WEBVTT

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<v Speaker 1>Cats and dogs. Such a snowy day as it was.

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<v Speaker 1>Rob stood at the window with a frown on his forehead,

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<v Speaker 1>For was not this the day on which he and

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<v Speaker 1>Will and Jack and Ned were to go after school

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<v Speaker 1>to Long Lake skating. It was only the day before

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<v Speaker 1>this that the ice had been pronounced strong enough to

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<v Speaker 1>be safe, and here it was snowing as if it

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<v Speaker 1>never meant to stop. It was too bad to be sure.

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<v Speaker 1>Rob had been able to skate nearly every day for

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<v Speaker 1>a fortnight, but that was only on the meadow Brook,

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<v Speaker 1>a mere puddle, he said, in comparison with Long Lake,

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<v Speaker 1>where one could go three miles without a curve, where

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<v Speaker 1>they could find plenty of dead wood about the shores

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<v Speaker 1>to build fires with. But there seemed to be no

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<v Speaker 1>help for it. The snow came down thicker than ever.

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<v Speaker 1>It must have commenced soon after dark the night before,

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<v Speaker 1>for it was now more than a foot deep. Well

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<v Speaker 1>there is one comfort, anyway, thought Master Rob, as he

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<v Speaker 1>turned from the window. I can't go to school, and

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<v Speaker 1>so I shall have a holiday. What shall I do?

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<v Speaker 1>Shall I work with my tools, or shall I go

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<v Speaker 1>out to the barn and see the dogs. I think

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<v Speaker 1>I will go and see the dogs. Rob was a

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<v Speaker 1>great dog lover, and there was not a dog anywhere

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<v Speaker 1>about that did not love him. Every friendless cur came

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<v Speaker 1>to him at once and found a place in his heart.

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<v Speaker 1>His father used to say that if he could have

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<v Speaker 1>had his way, he would have more dogs on the

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<v Speaker 1>farm than all kinds of cattle put together. As it was,

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<v Speaker 1>he had a good many. First and foremost was Fleet,

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<v Speaker 1>a great shaggy Scotch deerhound, whom he had found sitting

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<v Speaker 1>thin and unhappy outside the door when stormy winter's day.

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<v Speaker 1>He was a very different looking dog. Now his bones

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<v Speaker 1>were all covered, and his unhappy days were over. Whenever

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<v Speaker 1>Rob mounted his pony for a gallop, Fleet was ready

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<v Speaker 1>to go with him. And many and many was the

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<v Speaker 1>mile that they had raced along together. But Fleet was

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<v Speaker 1>the first of many, and they were all in the

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<v Speaker 1>barn where the Rob was now going. I wonder where

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<v Speaker 1>Grace is, he said, perhaps she'd like to go too.

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<v Speaker 1>He found Grace down on the floor in front of

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<v Speaker 1>the kitchen fire and extended to her the invitation to

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<v Speaker 1>go with him. She was watching her cat drink a

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<v Speaker 1>saucer of milk, and did not appear very enthusiastic at

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<v Speaker 1>the idea. I've seen the dog so many times, Rob, dear,

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<v Speaker 1>she said, and it is so very stormy that if

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<v Speaker 1>you don't mind, I think I won't go. All right,

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<v Speaker 1>said Rob. The snow is pretty deep and the paths

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<v Speaker 1>are only partly made. Would you mind taking Pussy with you?

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<v Speaker 1>Asked Grace. I think she would like to catch a

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<v Speaker 1>mouse for her breakfast. Not a bit, said Rob. So

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<v Speaker 1>Pussy was put on his shoulder and he set out.

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<v Speaker 1>She seemed to be quite used to being carried in

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<v Speaker 1>this way, and to find it much better than dragging

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<v Speaker 1>through the snow, for she balanced herself very nicely as

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<v Speaker 1>he plunged along through the drifts. He was yet some

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<v Speaker 1>distance away from the barn when his friends within knew

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<v Speaker 1>that he was coming, and a chorus of barks and

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<v Speaker 1>wines arose, and when he opened the door he was

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<v Speaker 1>the center of a jumping and whining pack. There were

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<v Speaker 1>only two old dogs besides Fleet, but there were puppies

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<v Speaker 1>without number. Gyp a Scotch Collie had six. They were

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<v Speaker 1>not yet able to leap up and take care of

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<v Speaker 1>themselves generally, so that in the hurly burly that took

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<v Speaker 1>place when Rob came in. They were stepped on a

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<v Speaker 1>good deal, and there were several loud squeals of pain

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<v Speaker 1>from them. At this their mother suddenly stopped fawning upon

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<v Speaker 1>her master, and, seizing them one at a time in

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<v Speaker 1>her mouth, deposited them with a little shake in their box,

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<v Speaker 1>as much as to say, stay at home, you small puppies,

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<v Speaker 1>You are much too little to be out by yourselves.

