The Bedlington Terrier. 177 



him as a dainty feeder and a " bad doer" generally, 

 which in many cases he remains to the present day. 

 Following the above came other communications, all 

 pretty much to the same effect, and great praise was 

 given to a dog known as Ainsley's Piper, which lived 

 between 1820 and 1830, and claimed by many to be 

 the best of his race. This dog had attained a 

 reputation for great pluck and courage. He was 

 entered to badger when but eight months old, and 

 from that time until he was almost blind was fully 

 employed with the otter, fox, foulmart, badger, and 

 vermin of all kinds. When fourteen years of age, 

 grey and toothless, he drew a badger which other 

 terriers had failed to move, but shortly before this 

 old Piper was a hero in another quarter. In 1835 

 Mrs. Ainsley was in the harvest field and had left her 

 four months old baby in a basket under the hedge 

 with old Piper in charge. A ferocious sow came 

 prowling around when the labourers were out of 

 hearing, and attempted to get at the child, which 

 no doubt pig-like it would have devoured. But 

 Piper would allow nothing of the kind, and kept 

 the creature at bay until assistance came, and the 

 grunter, much against its will, was driven off to 

 the stye, shortly afterwards to be destroyed. It 

 was always believed that Piper saved the baby's 

 life, and so the poor old dog was duly cherished, as 



N 



