Sent from Mrs Douglas Murray
25 Sep 1911
Description:

‘Dear Mr Nettleship,

I have delayed answering your letter as I have been away from home. The breeding of these dogs is certainly always an excitement for you never know what you will get. I send you a photo of my “Yen” [not present] pale biscuit the mother is a pale cream & white feet, brown eyes & black nose – she has [illeg] the colour of herself. She is [illeg.] from the one I bought – from [illeg.]. She has never been mated with anything but red dogs. Not [illeg.]. She is well on in years & her last pup is 6 weeks old & is deep red. All her puppies are small & she is a most devoted mother. She has had the smallest pups ever[?] from[?] now the one sire[?] Paul[?] [illeg.] to very large with rather a long nose.

I see[?] her feathered toes, some [illeg.], with [illeg.] feet. I notice it is only the long foot that is feathered. Ah Cum & Mimosa were of course stolen out of the Palace & as far as I can learn, it is only in the Palace that they exist & no one knows the breeding - I fancy a rule if a very beautiful specimen was born, it was a sort of offering to the late Dowager Empress by the Eunuchs or any one inside the palace. The Palace, of course as you know is miles in extent. The breeding to colour I think sane[?].

Thanking you again for your most instructive letter, which [illeg.] first been [illeg.] me from Mr Bennett Stanford

Yours truly

[illeg.] Douglas Murray

Please return the photo of Yen.’