Palestine daily herald. [volume] (Palestine, Tex.) 1902-1949, 1907-09-23
LATE SENATOR VEST
PAYS TRIBUTE TO DOG

:
the dog catcher is abroad in the
land" and when the dispenser of pOis-
ons is to be found through his work,
the matter contained in the speech at
tached hereto from the late beloved
and lamented Senator Vest, of Mis-.
souri,. will be read with interest, says
an exchange.
The following Tribute to a Dog
is worthy of consideration:
Senator Vest, OF Missouri. was at
tending court in a country town, and
while waiting for the trial of a case
in which he was interest, he was
urged by the attorneys in a dog case
to help them. He was paid a fee of
$3.50 by the plaintiff Voluminous
evidence was introduced to show that
the defendant had shot the dog in
malice, while other evidence went to
show that the dog had attacked the
defendant Vest took no part in the
trial and was not disposed to speak.
The attorneys, however, urged him to
make a speech, else their client would
not think he had earned his fee. Be
ing thus urged he arose. scanned the
face of each juryman for a moment
and said:
Gentlemen of the Jury:-The best
friend a man has in the world may
49,, % s,,g,-4 bg,,, ..a l.a.,,,. 1T. 80,
envy; his son or daughter, that he has
reared with loving care may prove I'M
grateful; those who are nearest and
dearest to us, those whom we trust
with our happiness and our good
name may become traitors to their
faith; the money that a man has he
may lose; it flies away from him. per-
haps, when he needs it most; mans
reputation may be sacrificed in a mo-
ment of i'll considered action; the peo-
pie 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
absolute unselfish friend that a 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 pow
erty, in health and in sickness. He
win sleep on the cold ground. where
the wintry winds blow, and the snow
drives fiercely, If only he 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 come
in the encounter with the rslghness
81 the world. He guards the sleep o.
his pauper master as If he were
prince. When all other friends de-
5ert he remains. When riches take
wings and reputation falls to pieces,
he is as constant in his love as the
sun is in its journeys through the
heavens. II fortune drives the master
'orth an outcast in the world. friend
ess and homeless, the faithful dog
lsks no higher privilege than that of
him, to guard against
LANCER, to fight against his enemies.
And when the last scene of all comes,
md death takes the master in it's en-
,race. and his body is laid away in
he cold ground, no matter If all other
riends pursue their way. there by the
will the noble dog be found,
lis head between his paws. his eyes
lad. but open in alert watchfulness,
aithful and true even in death"
Then Vest sat down. He had spoll-
N in a low voice. without any ges-
ure. He made no reference to the
or the merits of the case.
When he finished Judge and jury were
riping their eyes. The jury filed out,
ut soon entered with a verdict in
avor Of the plaintiff for $500. He
ad sued for 5000. It is even said that
ONE of the jurors wanted to hang the
efendant.