380 ALL ABOUT DOGS 



place on the hearth rug, with an offended air, as if de- 

 termined not to be made a fool of again." 



Most people who know anything about dogs, or 

 doggy people, know Mr. George Raper, one of 

 the most popular and capable all-round judges we 

 have, but they do not all know what a very lively and 

 active man he is. In my long experience as an 

 exhibitor, I have often found myself in his company 

 in different parts of the country, and usually he 

 has had some good story to tell, or amusing thing 

 to do. I remember, on one occasion, when we and a 

 number more were staying at an hotel in South Wales, 

 I forget now whether it was Haverfordwest, Pem- 

 broke or Tenby, but I think it was one of those 

 three, how he astonished an old gentleman (not the 

 least doggy or sporting in his appearance), by his 

 agility. We were talking in the bar parlour of the 

 hotel about vaulting, and in the room there was the 

 ordinary high and wide pewter covered counter, or 

 bar. I said, " I suppose you would not attempt to 

 negotiate such an article as that ? " Mr. Raper said, 

 " I should have a good try at it," and without saying 

 more, he stepped back, placed his hand on the centre 

 of the counter, vaulted over, and then vaulted back 

 again; the old gentleman, who was sitting down 

 quietly having some refreshment, jumped up and said, 

 " Bless my heart and soul, sir, I never saw such a thing 

 done in my life ! " which made us all laugh heartily. 

 Captain Brown, in his " Popular Natural History," 

 tells the following story of those formerly much to be 

 pitied animals, the dogs utilized as " Turnspits." 



