THE DAMAGES.

Evening Post, Volume XIV, Issue 49, 26 August 1876, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE DAMAGES.

A coloured citizen of Ohio maintains a family dog about 6in. high and Bin. long. The said dog never attemted to eat any one up till the other day, when he attacked a pedestrian and nipped his leg. The pedestrian at once called the owner out of doors and demanded damages. "Whar's de proofs of de bite?" inquired the coloured man. " Right there " replied the victim exhibiting a black and blue spot. " And what's de damage V " Five hundred dollars." " Shoo ! You can have the dog for a dollar." "Makes no difference," continued the man. " I don't say that he has inflicted 500dols. worth of physical damage. I estimate that at only 25., but I can't lie awake nights and think of hydrophobia for no small sum." "I can't never pay that sum." "Then I'll sue you." " Very well. I'll abjurn de suit till de bite gets well, and den whar will your proofs be ?" The man reflected for a moment and said : " I see we must come down to physical damages." The colored man knocked the dog on the head with a spade, and as the animal kicked its last, he remarked : "If you has been bitten by a dog I don't know nuffin about it I used to own a little dog, but he's dead now. If dar's any more talk 'bout damages around bear I'll climb over de fence and hurt some white man." There wasn't any more talk. — Detroit Free Press.