neck； and brought him up on a platform before a crowd of people。 Everybody laughed； for he was a clumsy and comical beast to be decorated with roses and daisies。 But the lady is proud of him； and now that pampered donkey has nothing to do but pull her Bath chair about； when she is at Holly Lodge； and kick up his heels on a clover pasture。〃
〃Are ye kennin' anither tale； Leddy？〃
〃Oh； a number of them。 Prince； the fox terrier； was ill once； and the doctor who came to see him said his mistress gave him too much to eat。 That was very probable； because that lady likes to see children and animals have too much to eat。 There are dozens and dozens of poor children that the lady knows and loves。 Once they lived in a very dark and dirty and crowded tenement； quite as bad as some that were torn down in the Cowgate and the Grassmarket。〃
〃It mak's ye fecht ane anither；〃 said one laddie； soberly。 〃Gin they had a sonsie doggie like Bobby to lo'e； an' an auld kirkyaird wi' posies an' birdies to leuk into； they wadna fecht sae muckle。〃
〃I'm very sure of that。 Well； the lady built a new tenement with plenty of room and light and air； and a market so they can get better food more cheaply； and a large church； that is also a kind of school where big and little people can learn many things。 She gives the children of the neighborhood a Christmas dinner and a gay tree； and she strips the hedges of Holly Lodge for them； and then she takes Peter and Prince；and Cocky the parrot； to help along the fun； and she tells her newest stories。 Next Christmas she means to tell the story of Greyfriars Bobby； and how all his little Scotch friends are better…behaving and cleaner and happier because they have that wee dog to love。〃
〃Ilka body lo'es Bobby。 He wasna ever mistreatet or neglectet；〃 said Ailie； thoughtfully。
〃Ohmydear！； That's the very best part of the story！〃 The Grand Leddy had a shining look。
The rain had ceased and the sun come out； and the children began to be called away。 There was quite a little ceremony of lingering leave…taking with the lady and with Bobby； and while this was going on Ailie had a 〃sairious〃 confidence for her old playfellow。
〃Tammy； as the leddy says； Bobby's gettin' auld。 I ken whaur's a snawy hawthorn aboon the burn in Swanston Dell。 The throstles nest there； an' the blackbirds whustle bonny。 It isna so far but the bairnies could march oot wi' posies。〃 She turned to the lady； who had overheard her。 〃We gied a promise to the Laird Provost to gie Bobby a grand funeral。 Ye ken he wullna be permittet to be buried i' the kirkyaird。〃
〃Will he not？ I had not thought of that。〃 Her tone was at once hushed and startled。
Then she was down in the grass； brooding over the little dog； and Bobby had the pathetic look of trying to understand what this emotional talk； that seemed to concern himself； was about。 Tammy and Ailie were down； too。
〃Are ye thinkin' Bobby wall be kennin' the deeference？〃 Ailie's bluebell eyes were wide at the thought of pain for this little pet。
〃I do not know； my dear。 But there cannot well be more love in this world than there is room for in God's heaven。〃
She was silent all the way to the gate； some thought in her mind already working toward a gracious deed。 At the last she said： 〃The little dog is fond of you both。 Be with him all you can； for I think his beautiful life is near its end。〃 After a pause； during which her face was lighted by a smile； as if from a lovely thought within； she added： 〃Don't let Bobby die before my return from London。〃
In a week she was back； and in the meantime letters and telegrams had been flying； and many wheels set in motion in wee Bobby's affairs。 When she returned to the churchyard； very early one morning； no less a person than the Lord Provost himself was with her。 Five years had passed； but Mr。no； Sir WilliamChambers； Laird of Glenormiston； for he had been knighted by the Queen； was still Lord Provost of Edinburgh。
Almost immediately Mr。 Traill appeared； by appointment； and was made all but speechless for once in his loquacious life by the honor of being asked to tell Bobby's story to the Baroness Burdett…Coutts。 But not even a tenement child or a London coster could be ill at ease with the Grand Leddy for very long； and presently the three were in close conference in the portico。 Bobby welcomed them； and then dozed in the sun and visited with the robin on Auld Jock's grave。 Far from being tongue…tied； the landlord was inspired。 What did he not remember； from the pathetic renunciation； 〃Bobby isna ma ain dog；〃 down to the leal Highlander's last； near tragic reminder to men that in the nameless grave lay his unforgotten master。
He sketched the scene in Haddo's Hole； where the tenement bairns poured out as pure a gift of love and mercy and self…sacrifice as had ever been laid at the foot of a Scottish altar。 He told of the search for the lately ransomed and lost terrier； by the lavish use of oil and candles； of Bobby's coming down Castle Rock in the fog； battered and bruised for a month's careful tending by an old Heriot laddie。 His feet still showed the scars of that perilous descent。 He himself； remorseful； had gone with the Biblereader from the Medical Mission in the Cowgate to the dormer…lighted closet in College Wynd； where Auld Jock had died。 Now he described the classic fireplace of white freestone； with its boxed…in bed； where the Pentland shepherd lay like some effigy on a bier； with the wee guardian dog stretched on the flagged hearth below。
