350 ALL ABOUT DOGS 



So eager were they for the fray, 



To be in time, for Sport, 

 They both arrived, upon the day, 



The day, before, they ought ! 



Many of the older exhibitors will remember the late 

 Mr. I. H. Murchison, F. R. G. S., whose large and suc- 

 cessful kennel of St. Bernards, Dandies, and Fox 

 Terriers, was for so many years in the front rank at 

 all the leading shows? As I was much mixed up in 

 the two last named varieties, I used constantly to be in 

 his company, and that of his son, also a keen and capa- 

 ble fancier. I remember on one occasion meeting him at 

 a show, I forget where it was, now, I think in the Lon- 

 don district, but amongst the dogs he had there was a 

 young and very promising Fox Terrier, called " Crack- 

 nel," with which he had carried all before him, and he 

 showed me a letter he had received from a gentleman 

 then, as now, in the front rank of Fox Terrier breed- 

 ers, and exhibitors, offering him £270 for the dog, and 

 he said, since receipt of the letter, the writer had of- 

 fered to make it " even money " (£300), at that time, 

 quite a fancy price for a specimen of that breed. He 

 said, " What would you advise me to do about it? " I 

 said, " Why take it, without hesitation, it is a tempting 

 price, the life of all dogs is uncertain, and show dogs, 

 especially, and it will do your kennel more good to have 

 sold a dog from it, at such a figure, than anything you 

 can gain, in any other way." However, he refused 

 the offer, and Cracknel not long afterwards rushed 

 into a hayfield after a rabbit, or rat, and so cut himself 

 with a scythe hidden in the long grass that he had to be 



