Fredericton. 19th Sunday after Trinity, 1867.

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I wonder if I send it by next mail, whether you would have room for a very short Christmas sort of prose Idyll suggested to me by a scene I saw when we were hunting for a sketch the other day.  If I can jot it down, I don’t suppose it would be more than two or three pages.  If I send it at all it will come by the Halifax mail.  It will be called “The Two Christmas Trees."...

TO H.K.F.G.

September 29, 1867.

...  I have fallen head over ears in love with another dog.  Oh! bless his nose!...  His name is Hector.  He is a white pure bull-dog.  His face is more broad and round—­and delicious and ferociously good-natured—­and affectionately ogreish—­than you can imagine.  The moment I saw him I hugged him and kissed his benevolence bump, and he didn’t even gowly powl....

TO MRS. GATTY.

[Fredericton, 1867?]

...  Talking of stories, if I only can get the full facts of his history, I think I shall send A.J.M. a short paper on a Fredericton Dog.  Did I ever tell you of him?  He has the loveliest face I ever saw, I think, in any Christian.  He knows us quite well when we go up the High Street where he lives.  When he gets two cents (1_d._) given him, he takes it in his mouth to the nearest store and buys himself buscuits.  I have seen him do it.  If you only give him one cent he is dissatisfied, and tries to get the second.  The Bishop told me he used to come to Church with his master at one time; he would come and behave very well—­TILL the offertory.  Then he rose and walked after the alms-collectors, wagging his tail as the money chinked in, because he wanted his penny for his biscuits!!!  He is a large dog—­part St. Bernard, and has magnificent eyes.  But (my poor!) they shaved him this summer like a poodle!  There is a bear in the officers’ quarters here—­he belongs to the regiment.  I have patted him, but he catches at one’s clothes.  To see him patting at my skirts with his paw was delicious—­but I don’t like his head, he looks very sly!

January 2, 1868.

...  Indeed it is hard not to be able to see each other at any moment and to be “parted” even for a time.  But to us all, who all enjoy everything to be seen and heard, and heard of in new places and among other people; the fact that I have to lead a traveller’s life gives us certain great pleasures we could not have had if Rex had been a curate at Worksop (we’ll say), and we couldn’t even afford a trip to the Continent!  Also if I have any gift for writing it really ought to improve under circumstances so much more favourable than the narrowing influence of a small horizon....  I only wish my gift were a little nearer real genius!!  As it is, I do hope to improve gradually;