The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1886-10-29
A MoNEY-LOvING DOG.
His Toadyistic PrOpensities and His
- Knowledge of Coin.


New York, Oct, 2s-Mr Herkimer, an
acquaintance of mine, has dog named Dick,
who has as worldly mind as any animal
that ever pretended 10 have an emotional
nature. He will attach himself to no one
whom he thinks poor, 1t is his belief that
Is to buy meat. The jingle of silver coin will
rouse him from the profoundest slumber no
ever enjoyed, Paper money is valueless in
his eyes, but coin is thing to be worshiped
He always accompanied his masters children
to the butcher shop, and as they generally
carried small change to pay for the meat,
and jngled it extravagantly, he learned to
put n practical value on specie. For poor
people, or those who looked poor, he showed
no consideration. A snob and toady OF high
degree is he. Ladies and gentlemen who
wore fine clothes pleased him greatly. He
reasoned that they who dressed richly and
rode in carriages could afford to buy meat;
consequently, he cultivated them, as all that
made life worth living was meat.
Perverse is the genius of destiny. This
meat-w orshiping dog belonged to family
that only INDUCED themselves in meat when
the head of the household was at home. As
he was away the greater part of his time, the
dog was forced to undergo long seasons of
abstinence from meat This was his greatest
cross, and he did everything within his power
to induce his mistress to have compassion on
him. He would sit and look in the direction
of the butcher shop, and groan and sigh like
one of Shakespeale's disappointed SWANS.
Sometimes he would walk mournfully toward
the goal of his ambition, and return with
hanging head and lolling tongue, wearing an
expression of utter detection and despair.
When all other methods of appeal failed, he
curled up in a corner and feigned excessive
weakness. Nothing could induce him to hold
up his head or stand on his feet. Apparently,
he was altogether too weak to exert himself
so much. When that stage of exhaustion
was reached his mistress would say: "Poor
Dick! he is very weak and feeble; think a
little bit of meat would help him." The word
meat was Dicks cure. Instantly he would
bound up and begin to frsk around in the
most excited manner Meat would be sent
for and Dick would fill himself to the neck,
and be in good spirits for week or two.
Among those he did not like was woman
who came frequently to the house to sew.
She was stability dressed, and came in
through the back door, which was quite
enough to give the worldly minded Dick a
poor opinion of her. He growled at her
when she attempted to make friends with
him, and avoided her as much as possible, I'M
til one day he saw his mistress pay her some
money. Part of it was silver coin, and the
rattle of it attracted his attention. He
watched her put the money in her pocket
and then Immediately began to fawn upon
her, and assume great friendship for her. A
piece of silver money lying on a table or
chair would throw him into transports of joy.
He occasionally went with the family to
church, but the contribution basket and It's
rafting contents sent him into spasms of de-
light The expressions of his feelings were so
bosterous and altogether unsuited to the place
and occasion that he was finally compelled to
forego his church privileges. The jingle of
coin was such sweet music to his ears that he
could find pleasure for hours at time in
picking up a piece of silver money and let
ting it drop on bare floor. Bits of lead in
the shape of half dollars were sometimes
left in his path, but he was never fooled
by them. His ear for the ring of
pure metal was altogether too good. He
learned to know the imitation coin at a
glance, and refused to go near enough to it
to smell it. His master became interested in
his misery instincts and taught him ito dis
tinguish one coin from another. Different
pieces of silver money would be laid on the
floor and Dick asked to bring them. one by
one, as they were called for. He seldom
failed to bring the right one, at least to pick
it out. Sometimes he had difficulty in lift
ing the smaller coin, but when he couldn't
lift them he set his foot on them and howled
his delight in recognizing them. To avoid
trouble of this kind his indulgent master
fastened set of silver pieces on blocks.
These were considered Dicks especial proper
ty, and woe betide any one who meddled
with them. They were kept in a basket and
he alone put them away and brought them
forth. Fond as he was of seeing money ex-
pended he was a miser with his own wealth.
Let any one say, as his mistress sometimes
did, as tremendous joke, ''Let us spend
Dicks money!" he Immediately rushed for
his basket of coin and grabbing it in his
teeth growled defiance at any one who dared
try to get possession of it.
This proves that dogs are amenable to what
we call civilization; that the financial features
of it have the same charm for those who UNI
derstand them that they have for men. l am
sorry to admit this, for had hopes that dogs,
being without the love of money in their
hearts, would surpass us in the process of
evolution. Alas! the jingle of the guinea
can corrupt even their honor.
GERTRUDE GARRISON.