The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-10-21
HE WAS ONLY A DOG.
BUT HE HAD BEEN THE EDITORS
COMRADE FOR TEN YEARS.
Fred Came Nearer to the Standard OF His
Kind Than Most Human Beings Come
to That of Their Kind-He Was "A Real
Christian In Some Respects.


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 ones death that we do
not feel that he deserved more glowing
obituary than many men. Affection, fldel-
ity, consistency, patience, humility in de-
served punishment are traits of the dog
the world over
The devotion of a dog TO his master is
touching He will leave his own kind TO
cleave to man. Lord Bacon said, "A
man is god to dog" No doubt good
man humanizes dog and n dog forgives
bad man for abuse and is the kinder,
juster animal of the two.
Fred fondly cherished the delusion, if
delusion 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 toased him, and his good
nature could not help feeling resentment
In these cases, but he stuck to us like q
long lost brother, going everywhere, to
pasture, to the woods, to the postoiiice, To
the library, TO 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 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, a band procession, cir
Gus pageant, an odd dress, the fire bell
would set him going.
We never saw a human being more sem
IN nj bn Ia N
bear to he laughed at. And he was such
an affectiouate fellow He was real
Christian that way. We say it with all
reverence, but his meek, joyful, glad spirit
of forgiveness often put us to sense of
shame. His was the nobler spirit. He
forgave 20 times and more if necessary.
He had some faults. Who has not? But
he had fewer faults than any man we ever
knew dog measures up nearer to
correct standard than almost any human
being. An amiable dog is stepped in moral
| graces. In affection, in uDsolfish devotion,
! in fidelity, in repentance, in watchful
caro-, in kindness, in going on service till
( he drops, who exceeds him?
We miss that dog mt every turn. On the
street corners we catch ourself looking for
him, to see if he has gone ahead or is left
| behind. AS the town clock strikes II we
miss his rising and stretching and his vel
low glance as if to say, Master, it is
time to go home" He could count up to
~, it seems. Before 8 p. III. he became
restless and watched for the clock stroke.
| And he was set to the figure T. He knew
when Sunday came as well as any church
man. He knew what the fire bell meant
| and would run to the frehouse, as it rang,
] as excited as any member of the 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 form, read proof, fed
| 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. He went
| to all sorts oe meetings and shows, entered
stores, and at the bakery knew where was
the box for stale breads and at the meat
! markets whore were tho boxes of bones.
| And his ethics were confused rs 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 one. He couldn't catch
rabbit lie couldn't catch anything, not
] even 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 he killed. One was
put in evidence, and we paid SO for that
| gobblor He was lost for week-tied
up in the country, whether for ransom we
know not-but one dark, rainy Saturday
| night two boys answered our advertise
ment, and we found two urchins hitched
by q rope to seal brown dog with yellow
eyes and long silky ears, and that overjoy-
ed canine frescoed us with the clay he had
acquired on his jaunt, and the lads said
he had killed a turkey. We handed out
SO too quick and rescued our treasure.
Paying So for him as pup and contribut-
ing 81 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 % cents)
and for flea lotions we reckon he stood us
In some $50 to $25 In good money. But
there was never day we didn't get IS
| WOTul VI luu sutisioCeiOh ouo va hiiis
so that any schoolboy can figure what has
been our income and profit on that dog for
10 or l2 happy years he spent with us.
us. Really he was the most valuable
piece of property we ever owned.
Fred knew he was mortally hurt and
staggered to us, lolling fiercely, his eyes
imploring sympathy and help. And though
half paralyzed he obeyed the instinct Of
wild animals and dragged himself to COW
or to die unseen. Most animals die un-
witnessed, and maybe he preferred to slip
out of the living universe after the mode
Of his kind, but 1t seemed monstrous
shame to let him lie on the lush weeds
under the cu-rant bushes In the rain and
dark and die alone Who would not
crouch by the side of a noble friend and
hold the lantern at the vigil as priest
holds the altar candles and cruciflx before
tho dimming eyes of the dyingi
We buried him in the garden in wind
ing sheets Of Presses and felt that grave
never incloscd a more loving, honest crea
ture.
A long farewell to Fredl He has
launched his bark on another sea. dog
| wood shall mark the head of his grave