Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1897 edition. Excerpt: ... Chapter XVIII (1893-4-5) Illness -- A Change -- Williamsburg -- The End all felt that master, after crossing and re-crossing the Ocean, owed us a visit without waiting for the shooting season to begin. I was not vain enough to believe that he would come, at that season, because of the condition of my health, which was very bad. The little restored vitality I had felt last fall, was entirelv extinguished bv the storms which raged throughout January, February, and March. Rheumatism had again attacked me, accompanied, this time, by a serious and painful affection of the ear. Men glibly dispose of ear troubles among dogs, by denominating them cankers -- external or internal canker, according to the location of the complaint. Mr. Selden called mine internal canker, and, at one time applied sweet oil, and at another time spirits of turpentine. The former was harmless; the latter very painful. Neither did me the slightest good. The swelling increased, was excruciatingly painful, and made me very deaf. When, at last, it burst of itself, the discharge continued for many weeks and was so disagreeable to every one, that I found myself banished from my old place by the fireside, and was seldom admitted to the house. Limping about, shaking my troublesome ear continually, I lost my appetite, grew thin, and, for the first time in my life, became despondent. How I longed for master then. Right well I knew that in my old age and time of trouble, he would feel for me, and tend my ailments better than any one in the world. At the corner of the lawn was a mound where a summer house once stood. The spot overlooked the valley; from it, the trains from Richmond came into view, five miles away, as they rounded the bluffs of the Rock Castle estate. The hedges...
