The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1904-09-28
The Lexington Dispatch
Wednesday. September 2o, 1904.
shot Every W eek.
The Columbia State.

The Columbia State.
Every Friday is hangman's day
for the dogs that are caught by the
dogcatcher. If these dogs are SO
anlucky as to have no owners or
owners who will not redeem them,
they are kept ten days aud then
shot. Sometimes dogs which are
we'll worth having are taken up and
these may be bought at small price
# unredeemed.
Every week some ten or so OF the
best friends men ever have are shot
and go to the dog star (where all
good pups go when they die). Dogs
are certainly mans best friends. In
addressing jury the late Senator
Vest once spoke eloquently on the
dog. He was pleading for damages
and they were obtained too.
Senator Vest arose, scanned the
jurymen's faces and said:
ssGentlemen of the Jury: The
best friend man has in the world
may turn against him and become
bis enemy. His son or daughter
that he has raised with loving care
may prove nngrateful. Those who
are nearer and dearest to us, those
whom we trust with our happiness
and good name. may become traitors
to their faith. The money that q
man has he may lose. It flies away
from him perhaps when he needs it
most. A mans reputation may be
sacrificed in moment of ill-con-
sidered action. The people who are
prone to fall on their knees to do US
honor when success is with Us may
be the first to throw the stone of
malice when failure settles its cloud
upon our heads. The one abso-
lutely unselish friend that q man
can have in this selfish world, the
one that never deserts him, the one
that never proves ungrateful or
treacherous, is his dog. A mans
dog stands by him in prosperity and
IN poverty, in health and in sickness.
He, will sleep on the cold ground,
where the wintery winds blow and the
snow drives fiercely, if only be may
be near his masters side. He will
kiss the hand that has no food to-
offer. He will lick the wounds and
sores that Gomez in encounter with
the roughness Of the world. He
guards the sleep of his pauper mas
ter as ii he were prince. When all
other friends desert he remains.
When riches take wings and repu-
sation falls to pieces he is as constant
In his love as the sun in it's journeys
through the heavens. If fortune
drives the master forth an outcast in
the world, friendless and homeless,
the faithful dog asks no higher pri-
yilege than that of accompanying
him, to guard against danger, to
fight against his enemies. And when
the last scene OF all comes, and death
takes the master in it's embrace, and
his body is laid away in the cold
ground, no matter if all other friends
pursue their way, there by his grave
side will the noble dog be found, his
head between his paws, his eyes sad,
but open in alert watchfulness, faith
full and true even in death"
As We understand it these dogs
are taken up and kept in pound at
the guard house for ten days and if
not claimed within that limit and
the license paid, are shot. The most
of these empounded dogs are from
the country who doubtless followed
their owners to the city and became
lost, and many of them are valuable
ones. Those wishing to own good
dog can doubtless secure one cheap
by visiting the pound, make their Sc
lection and pay the cost.