After a decent period of mourning, His Majesty George V had a new dog last week. Like its predecessor, it is a lively, ginger-colored Cairn terrier. Snip, the previous Cairn, was an affectionate beast who whimpered outside the royal bedroom all the time King George lay gravely ill three years ago, and accompanied His Majesty to almost everything except the state openings of Parliament. Snip died in April. Mourned by the royal household and the nation, he was buried in Sandringham by the side of Edward VII's dog Caesar who had the distinction of preceding the Kaiser at his master's funeral.
All summer King George remained petless except for Charlotte the parrot. Parrot Charlotte is a 40-year-old bird that H. M. bought in Port Said when he was in the navy. In her youth Charlotte had a loud and penetrating voice, knew a variety of nautical terms and a smattering of French, and used to frighten visitors to Buckingham Palace by suddenly screaming "WELL WHAT ABAHT IT?" Lately she has grown morose, likes to sit on the King's shoulder at breakfast time cracking sunflower seeds.
It was to find a companion to Charlotte as much as anything else that the new Cairn was ordered. Edward of Wales has a Cairn too, a snappy little bitch named Cora.