The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-05-20
PRICE 8 CENTS.
Dickens's Dogs.
Something about the Friendships He
Made among the CANNES.
from Temple Bar.l

From Temple Bari
Dckens's interest in dogs, Mr.. Forster SAYS
was inexhaustible, and he welcomed with de-
light any newly discovered trait in their char.
acter. The society of his own dogs he ardently
enjoyed. He invariably kept two or more mas.
tiffs to guard his house against the undesirable
wayfarers who haunted the high road hard by.
OF all these his special favorite was Turk. "a
BILE animal, full Of affection and intelli-
gence," who had as his co-mate Linda, 'su-
perbly beautiful creature" the scion of a st.
Bernard, brought over by Albert Smith.
These two dogs happened to bs with him in
the walk when he fell lame, and, boisterous
companions as they were, the sudden change
in their masters gait brought them at once to
a stand-still As he limped home, three miles
through the snow, they crept at his side at the
same slow pace, and never once turne1 away
from him. Dickens was greatly moved at the
time by the- solioitous behavior, and often
afterward spoke of Turks upturned face as
full OF sympathy mingled with fear, and OF
Linda's inconsolable detection. A railroad
brought death to Turk and sorrow to his mas
ter; and then came Sultan, cross between q
st. Bernard and a bloodhound, built like q
lioness, bat of such indomitable aggressive
propensities that, after breaking loose and
well nigh devouring small sister OF one OF
the servants he was first iosged and then
sentenced to be shot at the next morning.
"He went out" says Dickens, Every cheerfully
with the half-dozen men told off for the pur.
pose, evidently thinking they were going to be
the death of sombody unknown. But observ.
m spfu uuh lb..r-
ana double barreled gun, he became medita-
tive and fixed the bearer of the gun with his
eyes. A stone deftly thrown across him by
the village blacaguard-the chief mourner--
caused him to look round for an instant, aud
then he fell dead. shot through the heart.
Two posthumous children are at this moment
rolling on the lawn, one will evidently inherit
his ferocity and will probably inherit the
gun" The description of Dickens's welcome
by his dogs on his return from America-how
they lifted their heads to have their ears pulled,
an attention received from him alone how
Linda, weeping profusely, threw herself ON
her back that she might caress his foot with
her large fore paws, and how the terrier Mrs.
Bouncer, barking furiously, 'tore round him
ike the dog IN the Faust outlines''-will show
at once the tender relations that existed be-
tween the great novelist and his canine
friends. But we must not omit little Snittle
Tlmberry, present from Mitchell, the COM
edian, during Dickens's first visit to Amer
ica Timber Doodle was the original name of
the small, shaggy white terrier; bat Snittle
Timberry was deemed by his new owner to be
more sonorous and expressive. When Dickens
and Snittle both suffered at Albaro In Italy,
the one from swarms of musquitos, and the
other from feas, the dog came off the worst;
there was no chance but to shave off every
hair OF his body. "It is very awful" writes
Dickens, ito see him creep into a room He
knows the change upon him, and is always
turning round and round 10 look for himself
think he'll die OF grief" Dickens's sympa-
thy with dogs, and especially with their hum
or, was illustrated by his story OF the very
comical dog that caught his eye in the middle
Of reading, and, after intently looking at
him for some time, bounced out into the CEN
ter aisle and tried the effect of bark upon
the proceedings, when Dickens burst into
such paroxysm of laughter that the audience
roared again. and again with him. The dog
came the next night also, but met with a very
different reception; for, having given warning
OF his presence to an attendant near the door
by suppressed bark ard a touch on the leg
he was caught in fdgrante deiicto, when with
his eve upon Dickens he was Just about to give
louder tongue, and was whirled with both
hands over the attendants head into the en-
trance behind, whence he was promptly kick
ed by the check-takers into the street. Next
night he came again, and with another dog
whom 'he bad evidently promised to pass In
Free" but the check-takers were prepared.