EULOGY OF THE DOG

Hokitika Guardian, 20 April 1927, Page 4

EULOGY OF THE DOG

SENATOR VEST'S FAROES CLASSIC. Years ago, in an old town ol North Missouri, a man brought a suit oi 200dol. against a neighbour who had killed his d ig, and engaged Senator Vest io nlead his case. The Senator made the following remarkable address-- considered the finest Classic .com of its kind in the history of forensic oral tv : -- “(lontlomon of the jury. -The best 1, liman friend a man lias in Ihe world may turn against him and become bis enemy. His son or daughter that lie lias reared with loving care may ] love ungrateful. Those who are nearest and dearest t> us. those whom wo trust with our hamiiness and our good name may become traitors to their faith. The money that a man has ho may lose. It flies away from him porhapuhen lie needs it: most. A man’s re-

putation may he sacrificed in a moment of ill-considered action. The people who are prone to fall on their knees 1 i do us honour when success is with us may he the first to throw the stone of malice when failure settles its cloud upon our heads. The one absolutely unselfish friend that a man can have in this selfish world, the one that never deeeies him, the one that never proves ungrateful and treacherous, is his dog.

<( A man’s dog stands hy him in prosperity and in poverty, in liealth find in sickness. He will sleep on the cold ground whore the wintry winds blow and the snow drifts fiercely, if only lie may lie near his master’s .side lie will kiss the hand that has no food to o'er. Ho will lick the wounds and sores that come in encounter with the roughness of the world. He guards the sleep of his pauper master as if he were a prince. When riches take wings and reputation falls to pieces, lie is as constant in his love as the >uii in its journeys through the heavens. If fortune drives the master forth an outcast in the world, friendless and homeless, the faithful dog asks no higher privilege than that of accompanying, to guard against danger to fight against enemies, and when the last scene of all conies, and when death takes the master in its embrace and his lrdy is laid away in the cold ground, no matter if all other friends pursue their way, there hy the graveside may the noble dog be found, bis fiend between, his paws, his eyes sad but open in alert watchfulness, faithful and true even in death.” Then the Senator sat dotvn. He had spoken in. a low voice, almost without gesture. He made no reference to the evidence or merits of the case. When he finished the judge and jury were wiping their eyes. The jury filed out,