The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1878-06-21
THE GRATEFUL POODLE.

One day benevolent physician who had
read the books, having found stray poo
die suffering from broken leg, conveyed
the poor creature to his home, and after
setting and baudaging the injured limb
gave the little Outcast its liberty again and
thought no more about the matter. But
how great was his surprise, npon opening
the door one morning, some days later, TO
fiud 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 bad been willing to
use so humble an instrument as the poor
uutcast poodle for the inculcatiug of, e.c.,
etc.
SEQUEL.
The next morning the benevolent ply
sician, says Marx Twain, found the two
dogs, beaming with gratitude, waiting at
his door, and with them two other dogs
cIfpples. The cripples were speedily heal
ed, and the four went :heir way, leaving
the benevolent physician more oveI come
by pious wonder than ever. The day pass
ed, morning came. There at the door sat
now the four reconstructed dogs, and with
them four Others requiring reconstruction.
This day also passed, aud another morning
newly crippled occupied the sidewalk, aud
the peo;,le were going around. By noon
the broken legs were all set, but the piOus
wonder in the good physicians breast was
beginning to get mixed With involuntary
profanity. The sun rose once more, and
exhibited Thirty Swo dogs, sixteen of them
with broken legs. occupying the sidewalk
and half of the street; ; the human specta-
tors took up the rest Of the room. The
cries of the wounded, the songs of the heal
ed brutes and the comments Of the on look
ing citizens made great and inspiring cheer,
but traffic was interrupted in that street.
The good physician hired a couple of as
sistant surgeons and got through his ben
evolent work before dark, first taking the
precaution to cancel his church member
Shin. SO that he mig Int express himself with
the latitude which the case required.
: But some things have :heir limits. When
! once more the morning dawned and sne
| good physician looked out upun a massed
| and far-reaching multitude Of clamorous
' and beseeehinC dogs, he said Il might as
well acknowledge it, have been fooled 10y
the books they only tell the pretty part o.
| the story and then stop. Fetch me the
shotgun this thing has gone along fal
| enough"
He issued forth with his weapon, anc
Glanced To step upon the tale of the origi
| nal poodle, who promptly bit hlm IN th'
leg Now the great and good work which
| this poodle had been engaged IN had en-
| gendered in hisn such mighty aud aug
/ mented enthusiasm as To tuin his veal
head at last aud drive him mad. A mOnil
later. when the benevolent physician lay il
the deatb throes of hydrophobia, he calle'
his weeping friends about him and said
Beware Of the books. They tell but bal
of the story. Whenever poor wretcl
asks you for help and you feel a doubt a
to what result may flow from your benevo
Ience give yourself the benefit Of the doub
and kill the applicant.
And so saying, he turned his face To th
wall and gave up the ghost.