Page:The Strand Magazine (Volume 6).djvu/621

stricken in years, and formerly a servant in the household of H.R.H. the Duke of Cambridge. With a pleasant, indulgent smile, he will open the gate leading to the small inclosure which surrounds his back garden. This the old man has entirely devoted to the dogs' cemetery. It is a curious sight that meets the eye. Arranged in long rows are the simple but pretty little tombstones, nearly all of marble, and each bearing its separate inscription. There are thirty-nine graves in all, of which one has a wooden memorial, upon which the inscription has become indistinct, and six have nothing to distinguish them at all. All the others have beautiful white tombstones, and by far the larger number of these are of marble. Each grave is neatly tiled in, and is green with plants and bright with flowers. Some of the graves are ornamented with shells, not one looks neglected. The burial ceremony is generally performed by Mr. Winbridge himself, but only rarely in the presence of the bereaved owners of the lamented pet, who are mostly too much overcome with grief to be able to face this last cruel parting. The dogs are mostly sewn up in canvas bags, and are thus committed to their last resting-place. In a few instances only have neatly polished deal coffins been used. From time to time the owners visit the graves of their pets and see that they are well kept, and, perhaps, place flowers on them. In once instance, and it is a very touching one, all attentions of this kind were made impossible by the death of the owner himself. This was the late Lord Petre, who sent his dog to be buried by Mr. Winbridge, on a July day in 1892, and intimated his intention of being present at the burial on the following morning; but his lordship could not survive the loss of his favourite, and died before he was able to fulfil his promise.

The following is a list of the tombstones upon which the inscriptions are still legible: