Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1911-09-13

The many lessons we are given Of being
kind to one another are good, and we should
ever strive to practice them; but the lessons
should always include kindness to others than
the human family. One who is exceptionally
good towards animals may safely be trusted
to use his own kind well.
Many years ago, Just rs the church service
Of q winters evening closed. fire Was seen
towards and beyond tie north end of the viii
lage. One heavy-footed man, believing the
fire to be his humble home, stumbled along
in the crowd and the darkness with the cry of
anguish upon his lips: "Oh, my dog, my
dog" When he learned that the ere was not
his home, where the dog was locked in, he
knelt in the snow and wept, and thanked God
for the life Of his dog.
1t follows without saying that this entirely
uneducated and hard-working man was an
excellent neighbor. and through all his life
was most helpful and considerate towards all
mankind.
have seen . good deal Of men and less of
animals, but believe there is is very little
natural ms4Nesss' In the latter; such faults
as he may hAsH are sEenerally acquired from
treatment. Man sometimes appears to ttihk
that his hoEPe or his OF should know more
than himself, and while that may be the fact,
his own lack Of reason may spoil the natural
intelligence Of . good and patient animal.
God has given into the hand of man the lives
and welfare Of many creatures. 1t is q sacred
trust and the man will be held accountable.
And the wilder animals, 80 long rs they do
not encroach upon the safety and welfare Of
mankind, have natural and God-given rights
to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happi-
d t.
heart Of any man who at great pains seeks
them out simply for the sake Of slaughter.
And what is yet more inhuman, 'the sport
Of kings", when half hundred dogs, trained
to evil and prepared by starving, followed by
half IS many rich mounts DER hill and vale
and hedgerow, league upon league, pursue
one small, harmless, frightened and palpi-
tating creature, each rider striving to ''be in
~ the DEATH. Brave sport indeed for a
Christian people; none other, nor savages
ever practice it.
The tame dog, by nature and from long and
close association, comes nearer to us than
any other animal, and is the only creature
that loves man more then his own kind, and
no other is 30 sppreciative Of kindness or SO
hurt by censure. II there be heaven for his
kind he cannot be happy there il it be not
shared by his master.
On return from last voyage noticed, with
sympathy, that Uncle Dudley's dog was dead
So was ours, the spaniel Dandy; with his
long and wavy coat Of sable silk-in life, the
Adonis Of his kind-pre-eminenti in obedience
and intelligence. loyal admirer, with those
human eyes Of love, for years the first to greet
the wAnderer and not the last to know when
parting hours came.
In the hurried walks Of life men often meet
and pass without notice; but one who never
failed to speak to every passing dog, no mat
ter how forlorn cur 1t might be, may be glad
to meet and commune with spirits Of that
kind in the higher life-and between such
friends there would be NO smbarrassments
And who knoweth that the spirit Of the one
goeth upward and the other downward
Germane to the subject, certain soliloquies
Of 1.-THE Preacher" are interesting: "That
which befalleth the sons Of men befalleth
beasts 80 that man hath
no pre-eminence. All 60
unto one place."