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<v Speaker 1>Then she settled herself in their midst beating her tail

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<v Speaker 1>with great violence on the floor whenever Rob looked her way.

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<v Speaker 1>When Jip went back to her box, the floor seemed

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<v Speaker 1>quite clear. Two half grown pups, however, still tumbled over

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<v Speaker 1>and over one another at his feet. Rob did not

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<v Speaker 1>waste any time over them, but taking down a stone

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<v Speaker 1>mug that hung on a nail, he walked around to

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<v Speaker 1>where the cows stood and their stalls, went to one

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<v Speaker 1>and commenced to milk his mug full. Pussy meantime, jumped

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<v Speaker 1>off his shoulder onto the cow's back and stood there

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<v Speaker 1>purring while he milked, apparently regarding the whole proceeding with

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<v Speaker 1>great satisfaction. The cow did not seem to mind having

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<v Speaker 1>such a strange rider. No doubt, Pussy had been there before.

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<v Speaker 1>When Rob had filled the mug, he held it up

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<v Speaker 1>and the cat took a dainty sip or two. But

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<v Speaker 1>the milk she had drunk in the kitchen seemed to

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<v Speaker 1>have been all that she wanted, so she soon stopped.

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<v Speaker 1>Just at that moment she caught sight of a rat

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<v Speaker 1>that was boldly smelling about in a a distant corner

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<v Speaker 1>and giving a flying leap. Was after him like a dart,

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<v Speaker 1>but master rat had seen his danger, and the last

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<v Speaker 1>of his tail disappeared through a crack in the floor

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<v Speaker 1>just as Puss arrived at the spot. That was a

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<v Speaker 1>pretty close shave for you, old rat, said Rob, and

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<v Speaker 1>he picked up the mug, which he had laid down

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<v Speaker 1>to watch the performance, and, going around where he had

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<v Speaker 1>left the two pups, poured some of the milk into

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<v Speaker 1>a saucer for them. Then he went on to see

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<v Speaker 1>the last litter of all. The mother was a little

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<v Speaker 1>Scotch terrier, and her three little puppies were coiled up

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<v Speaker 1>in a basket of straw beside her. She had not

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<v Speaker 1>rushed with the others to greet Rob when he first

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<v Speaker 1>came in, for she had never had puppies before and

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<v Speaker 1>did not care to leave them for a single minute.

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<v Speaker 1>She had whined and barked and wagged her little tail

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<v Speaker 1>with all her might. Believe her puppies she could not.

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<v Speaker 1>Rob went over to her and took up one of

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<v Speaker 1>the little fellows in his arms. Saucy, for that was

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<v Speaker 1>the terrier's name, looked on very anxiously. She did not

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<v Speaker 1>know what might be going to befall one of her

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<v Speaker 1>precious children by and bye. Rob grew tired of the dogs,

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<v Speaker 1>so then he strolled over to where John the hard

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<v Speaker 1>man was busy at the hay cutter. John was not

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<v Speaker 1>in a pleasant mood this morning, and so Rob, finding

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<v Speaker 1>the barn grow a little tedious, decided to go back

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<v Speaker 1>to the house. The snow was still coming down as

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<v Speaker 1>fast as ever, so he went to the kitchen door

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<v Speaker 1>and stamped and shook himself clear. Then he opened the

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<v Speaker 1>door and went in. A bright fire was filling the

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<v Speaker 1>whole chimney place with its red glow. He stopped in

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<v Speaker 1>front of it for a minute to get warm. Then,

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<v Speaker 1>turning to the old housekeeper who sat on one side

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<v Speaker 1>of it, he asked if she knew where Grace was.

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<v Speaker 1>I think she's in the library, said the housekeeper. So

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<v Speaker 1>Rob went on to the library, and there he found

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<v Speaker 1>Grace reading Let's have some kind of a game, he suggested.

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<v Speaker 1>Grace was in the midst of a most lieful fairy tale.

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<v Speaker 1>Wait until I finish this, Rob dear, she said, it

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<v Speaker 1>is only forty pages. Forty pages, said Rob, Why it

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<v Speaker 1>will take you an hour. He went out of the room,

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<v Speaker 1>and I'm afraid banged the door just a little behind him.

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<v Speaker 1>I'll find mamma, he thought. Mamma was easily found. She

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<v Speaker 1>was sitting in a great, high backed chair in front

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<v Speaker 1>of the fire, with her lap full of stockings whose

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<v Speaker 1>holes she was darning. Rob pushed them all out of

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<v Speaker 1>her lap on to the floor and climbed up in

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<v Speaker 1>their place. Do tell me a story or something, mamma,

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<v Speaker 1>he said. What shall it be about, asked his mamma, Dogs,

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<v Speaker 1>I think, said Rob, After considering a little, did you know,

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<v Speaker 1>said his mamma that dogs were sometimes used instead of horses.

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<v Speaker 1>Away to the north, where the snow lies deep nearly

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<v Speaker 1>all year. Horses could never make their way. There are

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<v Speaker 1>no roads, and even if there were, they would be

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<v Speaker 1>so blocked with snow that no one could find them.

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<v Speaker 1>So dogs are used They are a different breed from

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<v Speaker 1>any hereabout. Their long thick coat, which keeps them so

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<v Speaker 1>warm in the cold winter's nights, would be a dreadful

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<v Speaker 1>burden in our hot summer. These dogs are taught to

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<v Speaker 1>haul and harness, and they are very tough and strong,

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<v Speaker 1>and could go far further and more quickly than any horse.

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<v Speaker 1>They are hitched to a sled, of course, in single file.

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<v Speaker 1>The sled is made of a long board turned up

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<v Speaker 1>at one end for a sort of dashboard, then wrapped

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<v Speaker 1>up in his thick fur rugs. The driver takes his

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<v Speaker 1>seat on it, cracks his whip, and away they go. Sometimes,

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<v Speaker 1>though they do not get away so easily, for some

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<v Speaker 1>crossed dog refuses to have his harness put on, and

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<v Speaker 1>he has to be beaten thoroughly before he will submit.

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<v Speaker 1>At times, long trains of dogs sledges loaded with provisions

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<v Speaker 1>set out for some far distant fort. At such times

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<v Speaker 1>as these, the drivers do not ride, but run alongside

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<v Speaker 1>on snow shoes. They go at great speed on these

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<v Speaker 1>and easily keep up with the dogs. Before daylight they

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<v Speaker 1>start out. At noon, a halt is made for an

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<v Speaker 1>hour and the men take a scanty lunch. Then they

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<v Speaker 1>set off again. The twilight comes early in those northern lands,

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<v Speaker 1>and as soon as it is too dark to see clearly,

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<v Speaker 1>they halt for the night. The dogs are loose from

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<v Speaker 1>their harness and stand around, looking on with great interest.

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<v Speaker 1>For now they are to have the only mill they

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<v Speaker 1>are allowed in the whole day. Two pounds of dried

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<v Speaker 1>fish are given to each. It takes them only an

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<v Speaker 1>instant to swallow it down. Then they walk about a little,

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<v Speaker 1>hoping perhaps that there may be an unnoticed piece somewhere,

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<v Speaker 1>or growling at one another, and settling any little disputes

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<v Speaker 1>that may have risen during the day. But soon they

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<v Speaker 1>cail themselves up into a bunch and are fast asleep.

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<v Speaker 1>The men, meanwhile, have been busily at work. One has

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<v Speaker 1>cut down a tree for wood for a fire. Another,

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<v Speaker 1>with his snow shoe, has scraped away the snow so

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<v Speaker 1>as to leave a large round place in the center

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<v Speaker 1>of which the fire is made. Then the supper is cooked.

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<v Speaker 1>After this is over, the men smoke their pipes and

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<v Speaker 1>tell stories. But before long they wrap themselves up in

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<v Speaker 1>their robes, and, with their feet to the fire, go

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<v Speaker 1>off to sleep. What fun that must be, said, Rob,

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<v Speaker 1>I would like to drive a dog team ever so

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<v Speaker 1>much how jolly to go sliding over the snow. It

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<v Speaker 1>is not such good fun as you might think, said

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<v Speaker 1>his mamma. For one sits on the very bottom of

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<v Speaker 1>the sled, and if it goes over any ice, hummocks.

