The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-02-21
HE WAS ONLY A Dog
BUT He HAD BEEN THE EDITORS
COMRAOE FOR TEN YEARS.
Fred Came Nearer to the STANDARD OF HI
Kind Than Most Human Being Come
to That of Their kind-Hs Wa . Rel
Christian In Some Respects.

Fred, The Press dog, was poisoned Fri-
day night. One CT the best friends We
ever had, an almost constant companion
for 10 years. died after hours OF torture
Why did not the slayer show mercy and
shoot Fred dead
y dog has 50 many good human quail
ties and graces in Superlative degree that
we never heer OF ones death that we do
not feel that be deserved a mo<O glowing
obituary than many men. Affection, hGel-
ity, consistency, patience. humility in de-
served punishment, are traits CT the dog
the world over.
The devotion OF deg - his MASTER IL
touching. He viii leave his own kind 20
cleave TO a man. Lord Bacon said. -
man IS a god TO a dog" No doubt a good
man humanizes dos, and dog forsives
a bad man Tor abuse and is the kinder.
luster animal of the two.
Fred fondly cherished the delusior, IL
dolusiOn II was, that the Lord made "a
specially for him. That was his creed
He would really make up with any one.
except those who leased hiua. and his good
nature could not help feeling resentment
IN these cases. but he stuck 10 Us like n
long lost brother, going everywhere, 20
pasture, TO tho woods, 10 the postoflce. 10
the library, 20 the courthouse. TO park
meetings. TO caucuses, conventions and
public meetings Of all sorts, and maybe
he got some good from these meetings, for
he would always supplement- applause
given TO a speech by approving barks.
Poor fellow That was the nearest he
could get to speech, except with his yellow
agate eyes and telltale tail He WAS rather
too free with his remarks. Any unusual
sight-a parade, n baad procession, cir
Gus pageant, an odd dress, the fire bell
would set him going
We never saw a human being more SEN
sitive to ridicule than he. He oouldn't
beaS 10 ee laughed at And he was such
al affec;i0nats fellow. He was q real
Christian that way. We say IL with all
reverence, but his meek, joyful, glad spirit
OF forgiveness often put US TO a sense of
shame. His was the nobler spirit. He
forgave 20 times { and more If necessary.
He had some faults. Who has notp But
he had fewer faults than any man we ever
knew. a dog measures UP nearer 10 .
correct standard than almost any human
being An amiable dog Is stepped In moral
graces. In affection, In unselflsh devotion.
in fidelity, in repentance, in wstchfui
care, in kindness, in going on service til
he drops, who exceeds hims
We miss that dog at every turn. On the
street corners we catch ourself looking for
him, 10 see II he has gone ahead or is lefs
behind. AS the town clock strikes is We
miss his rising and stretching and bis yell
low glance. az II TO say, Master, 1t 10
time TO go home" lie could count up to
IL, it seems. Before p. IN. be became
restless and watched for the clock stroke
And he was set TO the figure :. He knew
when Sunday came as well as any church
man. Ho knew what the fire bell meant
and would run 70 the flrehouss, n it rang,
as excited as any member Of the depart
ment. He knew every nook and corner In
The Press Office, having passed ali his
days there, and in pinch we believe he
could have set up "a form, read proof, fed
the presses We know he could ''pi" type.
He liked to lie on a pile Of old newspapers,
but he never learned to tell campaign
lie.
There was never a dog In this town that
/ took such n wide range n he. lie weDs
/ 10 ell sorts Of meetings and shows, entered
stores, and at the kerry knew where was
the box for stale breads and at the meat
markets where were the boxes Of bones.
And his ethics were confused rs 10 meum
and tuuIn. lie helped himself. but with
such becoming grace tbaS be never got
kicked.
+ lie had the weakness OF his race for cate.
His chief amusement was chasing them.
He'd tear down the street, leap fences. go
round houses like a whirlwInd. but be
could mover catch one. lie cOuldn'; catch
rabbit He couldn't catch any thing, not
even cold.
He was sold 20 us In his tender boyhood
for water spaniel but be WAS afraid %
water We We're also told that be was u
bird dog. He would neither point" n0r
set" We found out be was a turkey
dog We paid for two he killed One wss
put in evidence, and we paid 81 for that
gubbler Ha was lost for a week-tied
up ia the country, whether for ransom We
know Bot-bat one dark, rainy Saturday
night two boys answered our advertise
ment. and We found two ur-hins hltched
by q rope 10 a seal brown dog with yellow
eyes and long silky ear, and that oyeTJOy-
cd canine frescoed us with the clay he had
acquired on his Jaunt, and the lads said
he had Killed turkey. We handed Out
81 too quick and rescued our treasure.
Paying s. for him a. "a pup and oontribEt-
ing 81 70 the Turkish mission and paying
the annual tax on him for several years
and the city registration fee and tai and
for q leather collar and medal O. Cenfsp
and for fea lotions, 20 reckon he stood IS
81 some $50 70 $40 In good money. But
there was never day We didn't get IS
worth OF fun ard sntisfaction oct % him.
90 that any schoOlboy can 1gurs what has
been cur Income and profit on that dog for
10 or ~ happy years be spent with Hs.
u. Really he was the most yalua1!s
piece q property we ever owned.
Fred knew be va. MORALLY hurt and
staggered n as, billing hercsly, his eyrs
imploring sympathy sud help. And though
half psralyzsd be obsyed the instinct Of
Md snimsis and dragged himself . Gov
er 20 de unseen. Most animals die on
witnessed. and rnsJbe he preferred 70 slip
cut d, TIE living universe after the mode
shame - let him lie On TIC lash weeds
under the eurrsnr bushes Ia The rain snd
dark ard dis alone Who would 10.
crouch By the aide % noble friend ard
hold the larssru 81 the Vigil - priest
holds the altar candies and orUctHE bsfors
TIE difaming eyss - the cyiug'
We buried him In the garden 10 wind
ing sheets q Prssses and telt that = grave
never inciased a mare living, Eocsss Crear
ture.
a long fs-rxsu 20 Fr-di He hss
launched his bark on another ga A dog
wood shall marx She hes9 81 kls grave
snd IN rreuory q hls p~nchsnt FOR cate
rAfnip shau zroE 81 the oot---H0wa.d 4
Bsrrsl IN wa.hin ston ia Prssa
A rs~sr For C.IiAu,a