Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-02-12
Our European Letter,
LONDON, Eng d. Jan. 80, 1879.

Sunday evening in this vast metropolis.
Indeed, they may be said. in the phrase of
Mr.. Venees, to be almost as various"
as its inhabitants. Caterers for serious
tastes have naturally a considerable pull"
over their mundane rivals, and nowhere
are the minutest shades of difference
'twixt tweedledum and tweedledee-from
a religious point of view-insisted on
with greater acrimony or more absolute
cocksureness by their respective profess
sors. But the tastes and desires of the
unregenerate are not left uncousulted, and
numerous are the humble interiors in
which they find adequate recognition.
Among these phases of the seamy side Of
London life few are more fraught with
interest for those curious in the study Of
humanity's byways than the Sunday
evening shows" affected by the singular
fraternity who nowadays style themselves
" The fancy and in whom an absorbing
passion for dogs and birds constitutes a
mysterious bond of union. Their rites
are mostly celebrated in the beer shops of
blck slums, and Sunday night is with
each the favorite time for their perform
ance. 1t is rare indeed to find doggy
man wholly uninterested in the doings of
the cheeck-me.dears," and it is equally
unusual to happen on "slammer Of
chaffinches to whom the "pints" and
properties " of a black-and-tan are not
familiar in the mouth as household bread.
Now long cherished lively curiosity as
to what manner of men frequented these
places, SO when few weeks ago learned
that dog show was to come off on a GER
tain Sunday evening at the Bishops Tile,
determined to assist thereat | was told
that several gentlemen had promised to
exhibit their celebrated studs of breeds
whatever that might mean-and that 4
well known fancier would take the chair,
faced " by an equally we'll known sport
ing character, and l confidently looked
forward to an entertaining if not improv-
ing evening. On the appointed night
sought the remote district in which St.
Didymus street is situate, and found it
locality in which mud and murky gloom,
evil smells and unearthly noises were the
most prominent characteristics. The
gloom and noises are owing to the streets
narrowness, and the fact that one side is
occupied by lofty row of houses, formed
out Of arches, over which railway trains
necessarily rumble and shrek; while the
surrounding tan pits, bone boilers and
heaps of vegetable refuse account for any
olfactory offence. had little difficulty in
finding the title" which nestled lovingly
in one Of the arches before alluded to. 1t
proved to be beershop Of the ordinary
type, except that, from the popularity OF
its situation, certain archiness pervaded
all its details. TIE front of the bar was
crowded with men and dogs of all shapes
and sizes. The bipeds were, as rule,
Enthusiastically doggy" and I Rugged
myself in the thought that l." the fancy -
were in force tonight. The company was
not refined, but was less rough than l had
expected, and blasphcmy and bad Ian
guage were by no means in the ascendant
Collars were not as rule worn, save by
the quadrupeds; close fitting caps of the
hard puncher" persuasion were much
affected; and in the matter of " continual
lions" tightness seemed Indispensable
But many-chiehy the middle aged and
elderly section-sported glossy silk hats
and bandannas of marvellous briliancy.
Everybody, except the dogs, was smoking
and even they were not inaccessible TO
the force of evil example, for dissipated
looking Yorkshire terrier, who had evi.
IDENTIFY seen better days, sat upon his
launches, holding short pipe between
his teeth the while. with an indescribabe
air Of rakish raffishnesS. Everybody, too,
had with him one or more specimens of the
friend of man, some Of them of singu-
larly unfriendly appearance. At table
near me sat young man Of gloomy Wis
age absorbed in contemplation of bun
die Of snow white hair deposited on a
cloth Of many colors before him. The
bundle, was told was a redemption
Maltese" and | ut once endeayored to
cultivate the champions acquaintance.
But long course of prize winning had so
pulled up this animal with vainglory that
my efforts at Cancellation were vain. A
brindled bull of great size and fierceness
was on the other hand unpleasantly demon
strative in his attentions to my long ulster
1t was only after repeated visits during
which this degraded creature had conduct
ed himself after the manner of Launce' 5
incorrigible cur, that became aware of
his proceedings, through grutf but
friendly admontion to kick that there
brindle in the jor, gunner" Hastily
gathering up my superfuous skirts, l
sought a fresh chair. but the brindle would
not be denied, and again and again re-
turned to the charge. At length the dog
owner noticed my agitation, and some
skilllully directed kicks left me once more
at peace.
| was wondering whether this was all
the show consisted of, when solemn
faced old gentleman. in very tlll hat,
who was sitting at the upper end of the
room, suddenly declared with some asper-
ity that it was very late, p'r'aps we'd
better be getting to business. The bust
ness" it seemed, was the election of two
judges and an umpire to decide on the
relative merits OF the bAck-and-tan ter
riers present. 4 number of these bright,
intelligent little creatures were then
brought forward and with much gravity
committed to the charge Of the judicial
triumvirate, who, laden in arms and pock-
cts with the canine spoil, straightway re-
tired to the privacy of the bar parlor,
there to deliberate to whom should be
awarded the "silypr tankard " I h,ra