The Three Musketeers. By the time 1953 had arrived we had acquired another dog. It was a Border Collie that was going to be put down because it was the runt of the litter. We named him "Rover" and he grew into a lovely long-haired collie that looked rather like "Lassie" the dog in the films. "Rover's" coat was black and white though. We were quite surprised when "Prince" made no fuss when realising that "Rover" was here to stay. It could have been because he was getting older and had started to slow up because we noticed he was resting more and no longer obsessed with his brick. He was a great character and even though it is over sixty odd years since he died from cancer in 1955 I still have to smile at his antics. We also gained a cat because while "Prince" was still reasonably healthy he found the cat in our garden when she was a kitten. He came in and kept barking at us as though trying to tell us something. When Cliff and I finally followed him out we saw this little black scrap of a kitten being violently sick and writhing in agony. "Prince" must have sensed the urgency for the kitten although he was not fond of cats and could have killed her with a snap of his jaws. Where the kitten had come from we never did find out although we asked neighbours. Cliff immediately ran in for the castor oil and literally poured it down the kitten's throat. He sat up all night nursing the kitten and cleaning up after it when it kept throwing up but by the next morning "Sparkie" as we called her was perking up and lapping a drop of milk. Her devotion to my hubby after that had to be seen for it to be believed. "Sparkie" followed hubby everywhere. She even fathomed out what shift he was on and used to wait for him coming out of work because as I said previously we lived in a house that was owned by my hubbys employers and the factory was a bit further down the road. She used to run and meet him to walk home with him. It was an uncanny relationship between them. This next piece will explain what I mean by the close relationship between hubby and cat. We had no bathrooms years ago and had to have a strip wash down every day at the kitchen sink. Our living facilities were FAR different from today. Houses are not built today without a bathroom/s. They are a MUST in any building regulations now. We had to bring a tin bath in every Friday night and put it in front of the coal fire to get a bath. During the week we had to make do with a strip wash at the kitchen sink. As soon as hubby got in and started taking his things off for his strip wash "Sparkie" used to climb up on top of the door leading into the kitchen and when hubby was washing his face she would leap over on to his neck and wrap herself round him. She never dug her claws in just wrapped herself round his neck like a collar. I had to keep the door shut after she had done this about three times so that hubby could have a wash in peace. I had to lock her in the front room when he was having a bath because she would once again be round his neck. All three animals used to go out together and the neighbours called them the Three Musketeers. If any one has seen the film "The Incredible Journey" about two dogs and a cat that was just how our three were. "Prince" would lead and the other two follow wherever he went. It has to be remembered here that there were no restrictions on keeping animals indoors at that time. "Rover" loved being dressed in Barry's outgrown clothes and he used to commandeer the pushchair or buggy as they are called today. He also had a fetish about his beautiful bushy tail and disliked anyone touching it although my lad could do anything with him including dressing him up in his outgrown clothes. My son was about three years old by this time and very often we took "Rover" out in the pushchair with Barry pushing it and "Prince" and "Sparkie" walking alongside. The animals that we had over the years have all left footprints on our hearts and we will never forget them. Wonderful memories about the funny incidents and extremely sad ones especially when "Sparkie" got run over by a lorry while waiting for hubby to come out of work. I was devastated when I heard about it, but that special bond between cat and master was a different type of grief to mine. By 1958 we had lost "Rover" too because he picked up some sort of tick in his coat that burrowed into his flesh and nothing could be done for him so we had to have him put to sleep. Many new cures have been found since then. Unfortunately we had no photos of our lovely pets mainly because we could not afford a camera then.
Aah such a beautiful story although sad too Great characters and I don't just mean our four legged friends
Your story reminded me that my dog was the runt of the litter...he's a purebred dachshund but was born with a stub of a tail. My daughter got him at an auction for the grade school 10 yrs ago...I think that's why the owner donated Pickles because even though he's a pedigree, the stub tail would be an issue selling him...might as well donate he probably thought. My daughter paid $500 for him but it was for the school...a good cause. I'm so used to his tail being short that I'm caught off guard by a dachshund with a regular tail. Didn't mean to go off track from your story but it just reminded me of mine. Edit: the vet said it wasn't a problem and probably occurred because of the way he was positioned in the womb...no room for the tail to grow....or something like that.
That is a lovely little tale Chrissy. I only wish others would join in with their memories of their four legged friends. Thankyou.