captain Colvin and Colonel Jameson had become such good friends that the captain insisted the other should go home with him.

At first, Frank was afraid of Tony, but in a day or two, he grew to like her so much, that he was not content unless he could have her to play with him.

It was surprising how quickly the dog learned to like her new home. Her master could not now, as when he was on shipboard, feed her from his plate at dinner; but after one or two meals, she submitted very quietly and allowed Frankie to feed her from a plate in the kitchen.

When company came in, Tony had to be dressed up as well as anybody. I forgot to tell you that every morning her master gave her a bath; and then she lay in the sun, and licked herself dry.

Colonel Jameson was not an officer now; but he had saved a piece of his uniform, which was bright-red broadcloth, and a lady friend of his had made it into a coat for Tony, and trimmed it with the gold cord of which the epaulets were made.

Frankie laughed merrily when he first saw Tony sitting in a chair with her coat on. She looked so prim and funny, as if she thought herself very fine indeed.

The next day, he begged his mother to give him a collar, which made the dog look funnier than ever.

I don't think Tony liked the linen collar, which was starched very stiff; for she kept turning her head from one side to another, and uttering a low kind of a growl. I think she wanted to say,—

"Please, Frank, take off my collar. I'm a soldier's dog, and not used to such things, you know."

But Frank thought the collar a great improvement, and told Tony she must get used to it, if she expected to live in genteel society.

By and by, Mrs. Colvin basted into the neck of the coat a white frill, which had no starch in it. Tony was so much pleased at this, that she began at once to lick the lady's hand, and ever after considered her a good friend.