The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1901-08-16

however. Pete did very well. Hut
in the midst OF the entertainment
the watchman came on the scene,
and he was an old man and fond OF
the dog. Strangely enough, he
was one of the people who fail to
see fun In things of this kind. He
told them to stop. He was on shore
and the boys were In the water, and
they had the advantage aud knew
IT, They kept on having fun. and
presently stone struck Pete on
the head and he began to sink.
The old wetchman did not stop to
take his clothes olf. lie jumped
head first into the river and swan
toward the dog. His head was hit
by a floating beam and he was
stunned. Then a tiftecp-ycar old
boy, who had taken no part in the
previous sport, came along. and
saw what was doing, and he leap
cd into the water and rescued the
old man, and then pulled the dog
with n boat hook. Both recovered
and the dog insisted on going
where the watchman went.
There are many persons, includ-
ing the boys whose amusement
was so summnrily intcrfcrcd with,
who will say that this was n good
deal Of fuss to make over dog,
and that human life il worth
more than that of n animal. TN
doubtedly II Is. But that II not
the question. When n fireman risks
his life to save that OF n crippled
child In tenement fire, We do not
reason In that way. We do not
argue that he ought TO weigh the
worth of his life with that of the
child, and sit down on tbs side
walk ana let the child burn To
death. II j. obvious that the NOR
nj value of this act of hcroism Is
worth something to the communi-
ty, aside from it, direct consc-
qucncc. The same l. true In this
case. II is unlikely that the boys
throw this little dog In the water
and stoned him will amusc them
selves In Just that way agcin,
where the watchman l., aud prr-
haps some OF them were suillcicnt-
~ ashamed of Themselves to refrain
from such performances for the
rest of their lives. a great deal OF
such cruelty Is more thoughtless-
ness than anything else. One boy
stronger, more active or more vi
ciOus than the rest, sets the FASH
len aud the rest join in. The differ
cncc between different "crowds,"
'scis" r gangs" OF boys Is not
so much In the character OF the
rank aud file IA in that of their
leaders.
At any rate, there were concern
I'd in this incident two opposite
types Of humanity--thc type which
delights in inilicting pain and that
which IL willing to suffer to pre-
vent pain being inflicted. 1t is
likely that magy OF those who came
% know about IL did n little think
Ing about the desirability of al-
lowing the former type to perpotu-
ate itself. 1t was sort of object
csson which could hardly fnil to
nave some effect.
The spirit which sets a gang"
OF boys, cggcd on by two or three
leading spirits. to torture nnl kill
a helpless animal ia very much the
same as that which insists on lynch
law ns substitute for justice. Dur
ns he season, several years ago,
" f'N'' '''N'N "HH - E'H'ihi ny hfb~
phobia SCARF in this country. n
great many harmless dog were
,robl ably chased down and killed
L one time or another because the
ry was started by some sensation
over that they were mad.
Among people VINO are in tho
abit OF disregarding the rights
ind suiicrings Of others, It - quite
Is easy for some thorties person 10
gather a mob TO hunt men: and /.
Whatever may be said oi the right |
II an indignant community 10 take I
4'-''4i.ls 4Ht+,-+t'@-'7'rii ifesiei-- ,yl,-n.f
rime is clearly proved, thore Is no
'ossibic excuse for such an actoni +
'hen the prisoner j. not absolute
y known tn be guilty. The e,aiis-
les of lynch law snow that con-