THIS story really consists of two parts；the first part might be left out，but it gives us a few particulars，and these are useful．

We were staying in the country at a gentleman's seat，where it happened that the master and mistress were absent for a few days．In the meantime there arrived from the next town a lady；she had a pug-dog with her，and came，she said，to dispose of shares in her tan－yard．She had her papers with her，and we advised her to put them in an envelope，and to write thereon the address of the proprietor¹ of the estate，“General War-Commissary Knight，”＆c．

She listened to us attentively，seized the pen，paused，and begged us to repeat the direction slowly．We complied，and she wrote；but in the midst of the “General War”she stuck fast，sighed deeply，and said，“I am only a woman！”She had set the pug on the floor while she wrote，and he growled，for he had been taken with her for his amusement and for the sake of his health；and then one ought not to be set upon the floor．His outwardappearance was characterized by a snub nose and a very fat back．

“He doesn's bite，”said the lady；“he has no teeth．He is like one of the family，faithful and grumpy，but that is because he is teased by my grandchildren：they play at weddings，and want to give him the part of the bridesmaid，and that's too much for him，poor old fellow．”

And she delivered her papers，and took Puggie upon her arm．And this is the first part of the story，which might have been left out．

PUGGIE DIED！！That's the second part．

It was about a week afterwards we arrived in the town，and put up at the inn．Our windows looked into the tan－yard，which was divided into two parts by a partition of planks；in one half were many skins and hides raw and tanned．Here was all the apparatus² necessary to carry on a tannery，and it belonged to the widow．Puggie had died in the morning，and had been buried in this part of the yard：the grandchildren of the window（that is，of the tanner's widow，for Puggie had never been married）filled up the grave，and it was a beautiful grave——it must have been quite pleasant to lie there．

The grave was bordered with pieces of flower－pots and strewn over with sand；quite at the top they had stuck up half a beer bottle，with the neck upwards，and that was not at all allegorical．

The children danced round the grave，and the eldest³

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1 proprietor
n.所有人；业主；经营者
参考例句：
The proprietor was an old acquaintance of his.业主是他的一位旧相识。 The proprietor of the corner grocery was a strange thing in my life.拐角杂货店店主是我生活中的一个怪物。

2 apparatus
n.装置，器械；器具，设备
参考例句：
The school's audio apparatus includes films and records.学校的视听设备包括放映机和录音机。 They had a very refined apparatus.他们有一套非常精良的设备。

3 eldest
adj.最年长的，最年老的
参考例句：
The King's eldest son is the heir to the throne.国王的长子是王位的继承人。 The castle and the land are entailed on the eldest son.城堡和土地限定由长子继承。

4 standing
n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的
参考例句：
After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。 They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。