This lady, who will be well known to many of my readers, particularly those interested in St. Bernards, has for many years held quite a unique position with regard to them, as I believe she is the only lady in Europe who has ever judged them, and this she has done many times, at Belfast, Halifax, Leicester, Brighton, and at several shows of the Ladies' Kennel Association, of which she has been an active supporter from the beginning.

Mrs. Jagger has often contributed to the fanciers' papers, such as the Ladies' Field, the Bazaar, the Lady Exhibitor, Ladies' Kennel Journal, and many others, and sometimes written the review of the year on St. Bernards; she has also written two or three books not connected with dogs.

Mrs. Jagger has made it a rule not to judge more than twice at any one show, or she might have had many more judging appointments than she has accepted.

She has been kind enough to send me a slight sketch of her connection with doggy affairs, written in such an attractive and interesting manner, as we should expect from so accomplished a lady and enthusiastic fancier, that I think I cannot do better than leave her to tell her story in her own way, merely congratulating my fellows amongst Doggy People that we have still in our ranks such a capable lady judge, fluent writer, and representative fancier, who enjoys great popularity in a large circle of Doggy People.

"I have always loved dogs from childhood, and the day when I was the possessor of a Collie pup, or 'cur,' as they were named in my native Yorkshire village, 'all my own' was the happiest day of my life.

"But my girlish fancies lingered around the dogs of romance - the life-saving Newfoundland, the human-hearted creatures that I had read about rescuing travellers on the Alps, the dogs of Sir Walter Scott and others, and I felt that there would be a want in my life until I possessed a grander specimen of the canine race than the home-bred animals around me.

"I had read about Albert Smith, the first traveller to ascend Mont Blanc, and also the description of the two St. Bernard dogs that he brought back with him. The name of Mr. Macdona next became familiar to me as popularising the breed; but my first introduction to the St. Bernard was one December day in 1872, when I ventured to Belle Vue Gardens, Manchester. Here Messrs. Jennison, the proprietors, held an annual dog show, at that time the Derby Day of the canine world. There I saw for the first time the stately St. Bernards that seemed to belong to a grander race than those around them, one named Thor claiming my adoration. I made a vow to possess either Thor or his counterpart. I eventually purchased a pup by Thor that gained second prize the following year at the show, and from that time to the present I have always owned a St. Bernard.

"It is needless to dwell on the many inmates of my kennels, those early struggles that, like everything else in life, lead on to success. Before my marriage I did not exhibit much, only locally, but as I was an eager reader of all doggy literature, notably the Field, I was in close touch with the canine world.

"On my marriage my husband and self went to Switzerland for our wedding tour, specially to bring back with us a couple of St. Bernards purchased from H. Schumacher, the celebrated exporter of that time. These dogs, though not gaining show bench celebrity, were really noted Swiss dogs. Barry was a grandson of the famous Barry in history, and the bitch Mirza was also one of a celebrated strain belonging to the monks of the hospice. She met a tragic death, being killed on the railway when on a visit to Mr. J. C. Macdona's kennels.

"The best-known inmates of my kennels and the most successful prize winners have been Mirza (a daughter of Champion Bayard, and named after the Swiss Mirza, a well known brood bitch), Lady Mignon, Councillor Joe, and Champion Frandley Stephanie (that was painted by Maud Earl for the Jubilee year, and since engraved, the only St. Bernard that has been engraved since Champion Bayard). Next came Clairvaux, Hapstead Chief (another imported specimen), Convent Beauty, Rawnsley Hereward, Lord Marcus, Baron Sundridge, Convent Abbess (the two latter sold to Mr. F. G. Gould, America), Rubicon, and Champion Florentius. Of the above all were rough-coated specimens except Clairvaux, Hapstead Chief, Baron Sundridge, and Champion Florentius.

MRS. JAGGER.

From photo by Pach Bros., New York.

"Many long since dead favourites could be recalled, but they did not occupy ' the chief places in the synagogue,' as those named.

"Any one who has owned one particular breed for thirty years knows the so-called improvements that have taken place in that breed.

"When St. Bernards were first introduced to the English show bench by Mr. Macdona, they rapidly gained favour, and their admirers have ranged from Royalty downwards Owners and dogs were the elite of the show world. So quickly did these dogs become popular that a club was formed in their interests, and held its first show at the Duke of Wellington's Riding School, Knightsbridge, November, 1882. Here two hundred and fifty St. Bernards were benched, and sixteen litters of puppies, one of which was my own that won third prize. This magnificent collection of dogs was judged by Mr. J. C. Macdona, and the secretary of this fashionable fixture, the par excellence show of the year, was the Rev. Arthur Carter.

The dogs benched at this show have become historical, and their beautiful quality has never been surpassed. Amongst the leading exhibitors at the earlier shows of the St. Bernard Club could be found such names as Mr. J. C. Macdona, Messrs. Fred. Gresham, J. F. Smith, R. T. Thornton, Goodwin,Betterton, Rev. A. Carter, Mr. Sweet, Lady Isham, the then Princess of Wales, Mackillop, Rev. A. Nash, Messrs. Rutherglen, Hughes-Hughes, Megone, Pothecary, Norris-Elye, Murchison, G. W. Marsden, S. W. Smith, Duerdin-Dutton, and others. I believe that not one of these breeders and exhibitors of the St. Bernard is now an exhibitor at any show.