Teufel the Terrier; Or the Life and Adventures of an Artist's Dog

By Charles Morley and J. Yates Carrington

First published in 1890, "Teufel the Terrier; Or the Life and Adventures of an Artist's Dog" is a collection of wonderful illustrated stories recounting the various antics of the author's dog, 'Teufel'. These real-life dog tales are both amusing and entertaining, and will appeal to dog lovers of all ages. Contents include: "How The Story Of The Terrier Commonly Called 'Teufel' Came To Be Written", "In Which Teufel Is Born", "He Comes Up To London, Is Introduced To Studio Life, And Is Christened", "Am Advised To Execute Teufel, But Decline With Thanks", "Teufel Goes On The Loose", "Mrs, Halfpenny's Parlour, And The Bill For 'Damidges'", "We Take The House-boat 'Patience' And Live On The River Thames", "Ratting And Fishing", etc. Many vintage books such as this are becoming increasingly scarce and expensive. We are republishing this volume now in an affordable, modern, high-quality addition complete with the original text and artwork.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Read Country Books
• Release date: Sep 29, 2017
• ISBN: 9781473344136

Book preview

DEATH-CHAMBER

TEUFEL THE TERRIER

CHAPTER I.

HOW THE STORY OF THE TERRIER COMMONLY CALLED TEUFEL CAME TO BE WRITTEN.

HIS is the true story of Teufel, my dear old dog, who has brought me such modest fortune as I possess. I am not at all sure that I do not owe even my wife to old Teuf—Teuf is the affectionate diminutive by which I know him. When I look round and survey the things that are mine, and fight my old struggles over again, I whisper softly to myself, Good, dear old Teuf! I don’t quite know how the idea of this little venture came into my head. Perhaps it was that Teuf and I live in an age of biographies, and reminiscences, and interviewing. You have your authors at home, and your actors at home, and your artists at home, so I may have reasoned, Why not have a dog at home? Old Teuf had been interviewed many a time. He sometimes turned interviewer himself: for instance, I have in my mind a certain fragment or portion which he extracted from the trousers of a forward and frivolous little butcher-boy, of whom more anon. I merely mention this as an aside. Then the fierce light which beats upon the window of a London engraver, and on the walls of the Academy, had shone upon him, even when he was but yet a stripling. Anyway, I determined to try and write Teuf’s life, partly because I think he was a phenomenon in his dog-like way, and partly because I got to think that he was more human than many beasts who have only two legs and no tails. If you read on I think you will agree with me that he was a notable dog, and one who, if dogs lived in communities, and governed themselves instead of being the slaves and toys of men and women, would have risen to a high position in the Dog Commonwealth. Although an artist I pride myself on my methodical habits, and when I sat down in the little snuggery in the corner of my studio where I store my diaries and other volumes (like bank passbooks), in which I have a strong personal interest, I congratulated myself on the trouble I had taken in jotting down the details of Teufel’s life. From the diaries this history has been compiled, and from my portfolios I have collected many sketches and photographs, some of which are reproduced here.

I am advised to call my humble little effort in book-making Teufel the Terrier, because the three T’s sound attractive and catch the ear. Be alliterative and the clerks at Mr. Smith’s bookstalls will be happy, I was told. So I consented to the jingling T’s, though I preferred My Model of a Dog, or Teufel the Fox-terrier with a Bit of Bull in Him. We compromised the matter, and exactness suffered in the interests of the bookstall clerk. Poor Teuf! that I should have sacrificed thee in the cause of alliteration and a good line for the cover!

CHAPTER II.

IN WHICH TEUFEL IS BORN.

TWINS.

IN relating the events of the first three months of my hero’s life I must have recourse to the Epistle form, after the manner of the late Mr. Wilkie Collins. Teufel had cut his teeth and had learnt the A B C of Barking, or dogs’ language, and could describe a pothook with his tail some time before he came into my possession. So I take down my Diary for the year 1880, and in the month of September I find the following passage relating to his birth:—

Extract from a Family Letter.

. . . You said in your last that you found London lonely and wanted a dog to keep you company. Well, I’ve got the VERY THING. Such a dear, weenie little fox-terrier pup, with just a touch of the bull in him! I’m sure he’ll—it’s a little boy—suit you down to the ground, for he’s full of fun. He was born at the farm at Cale Green—you know it—being one of six (the generation goes back to 1870, so he knows not only his own father but his own grandfather, hence he should turn out a very wise little dog indeed). We sent the coachman down to Stockport to bring him home, only knowing that it was a dog, the size and family being in the dark. John set out with a heavy chain big enough to hold a St. Bernard, and a whip to keep the new dog in order. We all roared with laughter to see John produce from a side-pocket a dear little puppy about as big as your hand. He soon made himself at home, and amuses us very much by his antics. Only this morning I watched him fighting with the grown-up dogs for his share of a bowl of milk. From the result, I am sure that he will struggle for existence successfully. He not only drove the others away but he took full possession of the milk-bowl, getting into it bodily and leggily, and looked round like Robinson Crusoe, the monarch of all he surveyed. We will pack him in a nice hamper in two or three weeks’ time, and send him up to town in charge of the guard.

That was Teufel according to the Epistle.

TEUFEL AND HIS GEE-GEE.

CHAPTER III.

HE COMES UP TO LONDON, IS INTRODUCED TO STUDIO LIFE, AND IS CHRISTENED.

SOMEBODY’S LUGGAGE.¹

AT last the day had come when the little dog was old enough to leave the scene of his childhood, and he was despatched into this wicked world with a blessing, which was bestowed upon him as