Mexborough and Swinton Times 27th 1937
Mexborough Man’s Most Useful Pet
“Peggy” in her favourite make up, looks up to ascertain who is interrupting her study of a little light literature.
Last week John Horbury, 45 Tennyson Ave, Mexborough, received honourable mention in our column for his skill in growing dahlias. This week his claim to fame (or notoriety) is his skill in canines, for Mr Horbury is the owner of an handsome and intelligent brown spaniel bitch, which answers to the name of “Peggy.”
Peggy came to Mexborough as a pup, and her present master is entirely responsible for there training. I spent an enjoyable hour this week following her as she performed her everyday domestic tasks.
First of all Mr Horbury told Peggy to lay the fire; she went into the kitchen and fetched some paper which she rolled into a ball and stuffed into the grate. Then she went away again and return with some sticks which she placed crosswise on top of the paper, then she fetched coal piece by piece until it stacked high enough for lighting. Mr Horbury apologised for her being unable to apply a match; he he has not tried to teach this as she might burn her beautiful coat.
Peggy is a splendid shopper, though, unlike most of her sex, she is not a bargain hunter. While I was there her master ran out of cigarettes. He gave Peggy a sixpence (2 ½ d) to fetch a packet for him. She trotted, came back a few minutes later with them in her mouth.
Mr Horbury told me that if one shop is shut she will go to another until she finds one that is open. Then Peggy was dispatched with 2d and came back with an ice cream briquette quite unspoiled.
One of the best attributes, Miss Aubrey told me, is that she will accompany him into town and will bring any purchase home, even if it is a joint, her favourite dish. Peggy proved their usefulness during a recent illness of the last; she would then take upstairs slippers, book, cigarettes etc when he asked for them. She once assumed a less praiseworthy trait, when she developed the habit of removing eggs from shop doorways and taking them home. Miss Aubrey said that he had often had to go and apologise to shopkeepers for this, he has now trained her out of this bad habit.
Peggy is moreover a very good house dog, and barks loudly as soon as a stranger approaches. She is particularly severe on anyone who is taking anything away, such as dustmen, until they make friends with her. Peggy is a most human dog, and I was quite willing to accept Mr Aubrey’s statement that “the only thing she cannot do is talk.”
One of her favourite position in the house is to sit in the best chair with an old cap on her head, a pair of spectacles on NO, and a pipe (uncharged and unlit) in her mouth.
It was in this attitude that our photographer snapped her.