Eulogy on the Dog

Manawatu Times, Volume 63, Issue 44, 22 February 1938, Page 3

Eulogy on the Dog

GENTLEMEN OF THE JURY. (By Senator Vest). The betit friend a man has in this world may turn against him and become his enemy. His son and daughter -that he lias reared with loving care may become ungrateful. Those who are nearest and dearest to us, those w r hom we trust with our happiness and our good name, may becdiie traitors to their faith. The money that a man has he may lose. It flies away from him when he may need it most. Man’s reputation may be sacrificed in a moment of ill-considered action. The people who are prone to fall on their knees and do us honour when success is with us may be the first to throw the stones of malice when failure settles its cloud upon our heads. The absolutely unselfish friend a man may have in this selfish world, the one that never deserts him, the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous, is his dog. A man’s dog stands by him in prosperity and poverty, in health and in sickness. He will sleep on the cold ground, w hen the w intry winds blow and the .snow drives fiercely, if only he may be near his master’s side. He will kiss the hand that has no food to offer, he will lick the wounds and sores that come in encounters with the roughness of the world. He guards the sleep of his pauper master as if he were a Prince. When all other friends desert, he remains. When riches take wings and reputation falls to pieces he is as constant in his love as the sun in its journey through the heavens. If fortune drives the master forth an outcast into tho world, friendless and homeless, the faithful dog asks no higher privilege than that of accompanying him, to guard against danger, to fight against him enemies, and when the last scene of all con es, and death takes his master in it 3 embrace and his body is laid away in the cold ground, no matter if all other friends pursue their way, there by his graveside will the noble dog be f 9und, his head between his paws and his eyes sad, but open in alert watchfulness, faithful and true even to death. The late Senator G. Vest, of Missouri, in a, court action to recover damages for the wanton killing of a neighbour’s dog, made this speech to the jury. The suit was for 200 dollars damages, but following this appeal, the jury, after two minutes’ deliberation, found for the plaintiff and assessed the damages at 500 dollars, after asking the judge if defendant could not be punished or be more severely dealt with.