They had still a little
trouble to get Dolce into position. Dolce was to enact the lion, emblem
of courage and strength, lying at Fortitude's feet. He was a sensible
dog, but knowing nothing about playing pictures, naturally, did not
immediately understand why it should be required of him to lie down
there, on that platform of green baize, with his nose on his paws.
However, more sensible than some animals of higher order are apt to be,
he submitted patiently to the duty of obedience where he did not
understand; and laid down accordingly his shaggy length at Daisy's feet.
The curtain was drawn aside, and the company shouted with delight. No
picture had been so good yet as this one. The little grave figure, the
helmet with its nodding plumes in mock stateliness; the attitude, one
finger just resting on the pedestal of the broken column, (an ottoman
did duty for it) as if to shew that Fortitude stood alone, and the
shaggy St. Bernard at her feet, all made in truth an extremely pretty
spectacle. You could see the faintest tinge of a smile of pleasure on
the lips of both Mr. and Mrs. Randolph; they were silent, but all the
rest of the people cheered and openly declared their delight. Daisy
stood like a rock. _Her_ mouth never gave way; not even when Dolce,
conceiving that all this cheering called upon him to do something, rose
up and looking right into Daisy's face wagged his tail in the blandest
manner of congratulation. Daisy did not wince; and an energetic "Down,
Dolce, down!"--brought the St.
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