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<v Speaker 1>Every jar shakes you till you feel before night that

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<v Speaker 1>every bone in your body will drop to pieces. Sometimes, too,

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<v Speaker 1>the dogs give great trouble. They find out at once

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<v Speaker 1>whether the person who is driving them knows his business,

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<v Speaker 1>and if he does not, woe betide him. Perhaps while

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<v Speaker 1>he thinks all is going on beautifully, they come suddenly

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<v Speaker 1>upon some game. The startled deer raise their heads in

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<v Speaker 1>astonishment for a moment, and then dash away. The sight

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<v Speaker 1>is too much for the dogs. With barks and howls,

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<v Speaker 1>they dash away after them. In vain does the driver

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<v Speaker 1>ply his whip. The dogs know that he is a

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<v Speaker 1>green hen. And on they rush. The deer fly like

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<v Speaker 1>the wind, across the open glades and through the woods,

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<v Speaker 1>and after them come the dogs. At last they come

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<v Speaker 1>too near the edge of some hill. The sledge loses

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<v Speaker 1>its balance and slips, and away they go, dogs, men

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<v Speaker 1>and sledge all head over heels, and bring up in

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<v Speaker 1>some snow bank at its foot. I wonder how the

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<v Speaker 1>Eskimaux and their dogs keep warm in the fearful winters

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<v Speaker 1>they have, said Rob, as he looked at the blazing

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<v Speaker 1>fire before him. The men and women are pretty thoroughly

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<v Speaker 1>clothed in furs, said his mamma, and the dogs, as

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<v Speaker 1>you know, carry their own furs. Besides, their houses are

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<v Speaker 1>very warm, for they are built of ice, and the

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<v Speaker 1>dogs I fancy share them with their masters. But I

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<v Speaker 1>should think a house built of ice would be very cold,

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<v Speaker 1>said Rob, Not at all, said his mamma. The Eskimo

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<v Speaker 1>cut out blocks of snow and ice and build their

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<v Speaker 1>homes in the shape of a dome. When it is warm,

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<v Speaker 1>they leave out one block for a window, but if

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<v Speaker 1>it be cold, they close it up. But how does

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<v Speaker 1>the smoke get out, asked Rob. There is not much smoke,

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<v Speaker 1>said his mamma, for they use a sort of lamp

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<v Speaker 1>to heat the room, and as there is no ventilation,

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<v Speaker 1>the heat of their bodies added to that of the lamp,

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<v Speaker 1>soon makes the house very hot and close. But how

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<v Speaker 1>do they cook their food, he asked. They very seldom

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<v Speaker 1>cook it at all, said his mamma, But eat it raw.

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<v Speaker 1>They think there is nothing so delicious as a piece

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<v Speaker 1>of raw blood. If a whale is thrown up on

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<v Speaker 1>the beach by any chance, they fall upon it with

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<v Speaker 1>their knives and eat without waiting for any cooking. Then

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<v Speaker 1>they cut off what they can and carry it back

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<v Speaker 1>to their houses. The dogs are always on hand at

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<v Speaker 1>such times, for in those far away lands food is

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<v Speaker 1>not plenty, and the poor beasts often fare scantily. Often

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<v Speaker 1>the men go to hunt walrus. They make their way

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<v Speaker 1>out on some frozen bay until they find a hole

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<v Speaker 1>in the ice which one of these animals has made

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<v Speaker 1>in order to come to the top to breathe. Each

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<v Speaker 1>man has a long spear in his hand and stands

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<v Speaker 1>motionless with it, ready to strike the moment the walrus

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<v Speaker 1>comes to the surface. Pretty soon he comes down, falls

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<v Speaker 1>a spear, and they dine that day on walrus. Well,

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<v Speaker 1>for my part, said Rob, I am glad that I

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<v Speaker 1>am neither an eskimo nor an eskimo dog. For my part,

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<v Speaker 1>said Grace, who had come in and had heard the

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<v Speaker 1>latter part of what her mamma had been saying. I

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<v Speaker 1>prefer cats to dogs. Cats are all very well, said Rob,

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<v Speaker 1>very sagely, but I fear that most of them deserve

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<v Speaker 1>the fate of Mother Tabby Skins. Who in the world

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<v Speaker 1>was Mother Tabbyskins, asked Grace, did you never hear of her?

