A Good Opportunity. 31 



back streets of Birmingham and of other large towns, so 

 they were too plebeian by half. Then the Dandie Dinmont 

 and hard-haired Scottish terriers were scarcely known outside 

 their home, which was on the other side of the border, and 

 the Skye terrier with his long jacket carried too much dirt 

 into the house. The white English terrier might have 

 become popular had he not been so subject to chronic 

 deafness, and no doubt the bull terrier and the black and 

 tan terrier lost their chance of becoming public idols by 

 reason that a barbarous custom had decided that their ears 

 were to be in part amputated. The latter could only be 

 done at considerable trouble and expense, and with inordi- 

 nate suffering to the poor creatures themselves. 



So here was the chance for the fox terrier ; he availed 

 himself of the opportunity, and the public gladly accepted 

 his enterprise. The visitors to the dog-shows in 1862-3, 

 noticed and made much of him. Mr. Wootton loved his. 

 handsome and sprightly dogs, knew how to advertise and 

 so make the most of them, and he kept them clean and glossy 

 in their coats ; whilst Jock and others had that merry twinkle 

 in their dark brown, almond-shaped eyes indicative of intel- 

 ligence and gameness. Moreover, there was no superfluous 

 jacket and hair hanging about their legs to carry dirt into 

 the parlour and drawing-room, and when Lady So-and-So 

 wished for a nice dog to take out for a walk in the 

 country or a drive in the park, Lord So-and-So purchased 

 a fox terrier puppy for her ladyship. The fox terrier has 

 never socially looked behind him since. His position in 

 society was attained as quickly, and perhaps with less 

 difficulty, than is that of the millionaire railway king or 

 successful speculator. The quadruped had but looks and 

 manners to recommend him ; possibly the biped had neither, 



