eversawhimaboutfiveyearsagohewasincircumstancesofdifficulty，causedbythisfailing。Havingbeenleftalonewiththecartofperiwinkles，andforgotten，hewentoffidling。Heprowledamonghisusuallowhauntsforsometime，gratifyinghisdepravedtastes，until，nottakingthecartintohiscalculations，heendeavouredtoturnupanarrowalley，andbecamegreatlyinvolved。Hewastakenintocustodybythepolice，and，theGreenYardofthedistrictbeingnearathand，wasbackedintothatplaceofdurance。Atthatcrisis，Iencounteredhim；thestubbornsenseheevincedofbeing-nottocompromisetheexpression-ablackguard，Ineversawexceededinthehumansubject。Aflaringcandleinapapershade，stuckinamonghisperiwinkles，showedhim，withhisraggedharnessbrokenandhiscartextensivelyshattered，twitchinghismouthandshakinghishanginghead，apictureofdisgraceandobduracy。Ihaveseenboysbeingtakentostation-houses，whowereaslikehimashisownbrother。
Thedogsofshyneighbourhoods，Iobservetoavoidplay，andtobeconsciousofpoverty。Theyavoidwork，too，iftheycan，ofcourse；thatisinthenatureofallanimals。IhavethepleasuretoknowadoginabackstreetintheneighbourhoodofWalworth，whohasgreatlydistinguishedhimselfintheminordrama，andwhotakeshisportraitwithhimwhenhemakesanengagement，fortheillustrationoftheplay-bill。HisportraitwhichisnotatalllikehimrepresentshimintheactofdraggingtotheeartharecreantIndian，whoissupposedtohavetomahawked，oressayedtotomahawk，aBritishofficer。Thedesignispurepoetry，forthereisnosuchIndianinthepiece，andnosuchincident。HeisadogoftheNewfoundlandbreed，forwhosehonestyIwouldbebailtoanyamount；butwhoseintellectualqualitiesinassociationwithdramaticfiction，Icannotratehigh。Indeed，heistoohonestfortheprofessionhehasentered。BeingatatowninYorkshirelastsummer，andseeinghimpostedinthebillofthenight，Iattendedtheperformance。Hisfirstscenewaseminentlysuccessful；but，asitoccupiedasecondinitsrepresentationandfivelinesinthebill，itscarcelyaffordedgroundforacoolanddeliberatejudgmentofhispowers。Hehadmerelytobark，runon，andjumpthroughaninnwindow，afteracomicfugitive。Thenextsceneofimportancetothefablewasalittlemarredinitsinterestbyhisover-anxiety；forasmuchaswhilehismasterabelatedsoldierinadenofrobbersonatempestuousnightwasfeelinglylamentingtheabsenceofhisfaithfuldog，andlayinggreatstressonthefactthathewasthirtyleaguesaway，thefaithfuldogwasbarkingfuriouslyintheprompter’sbox，andclearlychokinghimselfagainsthiscollar。Butitwasinhisgreatestsceneofall，thathishonestygotthebetterofhim。Hehadtoenteradenseandtracklessforest，onthetrailofthemurderer，andtheretoflyatthemurdererwhenhefoundhimrestingatthefootofatree，withhisvictimboundreadyforslaughter。Itwasahotnight，andhecameintotheforestfromanaltogetherunexpecteddirection，inthesweetesttemper，ataverydeliberatetrot，notintheleastexcited；trottedtothefoot-lightswithhistongueout；andtheresatdown，panting，andamiablysurveyingtheaudience，withhistailbeatingontheboards，likeaDutchclock。Meanwhilethemurderer，impatienttoreceivehisdoom，wasaudiblycallingtohim’CO-O-OMEhere！’whilethevictim，strugglingwithhisbonds，assailedhimwiththemostinjuriousexpressions。Ithappenedthroughthesemeans，thatwhenhewasincourseoftimepersuadedtotrotupandrendthemurdererlimbfromlimb，hemadeitfordramaticpurposesalittletooobviousthatheworkedoutthatawfulretributionbylickingbutteroffhisblood-stainedhands。
Inashystreet，behindLong-acre，twohonestdogslive，whoperforminPunch’sshows。ImayventuretosaythatIamontermsofintimacywithboth，andthatIneversaweitherguiltyofthefalsehoodoffailingtolookdownatthemaninsidetheshow，duringthewholeperformance。Thedifficultyotherdogshaveinsatisfyingtheirmindsaboutthesedogs，appearstobeneverovercomebytime。Thesamedogsmustencounterthemoverandoveragain，astheytrudgealongintheiroff-minutesbehindthelegsoftheshowandbesidethedrum；butalldogsseemtosuspecttheirfrillsandjackets，andtosniffatthemasiftheythoughtthosearticlesofpersonaladornment，aneruption-asomethinginthenatureofmange，perhaps。FromthisCovent-gardenwindowofmineI
noticedacountrydog，onlytheotherday，whohadcomeuptoCovent-gardenMarketunderacart，andhadbrokenhiscord，anendofwhichhestilltrailedalongwithhim。Heloiteredaboutthecornersofthefourstreetscommandedbymywindow；andbadLondondogscameup，andtoldhimliesthathedidn’tbelieve；andworseLondondogscameup，andmadeproposalstohimtogoandstealinthemarket，whichhisprinciplesrejected；andthewaysofthetownconfusedhim，andhecreptasideandlaydowninadoorway。Hehadscarcelygotawinkofsleep，whenupcomesPunchwithToby。HewasdartingtoTobyforconsolationandadvice，whenhesawthefrill，andstopped，inthemiddleofthestreet，appalled。Theshowwaspitched，Tobyretiredbehindthedrapery，theaudienceformed，thedrumandpipesstruckup。Mycountrydogremainedimmovable，intentlystaringatthesestrangeappearances，untilTobyopenedthedramabyappearingonhisledge，andtohimenteredPunch，whoputatobacco-pipeintoToby’smouth。Atthisspectacle，thecountrydogthrewuphishead，gaveoneterriblehowl，andfledduewest。
Wetalkofmenkeepingdogs，butwemightoftentalkmoreexpressivelyofdogskeepingmen。Iknowabull-doginashycornerofHammersmithwhokeepsaman。Hekeepshimupayard，andmakeshimgotopublic-housesandlaywagersonhim，andobligeshimtoleanagainstpostsandlookathim，andforceshimtoneglectworkforhim，andkeepshimunderrigidcoercion。Ionceknewafancyterrierwhokeptagentleman-agentlemanwhohadbeenbroughtupatOxford，too。Thedogkeptthegentlemanentirelyforhisglorification，andthegentlemannevertalkedaboutanythingbuttheterrier。This，however，wasnotinashyneighbourhood，andisadigressionconsequently。