The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-04-27
The Dumb Animals.

Prof. Collyer, the Blacksmith Preacher
of Chicago, gets off this charming little talk
to the children of Boston about kindness to
animals:
Mr.. President, Ladies and Gentlemen,
and Children,-As | was sitting there try
ing to think of something to say, Brother
Baldwin, who sat close beside me, leaned
over and whispered, +" If you are anyways
stuck, you had better tell them something
about your childhood" 1t was very good
suggestion, if had anything to tell, but
my childhood in this direction is very near
" blank. Though was raised In the
country, l had little to do with birds or
beasts. | remember l had two rabbits
once; that was about the extent of my
possessions in dumb animals. The first
thing knew my mother had them in pie.
[Laughter.l They were very good in that
way. [Renewed laughter.] | do not
know now that | regret it, because |
had two experiences instead of one !;
first the experience of keeping rabbits,
splendid thing for a boy to do; and
second, the experience of eating them.
[Laughter.l tried to think back and did
remember this, that my mother always
said, My boy, never rob birds nest"
and never robbed birds nest in my life.
When was boy, never fired gun at a
bird or beast; l never fired gun but once
in my life, and that was by accident, close
to the ear of another boy. If his ear had
been longer, if it had been as long as q
donkey's ear | should have shot it off. |
never had but one cow, and my children
say fed her to death. So you see | didn't
have much experience in that direction, and
l cannot tell you much about that.
O, yes, boys, want to tell you about
my black and tan that,is it. | told the
big folks one night here in this very place,
and now | will tell the little folks, the boys
and girls. Last September, one very wild
day, was coming over from the west side
to the north side in Chicago, and by and
by noticed running behind me little tiny
| terrier one of those little slender fellows,
you know, that seem to be grieving all the
| time with excitement. 1t was as pretty a
| little thing as you ever saw in the world.
| looked round and said to myself, either
that dog has got lost and wants to find her
master or she is following me home, when
she should not, and so | said, SECT
home!" l didn't mean it at ALL
| [Laughter.l l wanted her to come along,
you know and so / guess she heard
something in my tone, in my voice, that
told her what | really meant; because,
boys and girls, when you say one thing
and mean another, something in the way
| you say it tells the ear that listens what
| you mean rather than what you say don't
forget that, if you forget the story. She
| followed along, and | made sort of feint
two or three times to drive her home, but
the more | tried to drive her home, the
more certain she was | didn't want her tc
go home, and SO at last we got to my
home; and when the children came il
from school-for it was in the afternoon
they got round the little thing and petted
her, and gave her her supper, and she was
at home in very few moments, and SC
were we.
1t is the proper thing, when you find Q
dog, boys, to advertise it in the paper, ant
then the folks who have lost the dog come
to your house, you know, and it is all right
Well, advertised the dog in the paper, bu
nobody came for her, and finally she sa
down with us and was perfectly at home
Well, you have heard Of the Chicago fire
So many of you, when that terrible tim,
came, sent things from these public school,
to us that know all your hearts were stir
red about that great matter. Well, tho Sun
day before the fire came on Monday, thi
! little black and tan was so uneasy that W,