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<v Speaker 1>Said Rob it's a piece of poetry and quite long,

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<v Speaker 1>But this is a story. Mother Tabbyskins was an old cat,

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<v Speaker 1>and a very wicked one. She used to spend her

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<v Speaker 1>time in teaching kittens to spit and swear, which of

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<v Speaker 1>course was very bad. One day, she felt very ill

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<v Speaker 1>and said she was near her end. She got into

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<v Speaker 1>bed and begged them to send for a doctor. So

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<v Speaker 1>doctor Mouse was called in. But Tabby no sooner saw

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<v Speaker 1>who her doctor was than she recovered at once and

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<v Speaker 1>swallowed him at a gulp. Very soon after, she was

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<v Speaker 1>taken ill again and wanted the doctor called as before.

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<v Speaker 1>This time, Doctor Dog came. When Tabby saw him, she

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<v Speaker 1>was seized with fear, and she had good cause to

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<v Speaker 1>be for he ate her up in no time, just

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<v Speaker 1>as she had done doctor Mouse. Oh Pshaw, said Grace,

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<v Speaker 1>that's just a make belief story. No real cats do

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<v Speaker 1>such things as teach kittens to swear. Why when my

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<v Speaker 1>pussy has young ones, they're as well behaved as can

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<v Speaker 1>be often I have seen her box their ears when

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<v Speaker 1>they didn't do as she wished. Yes, said Rob, But

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<v Speaker 1>cats never do the clever things that dogs do. There

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<v Speaker 1>are lots of stories telling of how they have saved

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<v Speaker 1>their masters lives. When some sudden snowstorm has come on

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<v Speaker 1>the moors and persons have lost their way, and, overcome

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<v Speaker 1>by the cold, have lain down to die, their dogs

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<v Speaker 1>have made their way to some house, and, showing by

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<v Speaker 1>their actions that their friends were in trouble, have brought

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<v Speaker 1>them help. And only a day or two ago Papa

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<v Speaker 1>read us out of the paper how a dog caught

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<v Speaker 1>a burglar. The thief was a fast runner and was

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<v Speaker 1>getting away from the policeman who was chasing him, when

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<v Speaker 1>all at once a big Newfoundland rushed out from a brewery, and,

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<v Speaker 1>seizing the thief, knocked him down and stood growling over

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<v Speaker 1>him until the policeman came up and seized him. Well,

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<v Speaker 1>cats sometimes do clever things, said Grace. I know of

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<v Speaker 1>a cat who lived on a farm. She was always

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<v Speaker 1>fed at noon. To call them in to dinner, they

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<v Speaker 1>used to ring a great bell. Pussy found that this

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<v Speaker 1>bell meant dinner, and so whenever she was hungry, she

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<v Speaker 1>used to go and reach up to it with her

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<v Speaker 1>paw and ring it ho lo, said Rob. Suddenly, I

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<v Speaker 1>do believe it has stopped snowing. Yes, he said, going

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<v Speaker 1>to the window. It surely has. But the clouds are

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<v Speaker 1>darker than ever, and there's a sleigh with a man,

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<v Speaker 1>and it stopped at our door. I'm going out to

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<v Speaker 1>see what he wants, so saying, He ran out of

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<v Speaker 1>the room, and, seizing his hat from a peg in

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<v Speaker 1>a haw, crammed it on his head, and, opening the

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<v Speaker 1>front door, ran out on the porch. When he was there,

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<v Speaker 1>he saw that the man and the sleigh was the

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<v Speaker 1>doctor's man. Are the roads bad, he asked, Yes, said

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<v Speaker 1>the man. We had to walk all the way, but

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<v Speaker 1>when we left the village they were just getting out

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<v Speaker 1>the teams to break roads. Where is the doctor, asked

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<v Speaker 1>Rob in the house talking with your father, said the man.

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<v Speaker 1>Very soon the two gentlemen came out, and the doctor

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<v Speaker 1>got into the sleigh and drove slowly on, while Rob's

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<v Speaker 1>father went back indoors to work at his sermon for Sunday.

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<v Speaker 1>How white everything looked. The trees were bent down under

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<v Speaker 1>their load, and on the long hill the houses seemed

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<v Speaker 1>to be half buried. The clouds were beginning to break

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<v Speaker 1>away in the west. The storm was without doubt over.

