‘THAT DOG.’

Marlborough Daily Times, Volume II, Issue 166, 22 October 1880, Page 2 (Supplement)

‘THAT DOG.’

‘ That dog’ had been with us about a month, when a young friend, of sporting predilections, called., accompanied by a white bull terrier. We were standing at the window admiring the points of tile terrier, when Bough, as we had named

our own dog, entered with a large bone in his mouth.

‘ What an awful brute !’ said our friend ; ‘ not yours, of course !’ ‘ Well, he came to ns ; an excellent house-dog, you’ve no idea, and a more harmless creature never lived.’ Such brutes ought to lie throttled. He will have to give up that bone if Wasp wants it. ’

Wasp did not want it. He was contented to eye the plebian llough with disdan from the doorstep. All at once the hitter, who was jogging along in his usual hangdog manner, caught sight of the stranger. To our amazement he immediately threw down the bone, and ofibred battle. A ridge of bristles rose along the whole length of his back ; his long nose and upper jaw wrinkled spasmodically, displaying a set of enormous teeth; and an angry growl shook his whole bod} 7 .

‘ The dog’s mad,’ said my friend ; ‘ be chawed up. If you value your dog you had better run out, though I think it would be more appropriate to let the brute alone.’ It was too late to run out. The combatants had already closed. The battle, however, wa3 not over in a moment. Rough met the impetuous assaults of the bill 1-terrier by the original expedient of beating him off with his great fore-paws. At length the terrier got a firm grip cf one of his antagonist’s long ears.

‘He will never let go alive/ said my friend. He liad never uttered a truer observation. My suspicion that the grip was the result of design on the part of Hough was confirmed. That astute animal immediately took advantage of the ‘ play’ which his length of ear allowed him, and, throwing his enemy on the ground, made for his throat. The blood streamed from Rough’s car as lie fairly drew it through the clenched teeth of the bull-terrier, but he had his revenge. Ilis big jaws closed upon the throat of his rival; one grip was enough ; the highbred expensive animal rolled over stone dead. Rough picked up his bone, and, with a villainously unconcerned swagger, trotted round to the back premises. 1 followed my friend into the garden. An old man, a jobbing gardener, was leaning over the wall. His face shone with delight; he could hardly speak for exultation, notwithstanding that it was evident, by his demeanour, that he felt intuitively assured that the greatness of the occasion had thrown to the winds the ordinary forms and barriers of social restraint. Addressing us, as from an equal ‘ platform,’ he said : ‘ I knowed there’d be a fight, and 1 kuowed the one as ’ud win. Why. bless yer souls, that there clog as Black the poacher left behind ’ave killed dogs double hb own weight. ’E aint got liis ekal; there, that ’e aint.’ My friend looked at me, but said nothing. ‘lt was a fair fight,’ was all I could mutter.

My friend made no reply. Disregarding the offer of the old gardener to pet form the last services for his dead favourite for a shilling, he had left me. I paid that shilling myself, and then retired indoors to meditate. it was too plain that the animal I had deemed sc faithful and affectionate was not only an accomplished hypocrite, but a member of the canine criminal classes. I felt half ati'hi lof him. It was plainly my duty to put an end to his atrocious existence.— • AU the Year Round.’