Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1878-06-12
A Grateful Poodle.


One day benevolent physician (who
had read the books, having found a
stray poodle suffering from broken
leg, conveyed the poor creature to his
home, and after setting and bandaging
the injured limb, gave the little outcast
its liberty again, and thought no more
about the matter. But how great was
his surprise, one morning some days
later, TO find the grateful poodle
patiently waiting there, and in its
company another stray dog, one of
whose legs, by some accident had been
broken. The kind physician at once
relieved the distressed animal, nor did
he forget to admire the inscrutable
goodness and mercy of God, who had
been willing TO use SO humble an
instrument as the poor outcast poodle
for the inculcating of, etc., etc.
Sequel-The next morning the bene-
VIOLENT physician found the two dogs,
beaming with gratitude, waiting at his
door, and with them two other dogs
cripples. The cripples were speedily
healed, and the four went their way.
leaving the benevolent physician more
overcome by pious wonder than ever.
The day passed, the morning came.
There at the door sat now the four re-
constructed dogs, and with them others
requiring reconstruction. This day
also passed, and another morning came /;
and now sixteen dogs, eight of them
newly crippled, occupied the sidewalk,
aud the people were going around. By
noon the broken legs were all set. te-
the pious wonder IN the good physician s
breast was beginning to get mixed with
involuntary profanity. The sun rose
once more, and exhibited - dogs, 16 Of
hem with broken legs, occupying the
sidewalk and half the street; the human
spectators took up the rest of the room.
The cries of the wounded, the songs of
the healed brutes, and the comments of
the on looking citizens made great and
inspiring cheer; but traffic was inter-
rupted in that street. The good physi-
sician hired u couple of assistant sur
work before dark, first taking the
precaution to cancel his church mem-
bership, so that he might express him
self with the latitude thecase required.
But some things have their limit.
When once more the morning dawned,
and the good physician looked out upon
a massed and far-reaching multitude of
clamorous and beseeching dogs, he said, =,
/ might as well acknowledge it, l have
been fooled by the books, they only tell
the pretty part of the story, and then
stop. Fetch me the shot gun. This
thing has gone along far enough.
He issued forth with his weapon, and
CHANGED to step upon the tail of the
original poodle, who promptly bit him
in the leg. Now the great and good
work which this poodle had engaged in
had engendered in him such mighty
and augmenting enthusiasm 80 - trr"
his weak head at last and drive him
mad. A month later, when the bene-
violent physician lay in the death throes
of hydrophobia, he called his weeping
friends about him and said:
Beware of the books. They tell but
half of the story. Whenever poor
wretch asks you for help, ana you feel
doubt as to what result may follow
from your benevolence, give yourself
the benefit of the doubt and kill the
applicant.
And so saying he turned his face to
the wall and gave up the ghost.