〃What a subject for a monument！〃 The Grand Leddy looked across the top of the slope at the sleeping Skye。 〃I suppose there is no portrait of Bobby。〃
〃Ay； your Leddyship； I have a drawing in the dining rooms； sketched by Mr。 Daniel Maclise。 He was here a year or twa ago； just before his death； doing some commission； and often had his tea in my bit place。 I told him Bobby's story； and he made the sketch for me as a souvenir of his veesit。〃
〃I am sure you prize it； Mr。 Traill。 Mr。 Maclise was a talented artist； but he was not especially an animal painter。 There really is no one since Landseer paints no more。〃
〃I would advise you； Baroness； not to make that remark at an Edinburgh dinner…table。〃 Glenormiston was smiling。 〃The pride of Auld Reekie just now is Mr。 Gourlay Stelle； who was lately commanded to Balmoral Castle to paint the Queen's dogs。〃
〃The very person！ I have seen his beautiful canvas'Burns and the Field Mouse。' Is he not a younger brother of Sir John Stelle； the sculptor of the statue and character figures in the Scott monument？〃 Her eyes sparkled as she added： 〃You have so much talent of the right； sorts here that it would be wicked not to employ it in the good cause。〃
What 〃the good cause〃 was came out presently； in the church； where she startled even Glenormiston and Mr。 Traill by saying quietly to the minister and the church officers of Greyfriars auld kirk： 〃When Bobby dies I want him laid in the grave with his master。〃
Every member of both congregations knew Bobby and was proud of his fame； but no official notice had ever been taken of the little dog's presence in the churchyard。 The elders and deacons were； in truth； surprised that such distinguished attention should be directed to him now； and they were embarrassed by it。 It was not easy for any body of men in the United Kingdom to refuse anything to Lady Burdett…Coutts； because she could always count upon having the sympathy of the public。 But this； they declared； could not be considered。 To propose to bury a dog in the historic churchyard would scandalize the city。 To this objection Glenormiston said； seriously： 〃The feeling about Bobby is quite exceptional。 I would be willing to put the matter to the test of heading a petition。〃
At that the church officers threw up their hands。 They preferred to sound public sentiment themselves； and would consider it。 But if Bobby was permitted to be buried with his master there must be no notice taken of it。 Well； the Heriot laddies might line up along the wall； and the tenement bairns look down from the windows。 Would that satisfy her ladyship？
〃As far as it goes。〃 The Grand Leddy was smiling； but a little tremulous about the mouth。
That was a day when women had little to say in public； and she meant to make a speech； and to ask to be allowed to do an unheard…of thing。
〃I want to put up a monument to the nameless man who inspired such love； and to the little dog that was capable of giving it。 Ah gentlemen； do not refuse； now。〃 She sketched her idea of the classic fireplace bier； the dead shepherd of the Pentlands； and the little prostrate terrier。 〃Immemorial man and his faithful dog。 Our society for the prevention of cruelty to animals is finding it so hard to get people even to admit the sacredness of life in dumb creatures； the brutalizing effects of abuse of them on human beings； and the moral and practical worth to us of kindness。 To insist that a dog feels； that he loves devotedly and with less calculation than men； that he grieves at a master's death and remembers him long years； brings a smile of amusement。 Ah yes！ Here in Scotland； too； where your own great Lord Erskine was a pioneer of pity two generations ago； and with Sir Walter's dogs beloved of the literary； and Doctor Brown's immortal 'Rab；' we find it uphill work。
〃The story of Greyfriars Bobby is quite the most complete and remarkable ever recorded in dog annals。 His lifetime of devotion has been witnessed by thousands； and honored publicly； by your own Lord Provost； with the freedom of the city； a thing that； I believe； has no precedent。 All the endearing qualities of the dog reach their height in this loyal and lovable Highland terrier； and he seems to have brought out the best qualities of the people who have known him。 Indeed； for fourteen years hundreds of disinherited children have been made kinder and happier by knowing Bobby's story and having that little dog to love。〃
She stopped in some embarrassment； seeing how she had let herself go； in this warm championship； and then she added：
〃Bobby does not need a monument； but I think we need one of him； that future generations may never forget what the love of a dog may mean； to himself and to us。〃
The Grand Leddy must have won he