The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1893-07-26
A Dog with a Conscience.

Ihe Ole. DOCTOR, WlIn penny III ulo
hand, stood offering it to the great
English mastiff, who thudded with his
heavy tail, and finally answered with
short, sharp bark.
DR.. Brown was we'll known in the
village of Deerfeld, where for the last
half century he had been not only the
physician, but the friend of both old
and young.
Duke always accompanied him on
his professional visits, aod whether or
not the Doctor consu! tied him when he
prescribed for the little folks who had
scarlet fever and measles, no one
knows, for Duke was very discreet, but
he looked wise enough to offer advice
on any subject.
Duke was we'll brought up. He was
never allowed to run about on the
streets with the common dogs, but was
a constant companion of the Doctor,
who had adopted him when he was a
little puppy with velvety ears, and had
kept him ever since.
Animals as we'll as human beings are
influenced by their associates, and
Duke was very unlike the dogs who
live in stables or hang around the cor
ners; he was dainty and nicc-manner-
ed.
In making his round of visits the
Doctor drove an old-fashioned chaise,
and when he went into house Duke
was left outside, sitting erect on the
seat holding the reins between his
teeth, and | should have been sorry
for any passer by who trifed with him
at such times.
One day runaway came tearing
down the street, and the Doctor s horse
was badly frightened, but Duke man
aged to hold him until the Doctor
came out. 1t was then that the Doctor
offered the penny. "Brave fellow, .
the Doctor said, "you shall have a
penny fol your faithfulness, and we
will drive to the bakers, and you
shall spend il for bun.
Duke, who had been taught to carry
the mail and hold parcels, took the
penny in his mouth end they drove to
the bakery.
Upon entering. the Doctor laid his
hand on the counter and said, Cup
with your paws, sir. First one paw
and then the other went up. Turning
to the baker he said, "Give this dog
hun ~ and tn Duke. "Drop your pen
ny, sir; pay for your, bun, sir, :
Which Dake did after some hesitation.
sNow, speak," said the Doctor, and a
sharp bark followed. upon which the
dog received his bun.
Going tor bun soon became part
of the daily routine, until the very
sight Of a penny from the Doctor s
purse made Duke bark..with delight
and jump about like an excited child.
Finally the Doctor tried the expert
ment of yending him alone for bun,
with such success that he rarely went
with him after that.
The neighbors become interested
and often furnished the penny, which
Duke carried as soberly as if it were a
large sum he was going to deposit In
the bank.
One day the Doctor was called out
of town, and Duke for the first time
in his life was left behind. When
luncheon time came there was no pen
nv for the bun. The neighbors seem
ed occupied in various ways, and Duke
.vainly appealed to the cook, with wag-
ging. tail and bark. Her mind was on
the dinner she was preparing, and she
ordered him out Of the way.
Getting no sympathy from anyone,
he wandered out into the yard, and
looked up and down for some benevo-
lent person who would understand his
wants, but no one was in sight. He
stood moment in deep thought, then
walked to gravel bed at the foot OF
the grounds and began paving about
among the loose pebbles, as if to un'
earth buried bone. If he had been
an ordinary dog it probably would
have been bone, but his mind was
occupied with more serious things.
Presently having found what he
searched for, he looked back at the
house in guilty manner and started
down the street. Dashing into the
shop he put his paws on the counter
Unusually he first laid down his penny
but not so this time.
The bun was handed out, Duke
seized it, then dropped his money and
fairly fled from the shop.
The baker reached out for the pen
ny, gave sudden start and a low
whistle Of amazement.
Duke had dropped smooth circular
aat pebble about the size of a penny
which he had found in the gravel bed
and, rogue that he was, he knew
enough to secure his bun before pay
ing such coin for it.
| Never after that could he be per
suaded to enter the shop, and the
| mere sigat Of a penny made him hang
his head with shame.
When I hear people say animals
| cannot reason, I wonder how they
| would explain this incident.
-->ae-s-Sx--