‘THE ST. BERNARD DOG. — 17

waiting for Ponto to beg that he would not trouble himself,
off he set, and soon came back carrying in his mouth a nice
bone with plenty of gristle on it. “There, old fellow, munch
away; it will amuse you,’ he may have thought, putting
his prize down under his friend’s nose.

After watching with pleasure as poor Ponto gnawed
away with somewhat feeble jaws, till the bone was scraped
almost clean, he again set out in search of another. After
‘he had brought in several, he lay down as before by his
 friend’s side, just playing with one of the bones to keep
him company. Thus day after day Dick cheered and com-
forted his injured friend, till he got quite well and strong .
again.

When dogs thus show kindness and self-sacrifice, how
ought human beings to behave to those suffering from pain
or sorrow? When tempted to run off and amuse yourself,
leaving a sick friend at home, remember these two dogs.
Think of how much suffering there is in the world, and what
room there is for kindness and pity; and can you then be
hard-hearted, or heedless of the sufferings of others ?

 

THE ST. BERNARD DOG.

THESE dogs take their name from the Convent of St. Ber-
nard, where they are kept. This house is situated far up
in the pass of the Great St. Bernard—one of the most dan-
gerous of the Alpine passes. Here devoted monks live all
the year, for the purpose of aiding travellers; and, with the

help of their dogs, they have saved many lives. The dogs are
2

4