The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1878-05-16
lem and thew bapisbed that sentiment

them and they banished that sentiment
whenever | felt myself to be selfish
sordid and ignoble, / turned to them
and they told me what TO do TO win back
} my self'reSpect. Many times / wished
that the charming anecdo'e3 had not
stopped with their happy climaxes, but
had continued the pleasing history OF the
several beneiactors and benefciaries.
This wish rose in my breast 30 persist.
emily, that at last | determined to satisfy
it by seeking out the sequels OF those
anecdotes myself. 80 / set about it, and
after great labor and tedious research
accomplished my task. | will lay the
result before you, giving you each anec.
dote in turn, and following it with its
sequel as | gathered it through my
Investigations,
THE GRATEFUL POODLE.
One day a benevolent physician (who
had read the books) having found>a stray
poodle suffering from a broken leg con
veyed the poor creature home, and after
setting and b%andaging the injured limb
gave the little outcast his liberty again
and thought no more about the matter.
But how great was his surprise, upon
opening his door n morning, some days
later, to find the grateful poodle patient.
ly waiting there, and in ita company with
another stray dog, one Of who.e legs, by
some accident, had been broken. The
kind physician at ono relieved the dis
tressed animal, nor did he forget to
admire the inscrutable goodness and
mercy OF God, who had been willing to
use 40 humble an instrument ~ the poor
outcast poodle for the n culcating of, etc,
etc, etc.
Sequel-The next morning the benev.
client physician found the two dogs, beam
ing 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 over.
come by pious wonder than ever, The
day passed, the morning came. There
at the door sat now the four reconstructed
dogs, and with them four Others requiring
reconstruction. This day also passed,
and another morning came; and now
sixteen dogs, eight OF them newly Grip.
plei, occupied the sidewalk, and the
people we're around. BY noon the
"roken legs were all set, but the pious
y. in the good physicians breast
wOndeI '" to get mixed with invOl,
was beginning The sun rose once
untary profanity. ''irty-two dogs,
more, and exhibited w. 'o~s, Occu
sixteen of them with broken ivs ~.
pying the sidewalk and half of the stree,
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 interrupted in the street. The
good physician hired a couple
Of assistant surgeons and got
through his benevolent work before
dark. first taking the %precaution to
cancel his church membership, 50 that
he might express himself with the
latitude which the case required.
But some things have their limits.
When once more the morning dawned, |
and the good physician looked out upon
a massed and tar-reaching multitude of
clamorous and b%eseeching dogs, he said
al might as well acknowledge it, | have
been fooled by the books; they only tell
the pretty part Of the story, and then
stop. Fetch me the shotgun 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
been engaged in had e~ngendered
in him such a mighty and augmenting
enthusiasm as to turn his weak head at
last and drive him mad. A month later,
when the benevolent 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 a poor
wretch asks you for help, and you feel a
doubt as to what result may flow from
your benevolence, give yourself the
benefit of the doubt and kill the appli-
cant"
And 80 saying he turned his face to
the wall and gave up the ghost.