Sent E.J. Lowes to E. Nettleship, 24th Jan. 1913.
24 Jan 1913
Description:

‘My Dear Sir,

I trust you will pardon my not replying to your most interesting letter immediately. When I tell you that I removed the day before Xmas day & have had the workmen in the house ever since I presume[?] you will understand the reason.

Yes. I heard from Professor Karl Pearson. He wished me to take charge of a litter of 6 Pekingese, at once, & although I should have done it, the removal made it impracticable. I was thus very delighted to hear from hum as in my reply to him I told him that I had a black & white dog whom I intended to mate with my albino girl in the hope of getting the much discussed white with black & he told me that the litter would not have that lucky lot but that the sisters & brothers of that litter might throw what I desired. – Of course I know what the effect of inbreeding for colour has been with pugs & bulldogs, but Pekingese appear about as weird in their colouring as in many other ways. – Don’t you find them almost uncanny?

Now to reply to your questions – My albino girl is one of a litter of five. There was another in the litter but it was a ghastly health[?] open from neck to the tail one leg missing & the tail in the position of the leg. I wrapped it up at once in hot vaseline & it lived for 2 days – two others were flame red & the last a pale fawn – I shortly afterwards lost the mother & the two reds through supposed distemper. The mother had always been a queer creature & for three weeks she taught her[?] how madness slowly eats up the mind faculty. The other puppies who died, one followed the mother’s disease, lost use of her legs & her eyes turned brown in a shocking way. The boy fell over & died without any illness apparently. That left me with only the albino & the fawn.

I mated the albino to Champion Chinky-Cho[n]g[?] last AugL with no result. Her fawn sister had a litter from the same dog, but again a freak appeared. This time the skull was open & the brain protruded & the puppy had a cleft palate. Another had an enormous head & it had to be taken away & so[?] died. The third, a girl, is just the cleverest puppy I have ever had. The albino is one of the sanest dogs also I ever had.

I put all the brain trouble down to the fact that I mated the mother to her own father, in order to intensify the quality of the strain. This is supposed to be the best kind of inbreeding, but every time I have done it I have had trouble with some of the litter. Either extreme delicacy or lack of sense, along with almost perfection of type. Brother & sister I find had much the same result., with mother & son it is exactly the reverse. Huge strong sensible creatures, approaching more nearly a mongrel type. I wonder in this had been your experience.

The albino girl is nearly due for mating again. I am wondering if you would like to try any experimental mating with her. She is pure bred & has absolutely no fault except her albinism, Short nose wide muzzle, perfect body, short bowed legs, lovely coat but, alas, pink nosed & eyes china blue by day & like a burning [?] coal by night.

I enclose her pedigree & I think I have given you all the information you ask for.

By the way I think I can give you one very valuable lit.[?] albinism in Pekingese almost invariably appears in the descendants of Champion Goodwood Lo. In almost every case you will find albinos can be traced to this[?] dog – while Champion Goodwood Chun[?]’s posterity show the real[?] dark red – dull browns & blacks!

I wonder if you would like to know of the eye troubles I have had with Pugs & Pekingese the two breeds which are apparently scourged with it. The dog I had developed “Iritis” I think that is the term. Dilated pupils & enormously enlarged eyes – with only long distance sight & yet after 6 months the muscles regained their powers – which I have experienced with my dogs eyes & indeed in most other ways! I am supposed to have had gray[?] out of way[?] complacent[?] going[?] & I fear it is from trying to inbreed the type.

I am afraid I have taken up your valuable time unduly but I hear from Mr Walker that you are most interested in dogs & I am also afraid that I am an equal enthusiast.

I shall be glad at any time to help you[?] with your dogs & I like what is the troublesome part of it, the safe bringing of the little creatures into the world. I seldom need a vet. but I know when I must have one & [illeg.] the kills.

I shall be so pleased to hear from you whenever you care to write.

Yours very truly,

Emily L. Lowes.’

[calling card attached to E.J. Lowes’ letter:]

‘Mrs Emily L. Lowes,

Member of the Incorporated Society of Authors

Member of Society of Women Journalists

Author of –

“Chats on Old Lace and Needlework.” “Chats on Old Silver.” (T. Fisher Unwin.) “Enamels, Ancient and Modern” (In Press)

Contributor to –

“The Queen.” “Ladies’ Field.” “Country Life.” “Woman’s Encyclopedia.” “The Crown.” “The Throne.” “The Expert.” “Collecting.” “Country and Town.” “Our Dogs.” “London Opinion.” “London Mail.” (Curio Editor.) “Our Home.” “The Daily Report.”

Address –

537, Chiswick High Road.

W.

1 Fairlawn Grove, Chiswick Park.’

[pedigree for “Dodo” attached.]