a dog that knows its friends

thanks hathitrust.org (PD)

This morning I really just wanted an excuse to share this illustration from a charming turn of the 20th c book of animal stories.  The attached story's no great discovery, but you need to read it to fully appreciate the picture:

RARE HONESTY
A MASTIFF dog, who owed more to the kindness of a neighbor than to his master, was once locked by mistake in the well-stored pantry of his benefactor for a whole day, where there were, within his reach, milk, butter, bread and meat, in abundance. On the return of the servant to the pantry, seeing the dog come out, and knowing the time it had been shut in there, she trembled for fear of the waste which she was sure her carelessness must have brought about; but on close examination, it was found that the honest creature had not tasted of anything, although, on coming out, he fell on a bone that was given him, with all the greediness of hunger.

-- from Billinghurst, Percy J. Anecdotes of Animals. New York: McLoughlin Bros., 1905, pp. 142-3.  A book full of appealing, Art Nouveau-flavored illustrations.