Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1902-04-05
And with that Jack smithers wished

And with that Jack Smithers wished
me good evening and went of.
When l came in. and told father what
had happened, he was quite delighted.
why, Janet" he said, "Laddie has
found out the soft spot in the mans
heart, and no one knows what good
st may do. Be sure and let him see
your doggie whenever he Nkes"
So / I'D. Jack Smithefs became
quite devoted to Lsddie, and he re-
turned his affection. II was summer
tive. and he was always coming up
to the vicarage in the evening to teach
him some new tricks, the result being
that Laddie is now one of the most
accomplished dogs in England. Some
times father came out, and sometimes
he did not, but he never talked to
him about anything except Laddie. One
day, however, he asked him TO 90 into
his study and look at some of Sir Ed
win Bandseer's pictures of animals;
and when Jack Smithers came back
into the garden he had tears in his
eyes, and the blue ribbon on his coat
That all happened more than year
ago. Last night we had our annual
temperance meeting-the incest day
In all the year, so the people say. We
had tea in the garden first, then a
Few games in the field, and then we all
marched down to the schoolroom, our
temperance band leading the way.
Daddie Joined in the procession, and
be wore new collar, and big bow Of
blue ribbon for the occasion. When
we got to the schoolroom, he lay down
quite still on the edge of the plat
/ form.
There were one or two good
speeches; then father asked anyone
who felt inclined to speak to say what
the temperance cause had done for
him personally. There was a pause,
and then Jack Smithers stood up
There was great applause, and cries
for him to get up on the platform. So
he came up. His speech was very short
but, as father said afterwards, it could
| not have been better.
! Friends" he said, 'you all know
what I was this time last year, and
you all know what am now. 1 amt
ashamed 10 say / owe the change to a
dog, this 'un (pointing TO Laddie). i
saw he had more sense than me, for
when he was offered beer, he said:
| No! while well, you all know what
l did. That got over me, and I thought
what fool I'd been. Another thing
l the dog did-he loved me, in spite of
| my bad ways; and may tell We now
| longed to be loved. He got me away
| from the saloon, too, for I spent my
| evenings with him instead of there
! Then the vicar, he talked to me one
| night, and showed me that God, who
| loved all dumb animals, loves me much
more, for He had given His Son to save
| me from sim And he saw how God
wished me TO love Him back again.
and keep from sin for His Sons sake,
and how He would help me to do 1T
4 IL / asked Him. SO that was how II
| signed the pledge aud kept from drink.
which was my sin. Sometimes It has
been hard struggle, but God has given
me power TO conquer up till now. and
l believe He always will"
4 Laddie had been fidgeting an
through the speech, for he knew his
friends voice; and when Jack Smithers
stopped, he jumped up, gave a loving
4 little whine, and licked his hands, to
the great delight of all the people, who
Il SAdPPCQ v.
Then Mr.. Henderson, the secretary OF
the temperance society, got up, and
said that as Laddie had been a life
4 long total abstainer, and had done such
| good work in the temperance cause, he
| thought 1t was quite time that he had
l a medal.
1 So they tied long piece of blue rib.
bon on to one Of the medals, and then
Jack told Laddie to "sit up" and they
hung it round his neck, while the peo-
| pie gave him three cheers.
Now, whenever father finds man
or boy difficult to get hold of. he says:
| Janet, just take down Laddie and
make friends with So-and-So."
Thus, my desr dog, who, by the by,
has become very handsome indeed, is
a regular worker, and no one knows
how much good he does. He has a
way of getting at folks hearts with his
/ knowing little face and bright, shining
1 eyes, and the loving little way he ticks
their hands, as much as to say: "Poor
thing. poor thing! know how sad you
are, if you don't"
We have seen what a dog can do
how the Lord let Laddie find the heart
| of the rough, sinful man. Shall not
we, who are so much better and know
SO much more than Laddie, try by the
4 grace of God to win others from evil
| ways to paths Of righteousness and
1 peace.-Band of Hope Review.