Birmingham age-herald., 1895-01-05
HE WAS ONLY A DOG.
GUT HE HAD BEEN THE EDITORS
 coMRADE FOR TEN YEARS.

 day night. Ono of tho best friends we ever had, an almost constant companion for 0 years, died after hours of torture Why did not the slayer show mercy and shoot Fred dead?
 A dog has so many good human quail ties and graces in superlative degree that we never hear of one's death that we do not feel that he deserved q moro glowing obituary than many men. Affection, fldel- ity, constancy, patience, humility in de- served punishment, are traits of the dog tho world over.
 The devotion of n dog to his master Is touching. He will leave his own kind to cleave to a man. Lord Bacon said, "A man is god to dog" No doubt good man hnmanizes dog, and dog forgivcs bad man for abuse and is the kinder, iuster animal of the two
 Fred fondly cherished the delusion, if dclusion it was, that the Lord made us specially for him. That was his creed. He would really make up with any one, except those who, leased him, and his good nature could not help feeling resentment in these cases. but he stuck to us like a long lost brother, going everywhere, to pasture to the woods, to the postoflice, to the library to the courthouse. to park meetings, to caucuses, conventions and public meetings of all sorts, and maybe ho got somo good from these meetings, for he would always supplement- applause given to q speech by approving barks. Poor fellowi That was the nearest he could get to speech, except with his yellow agate eyes and telltalc tail He was rather too free with his remarks Any unusual sight-a parade, band procession, cir. GUS pageant an odd dress. tho fire bell would set him going.
 Wo never saw human being more sen stivc to ridiculo than he. He couldn't bear to he laughed at And he was such an affectionate fellow. He was real Christian that way. We say 1t with all reverence but his meek joyful, glad spirit of forgiveness often put us to a sense of shame His was the noblor spirit He forgave 70 times and more if necessary.
 He had some faults. Who has not? But he had fewer faults than any man we ever knew. A dog meaasures up nearer to a correct standard than almost any human being. An amiable dog is steeped in moral gracos. In affection, in unselfish devotion, in fidelity, i'll repentance, in watchful care, in kindness, in going on service till he drops, who exceeds himP
 We miss that dog nt every turn. On tho street corners we catch ourself looking for him, to sec if he has gone ahead or is left behind. As the town clock strikes 12 we miss his rising and stretching and his yell low glance, as if to say, Master 1t is time to go home" He could count up to 12 it seems. Before p. m. he became restless and watched for the clock stroke. And he was set to tho figure 2. He knew when Sunday came as well as any church. man. He knew what tho fire bell meant to ,o1 1ro t. us excited as any member of tho depart ment. He knew every nook and corner in The Press office, having passed all his days there, and in pinch we believe he could have set up a form, read proof, fed 2 the presses. We know he could .'pi" type. He liked to lie on pile of old newspapers, but he never learned to tell campaign lie.
 There was never dog in this town that took such wide range as he. Ho went to all sorts of meetings and shows, entered stores, and at tho bakery knew where was the box for stale breads and at tho meat markets where were the boxes of bones. And his ethics were confused as to meum and tuum. He helped himself, but with such becoming grace that he never got kicked.
 He had the weakness of his race for cats His chief amusement was chasing them. He'd tear down the street, leap fences, go round houses like a whirlwind, but he could never catch ono He couldn't catch rabbit. He couldn't catch nything, not even a cold.
 He was sold to us in his tender boyhood for water spaniel but he was afraid of water We were also told that he was bird dog. He would neither point nor "set." We found out he was a turkey dog We paid for two ho killed. One was put in evidence, and we paid $2 for that fgobbler. He was lost for a week-ticd up in tho country, whether for ransom VIC know not-but one dark, rainy Saturday night two boys answered our advertise ment, and we found two urchins hitched by ropo to a seal brown dog with yellow eyes and long silky cars, end that overjoy- ed canine frescoed us with the clay ho had acquired on his jaunt, and the lads said he had killed turkey. Wo handed out So too quick and rescued our treasure Paying $5 for him as pup and contribut- ing $4 to the Turkish mission and paying tho annual tax on him for several years and the city registration fee and tax and for leather collar and medal 0 ccnts) and for flea lotions, wo reckon he stood us in some SEQ to SS5 in good money. But tucrc NuS USVcr s NC uluh U ScU YO worth of fun and satisfaction out of him,
 Febat any schoolboy can figure what has been aE,,cro5,Ue SaEi i,r5Ue and profit on that dog for 10 or 1e happS years he spent with us. us. Really he w&s the Most valuable piece of property we SZsr owned,
 Fred knew he was mNs.aiy hulo anu staggered to us, lolling nefNeiy, nis eyes imploring sympathy and help. Nno .nougn half paralyzed he obeyed the hNsIhce oi wild animals and dragged himself ~ coy CT to die unseen Most animals die%h witnessed and mlybe he preferred to slF',> out of the living universe after the modo of his kind, but 1t seemed monstrous shame to let him lie on the lush weeds under the currnnt bushes in the rain and dark and die alone. Who would not crouch by the side of a noble friend and hold tho lantern at the vigil as priest holds tho altar candles and crucifix before the dimming eyes of the dying?
 We buried him in the garden in wind ing sheets of Presses and felt that grave never inclosed a more loving, honest crea- turc.
 A long farewell to Fred! Ho has launched his bark on another sea- A dog xvood cball mark the head of his grave,