Houston, near Uphall,
had a terrier dog which gave many proofs of his sagacity. Upon one
occasion his wife lent a white petticoat to a neighbour in which to
attend a christening; the dog observed his mistress make the loan,
followed the woman home who borrowed the article, never quitted her,
but accompanied her to the christening, and leaped several times on
her knee: nor did he lose sight of her till the piece of dress was at
last fairly restored to Mrs. Laing. During the time this person was at
the christening she was much afraid the dog would attempt to tear the
petticoat off her, as she well knew the object of his attendance.

One of the most extraordinary terriers I ever met with belonged to a
man named T----y, well known for many years in the neighbourhood of
Hampton Court. The father of this man had been in a respectable way of
life, but his son wanted steadiness of character, and, indeed, good
conduct, and had it not been for the kindness of his late Majesty,
King William the Fourth, he would have been reduced to poverty long
before he was. T----y, through the interest of the king, then Duke of
Clarence, was tried in several situations, but failed in them all. At
last he was made a postman, but was found drunk one evening with all
his letters scattered about him, and, of course, lost his situation.
He then took up the employment of rat-catcher, for which, perhaps, he
was better qualified than any other. His stock-in-trade consisted of
some ferrets and an old terrier dog, and a more extraordinary dog was
seldom seen. He was rough, rather strongly made, and of a sort of
cinnamon colour, having only one eye; his appearance being in direct
contrast to what Bewick designates the _genteel_ terrier. The other
eye had a fluid constantly exuding from it, which made a sort of
furrow down the side of his cheek. He always kept close to the heels
of his master, hanging down his head, and appearing the
personification of misery and wretchedness. He was, however, a
wonderful vermin-killer, and wherever his master placed him, there he
remained, waiting with the utmost patience and resignation till an
unfortunate rat bolted from the hole, which he instantly killed in a
most philosophical manner. The poor dog had to undergo the
vicissitudes of hard fare, amounting almost to starvation, of cold,
rain, and other evils, but still he was always to be seen at his
master's feet, and his fidelity to him was unshaken. No notice, no
kin