My own inclination would be to call the subject of this sketch Mr. Thomas Ashton, but he is so invariably known as "Tom," that I fear if I did so, many of my readers would think it was some one else. As I have said something of him in my introductory chapters, I will now give a few particulars of him in his own words, which he has kindly permitted me to do.

"I was born at a place called Outwood, near Wakefield, and the first time I ever had a shilling of my own money I bought a dog, but neither of my parents being at all doggy, I had to find it another home, and found a friend in an uncle of mine in the joinery trade, who let me keep it in his workshop; and from that I gradually got the dog home in the daytime, and one evening, when my father came home from business, I told the dog to fetch his slippers for him, which I had carefully trained him to do, and the old man was so struck with his cleverness that he said if I could make things right with mother, I could bring the dog home altogether. This did not take me long, as a better mother no one could wish for, and I was always a bit of a favourite with her, and this, I am pleased to say, lasted till her death. "How many dogs I had at home after that I cannot tell; but my first appearance in a show ring was over thirty years since, when I exhibited a working Bull-terrier at Wakefield, and thought the judge did not know much about that variety when he gave me V.H.C.!

"At that time Bull-terriers were mostly kept for work, and as I fancied myself a bit, and would as soon put on the gloves as have my dinner, I was obliged to keep a smart dog; but I soon gave it up, as a black silk hat and a black eye did not go well together!

"About 1866 I went to live at Sheffield, where I had a good berth, and kept quiet for a time, breeding only a few Yorkshire Terriers, which were just attracting notice.

"One day I bought a smart Fox-terrier from a local butcher, and resolved to show him at Eccleshall, when I ran second to Mr. Richard White's Champion Jester, the same man who used to show Dressmaker and Patchwork. This would be about 1870, I should think.

"I went on showing for some time on my own account, and then took Mr. Sam. Hill as my partner. I really was the founder of the 'Meersbrook Kennel,' and in the nine years we worked together laid a good foundation, as has since been proved. Since then I have done but little showing, but have had as much judging as most people, and bred scores of good specimens of different breeds, particularly Irish Terriers and Greyhounds, amongst many others.

"The thing I am most proud of is that I have in my time owned over twenty dogs that have become champions, either while in my possession or afterwards, and are in the Kennel Club Stud Books, and the whole of them did not cost me twenty pounds!

MR. TOM ASHTON.

From photo by R. H, Lord, Cambridge.

"I do not know whether this may be called luck or judgment, but it has often amused me when I see men come into the Fancy, and, if they give a hundred pounds or so for a dog, consider themselves fitted to judge the breed, and sometimes make great fools of themselves!"

MR. TOM ASHTON'S IRISH TERRIER LEEDS AMBASSADOR.

From photo by Rosemont, Leeds.

I have been favoured with the accompanying portraits of Mr. Tom Ashton and of his well-known Irish Terrier Leeds Ambassador, both of which will be recognised by many of my readers amongst Doggy People.