Young Folks' Treasury, Volume 3 — Mrs. Margery Two-Shoes: Of The Amazing Sagacity And Instinct Of A Little Dog
OF THE AMAZING SAGACITY AND INSTINCT OF A LITTLE DOG
Soon after this, a very dreadful accident happened in the school.
It was on a Thursday morning, I very well remember, when the children having learned their lessons soon, she had given them leave to play, and they were all running about the school, and diverting themselves with the birds and the lamb; at this time the dog, all of a sudden, laid hold of his mistress's apron, and endeavored to pull her out of the school.
She was at first surprised; however, she followed him, to see what he intended.
No sooner had he led her back into the garden, but he ran back, and pulled out one of the children in the same manner; upon which she ordered them all to leave the school immediately, and they had not been out five minutes before the top of the house fell in.
What a miraculous deliverance was here!
How gracious!
How good was God Almighty to save all these children from destruction, and to make use of such an instrument as a little sagacious animal to accomplish his divine will!
I should have observed that, as soon as they were all in the garden, the dog came leaping round them to express his joy, and when the house was fallen, laid himself down quietly by his mistress.
Some of the neighbors who saw the school fall, and who were in great pain for Margery and her little ones, soon spread the news through the village, and all the parents, terrified for their children, came crowding in abundance; they had, however, the satisfaction to find them all safe, and upon their knees with their mistress, giving God thanks for their happy deliverance.
You are not to wonder, my dear reader, that this little dog should have more sense than you, or your father, or your grandfather.
Though God Almighty has made man the lord of the creation and endowed him with reason; yet in many respects he has been altogether as bountiful to other creatures of his forming.
Some of the senses of other animals are more acute than ours, as we find by daily experience.
The downfall of the school was a great misfortune to Mrs. Margery; for she not only lost all her books, but was destitute of a place to teach in; but Sir William Dove, being informed of this, ordered it to be built at his own expense, and till that could be done, Farmer Grove was so kind as to let her have his large hall to teach in.
IV
