[ Chatterbox Album of Animals ]
This collection of animal-related anecdotes for children was first published in 1879 (London: W. W. Gardner) and appears to have had a second printing the following year. It seems to have been edited by Margaret Vandegrift, which was the pseudonym of Margaret Janvier (1844 - 1913), an American poet and writer of chidlren's literature.
This volume was heavily illustrated, with most of the illustrations by Harrison Weir (1824 - 1906), the noted English animal illustrator who, according to his Wiki entry, is also known as "the Father of the Cat Fancy" for organizing the very first cat show in England in 1871.
The first anecdote bears a striking similarity to one that first appeared in the Edinburgh Star and was reprinted in The Cottager's Monthly Visitorof January 1830.
The brave Newfoundland dog was sitting on the pavement, when he saw a little child of three years of age standing right in the way of a heavy waggon which was rolling along the street. Quick as thought, he bounded into the road, snatched up the child, and bore it in safety to the opposite pavement. (207)
And that's just the first mention of Newfoundlands in this volume:
A Newfoundland Dog and a Mastiff were fighting on a bridge, and over they went into the water. The banks were so high, that they had to swim some distance before they came to a landing-place. It was very easy for the Newfoundland; he quickly reached the land, and then turned to look at his old enemy. He saw plainly that he was likely to drown. So what did the noble fellow do but plunge in, seize him gently by the collar, and tow him safely to port. (144)
A boat was upset. It contained several people, and the dog of which this is the pictue. If it had not been for this dog all the people whould have been drowned. But the brave fellow dived under the water and brought up his mistress. Then he dived again, but he could not find anybody else, so he swam away home, where, of course, everybody made a great fuss over him. (246)
