Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-04-26
MARK TWAIN's FABLE.
Atlantic Monthly for Mnv1

y
have had the habit of reading GER
tain set Of anecdotes. written in the
quaint vein of the Worlds ingen.
ious Fabulist, for the lesson they
taught me and the pleasure they
gave me. They lay always conven-
lent to my hand, and whenever |
thought meanly of my kind l
turned to them and they banished
that sentiment; whenever felt
myself to be selfish, sordid and igno-
BILE, turned to them, and they told
me what to do to win back my self.
respect. Many times l wished that
the charming anecdotes had not
stopped with their happy climaxes,
but had continued the pleasing his.
tory of the several benefactors and
benefciaries. This wish rose in my
breast so persistently that at last |
determined to satisfy it by seeking
out the sequels Of those anecdotes
myself. So ! set aboutit, and after
great labor and tedious research ac-
cOmplished my task. | will lay the
result before you, giving you each
aneCdote in its turn, and following
it with its sequel as l 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, conveyed the poor
creature home, and, after setting
and bandaging the injured limb,
gave the little outcast his liberty
again, and thought no more about
the matter. Bat how great was
his surprise, upon opening his door
one morning, some days later, to
find the grateful poodle 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 intoxicating of, ETC.,
ETC., etc.
Sequel: The next morning the
benevolent physician found the two
dogs, beaming with gratitude, wait
ing at the door, and with them two
other dogs-crpples. The cripples
were speedily healed, and the four
went their way, leaving the benevo.
lent physician more overcome by
pious wonder than ever. The day
passed-the morning came. There
at the door sat now the four recon-
strpcted dogs, and with them four
others requiring reconstruction,
This day also passed, and another
morning came; and now sixteen
dogs, eight of them newly crippled,
occupied the sidewalk, and the peo-
pie were going around. Ry losn
the legs were all set, but the pious
wonder in the good physicians
breast was beginning to get mixed
with lnvolRnlary ppafanity, The
sun rose once more, and exhibited
thirty-two dogs, sixteen Of them
With broken legs, occupying the
sidewalk and half tho stpeetI tho
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'lookiug oitigens made great and |
inspiring cheer, but traGic was in
terfupted In that street. The good
physician hired a couple of assistant
surgeons, and got through his be-
neyOleRt work before dark, first
taking precautian to cancel his
church membership, so that he
might express himself with the lati.
tnde which the case required,
BRt some things have their lin
its. When once more the morning |
dawned, and the good physician |
looked out upon massed and far. !
reaching multitude of plamorops
and beseephing dogs, he saidi al
might as well acknowledge it'll
have been fooled by tho boaks
they only tell the pretty part of the
story, and then stop. Fetch me
the shot-guni this thing has gone
along far enough"
He issued forth With his waspee,
and ehapcea to step upon the tail |
Of the original poodle, who prompt.
ly bit him in the leg. n low the
great and good work which this
poodle had 'been engaged In had
engendered in him such q mighty
and apgmenting enthusiasm as to
tprn his weak head at last and
drive him mad. A month later,
when the BENEVOLENT physician Law
in the death throes of hydropbobid,
be called his weeping friends about