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<v Speaker 1>Rob stood on the porch, undecided what to do. On

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<v Speaker 1>the hill, he could see gangs of men with teams

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<v Speaker 1>of oxen and heavy sledge breaking the roads. It would

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<v Speaker 1>have been good fun to have been with them, but

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<v Speaker 1>it was pretty cold work standing still and watching from

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<v Speaker 1>a distance, and he was just about to go in

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<v Speaker 1>when he saw John come out of the barn, leading

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<v Speaker 1>the two horses, each with his harness. On where are

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<v Speaker 1>you going, John? He called to the woods for a

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<v Speaker 1>load of wood. Called back John, who seemed to have

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<v Speaker 1>recovered his good temper and to be in a jolly

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<v Speaker 1>state of mind. You can come and drive if you

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<v Speaker 1>want to. Nothing could have been more to Rob's mind

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<v Speaker 1>than this, so, dashing into the house for his coat

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<v Speaker 1>and gloves, he ran and clambered up on the sledge,

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<v Speaker 1>gathering up the reins, ready to start. In a moment

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<v Speaker 1>they were off the horses, stepping along briskly, though the

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<v Speaker 1>snow was deep. Presently they left the highway and turned

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<v Speaker 1>through a pair of bars into a large piece of woods.

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<v Speaker 1>The snow had not drifted here at all, but lay

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<v Speaker 1>evenly covering up all the dead leaves, and giving little

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<v Speaker 1>white trimmings to all the tender shoots that raised their

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<v Speaker 1>heads through it. They stopped before a great pile of logs,

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<v Speaker 1>and the man, pushing off the snow with his foot,

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<v Speaker 1>began to load them on the sled. Hallo, said Rob.

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<v Speaker 1>Just as the last log was in its place, there

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<v Speaker 1>goes a rabbit. I wish I could catch him. I

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<v Speaker 1>caught many a one and birds besides, when I was

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<v Speaker 1>a lad, said John. How asked Rob in traps, said

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<v Speaker 1>the man. I had traps all through the wood. I

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<v Speaker 1>and another lad. We made quite a little money one

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<v Speaker 1>winter selling the game we caught. A time like this

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<v Speaker 1>would be fine for catching rabbits. All their food is

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<v Speaker 1>covered up, you see, and they would be so glad

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<v Speaker 1>to see a nice little sweet apple that they would

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<v Speaker 1>never stop to see whether there was a trap near

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<v Speaker 1>it or not. What fun it must have been, said Rob. Yes,

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<v Speaker 1>said the man, But there was a vast deal of

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<v Speaker 1>walking to be done some mornings, I trapped nearly ten

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<v Speaker 1>miles in the spring, though we got rather tired of trapping.

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<v Speaker 1>It was much more fun then to go with the

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<v Speaker 1>men sugaring. That was prime, they built a log hut,

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<v Speaker 1>for sometimes they had to stay all night. We boys

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<v Speaker 1>used to think that if we could only stay all night,

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<v Speaker 1>we should have nothing more to wish for. Did you

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<v Speaker 1>ever do it, asked Rob. Oh. Yes, but we didn't

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<v Speaker 1>care to after the first time, for the bunks were

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<v Speaker 1>very hard, and we liked a comfortable bed at home

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<v Speaker 1>better I was reading a book the other day, said Rob,

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<v Speaker 1>and it told about bird catching in the far North.

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<v Speaker 1>It must be exciting work. A man sits across a

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<v Speaker 1>stick on which a rope is tied, and then is

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<v Speaker 1>lowered over the edge of a cliff by his friends

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<v Speaker 1>on top. Sometimes he swings there in the air, a

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<v Speaker 1>thousand feet clear above the sea. If his head should

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<v Speaker 1>get dizzy and he should fall, it would be the

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<v Speaker 1>end of him. He has a basket with him, and

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<v Speaker 1>when he has filled it with eggs, the men above

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<v Speaker 1>let down a light cord to which he ties the basket,

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<v Speaker 1>and so they draw it up again. Sometimes he lands

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<v Speaker 1>on a narrow ledge, and with the net on a

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<v Speaker 1>long pole, captures the sea birds that fly past. That

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<v Speaker 1>must be exciting enough, yes, said the man. But here

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<v Speaker 1>we are at home, and there is your mamma calling you.

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<v Speaker 1>End of Cats and Dogs. Author unknown,