THE DOG WHO WENT OUT TO SUP.
A man made a great feast, and his dog Tray said to Gyp, who was a great friend of his, “Come and sup with us to-night. Eight o’clock is the time; but if you are there an hour too soon, you will find there is much to be done.” Gyp lay in the sun a while, to wink and wait. He thought of fish, flesh, and fowl, tripe and toast, and made a feast in his heart that might grace a bill of fare for a king. At length the time came, and he set off to the cook’s room, where he found all hands hard at work. Gyp went with a skulk, now here, now there; gave a peep at this dish, and smelt at that, and with a wag of his tail, as much as to say, “O rare! What a feast have I in store!” This wag of the tail brought the eyes of the cook on him, and he said, “How now? what’s this I spy? A cur! who let him in? A nice sort of guest, to be sure. I shall soon pack you off.” The cook then brought poor Gyp to view, and threw him out at the back door.
There’s oft a slip ’twixt cup and lip.