The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-07-26
WHO WOULDN'T FEEL BAp2

There are tears only and grief at thu
cottage on Oak street, distressing tears, o
grief that is touching because of it!
| genuineness. Our civilization is such
failure that we can't trust each other tt
do that which is right, so we have to arm
a lordly lot of burly fellows with clubs and
pistols who walk about aud swell around
for chance to hit or shoot something
One of them SHOT our dog on Sunday dur
ing the hour of services Coach" for
that was his name, was the constant and
loving companion of the boy of the home
and the guard and defender of his sister.
/ They were all well nigh iuseparable Their
| soliCitude for Coach's welfare never
ceased His comfort and well being was
the last thing thought of at bed time and
his morning bark was the call that awak-
ened them TO the romps and plays of an
| other day. But Coach came down to the
livery barn where another pet is kept, and
from there he Crotted up the EAGLE office
on Sunday morning. Unfortunately for
the poor unsuspecting brute his collar had
been taken off his neck by one of his play
mates that morning and without that he
had no protection in this civilized munic-
lpallty aud was shot till he
died, was murdered with no friend
to protect or shield him. All day
we looked for and called to him, but of
course poor Coach was past responding.
If we had only known that il had become
necessary to shoot something in vindica-
ton OF the majesty OF the law and to dem
onstrate that self-government might prove
failure in the absence of the policeman's
club and pistol, we. would have gladly
furnished a horse or some other animal
for the sacrifice, or paid money as ran
som for the poor old dogs inoffensive.
trusful and innocent existence For Coach
never harmed anyone, was never out of
sight Of the cottage half dozen times in
all bis life, and never did anything but
play and romp in the daytime with his
two companions and bark a little in the
night when he couldn't sleep or felt lone
some.
OF course that policeman will be pro-
NOTED for his brave deed, and the dog
catcher will get money for burying him.
but all the pomp and circumstance of the
one nor the reward of the other will ease
the heartaches or mitigate the loneliness
OF the two who are not yet old enough to
comprehend the memorable demands of a
city government when it comes taking the
lie OF a mere household pet a pet
which in his affectionate ways and
Intelligent looks and acts seemed almost
human. and entirely human if not immor.
tai, to the two, all the happy days of whose
lives were linked and entwined with the
dumb playfellow whose great crime and
misfortune seems TO have been the absence
OF his collar and the accidental meeting of
a policeman with pistol. OF course there
VIII come no excuse for the wanton
that took something out of the
home life OF that cottage that would not
be confessed, yet which can not be re-
placed. The armed anointed of munici
pal power don't have to make excuses for
the work OF his billy or gun. Explana- !
lions will probably not be wanting if de-
manded. There never was poor brute of |
a stray dog yet shot down, however kind |
and gentle though distressed he might |
have been, that WAS not rabid, foaming at !
the mouth, eyes bursting red from bulg- |
as they went swapping and tearing /
through the streets OF the affrighted city |
and which is just as regularly all bosh. |
That which by paying tax upon his head |
yearly had saved him from the clutches
and inbumanity of the black dog catcher
Hid not protect his devoted life from the
fatal bail secreted in the deadly chamber
swung from the belt of the staggering
policeman.