Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-10-22
THE DEAD DOG MAN.
He InduIEes In some Philosophical
Reflections.

Reflections.
While pursuing their respective ayoca-
lions, yesterday, Robert johnson, the gen.
tleman who removes carcasSes from the
streets, and UNION AND AMERICAN re-
porter met upon the bOulevards.
"Still pickin' 'em up, are yOu?" ques-
toned the latter.
"YeS, boss, l alters manages to find some
thin to do. But then that's what | wants.
It's a little Gurus about dogs" remarked
Mr.. johnson, somewhat abruptly, as he
threw the mortal remains of a canine,
whose bark had been shipWreeked then
and there, into his cart-sit's a little Gurus
about dogs. Some is aller a dyin', or gettin'
killed, or somethin'. l can start out most
any day and find half dozen Of 'em layin'
round, dead like, in the streets and alleys.
/ 'spOse somebody kills EN-" added Mr..
johnson relectively, as he smoothed down,
with his lOng-handled shovel, the choice
collection Of carcasses and things with
VIII! ch his cart was we'll filled.
GLOW much are you paid month";" in
quired the reporter, though it was really
none of his business even should the in
come of Mr.. johnson prove to equal that
Of Mr.. Maynard, while filling the double
office Of Special Judge and United States
Congressman. However, Mr.. johnson did
not see anything Objectionable in the ques-
tiOn, and responded:
81 don't get pay by the month; l gets my
pay for what l dOes-a dollar and half
day, when | works, rain or shine. But
then finds l has somethin' to do in wet
weather as well as dry. A man finds a
dead dog layin' in front of his door, or
under the kitchen winder, and he can't eat
no breakfast on account of it. Then he
reports at the police station, and old Bob
puts on a gum coat and goes around and
hauls that dog of, and the man eats his
breakfast all right. Don't you see?'
Yes, the reporter saw very clearly.
Mr.. johnson happened to have little
spare time on his hands, and as he raked
out the hind legs ola cat-whOse nine lives
had been surrendered one by one-from
mass Of rubbish in the gutter, he resumed:
any old mass'r used to say, Take the will
for the deed, BOb,' and so does. A dollar
and half day amt much, but then it's
enough to furnish me with bread and close
and lodgin', and I'm satisfied"
sHave you no ambition to lay up lucre?"
"Lukel-what's that"
money. Don't you want to accumulate
money for your children"
Il haynt got but one boy, and he can
work as I've done to support hiSself
tell you, boss, this thing o layin' up money
for children don't pay. If a boy knows his
father is a sayin' up money for him, he
aint gOin' to work nOne-yOU can bet on
that. Then while he's layin' round,
idle like, he gifts into fuss and kills some
body, and the fust thing he knows he's
hung, or lands in the penitentiary. You
see don't want my boy to be hung, nor
to come to the penitentiary; so l don't
bother myself none bout layin' up money
for him. My old mass'r used to say, Bob,
a good caracter's with mOre'n a heap o.
money! and that's what I'm a goin' to leave
nv boy, and he can hoe for hisself, just as
his daddy's done"
Is there not a good deal of sound sense
in old BOb's philosophy?