The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-04-16
By JOHN c. MOSES

By JOHN c. MOSES
 With today's page on the dog and it's diseases, the tenth in number, bring the series to an end. While I have not illustrated and written on all known breds the series has covered the more important species. The most troublesome diseases of our four-footed friend have been gone into thoroughly, putting the amateur on guard when his dog shows symptoms of illness
 The page today is the most unique in the way of reading matter and illustra- tions ever put into newspaper shape. The world at large probably never dreamed of a high-class dog cemetery, with it's own railroad station and located on the main thoreughfare leading out of New York pcity. Here many favorite pets are rest ing inytheir last sleep, and if we can but believe as Luther, some of us at least may ''see them later'' There is noth- ing in the scriptures which makes up be- leye that the dumb brute has no here after, and if that good place above is as bright as we have been taught since childhood. with its streets of gold and golden chariots, surely the many thor
 
 modern dogs prancing up and down look ing for former masters (some of whom, no doubt, would me missing) to greet. And the chariots would cause no undue com i tnent with a Coach dog trotting under heath. At any rate it is a lonely com munlty that has no member of the canine family to cheer the downcast.
 The oft-raised question of the value of dog can be answered only by the own CT in each individual case. As a whole the animal has no general value
 ma customs case in New York regard ing the value of a couple of dogs import ed for Chicago man an appraisers mem- orandum as been filed that contains these words: The evidence discloses that there is no regular market value for a dog. The price is governed a great deal by fancy and desire to procure dog of cer- tain breed. The price paid is usually arbitrary
 Now, with the case in question, and even with the matter of the price for dogs, we care to have nothing to do. But when it comes to thinking of the real value of dog-not the market value then every one in the world who has ever known good dog friend has feelings. IL IS not for courts or appraisers to meas ure for them the value of dog. The thing simply cannot be done
 Great men have written of dogs Tn fact, some of the best stories of some of the worlds best storytellers have had much to do with dogs, with the love and falthfuness of dog to a man and the tenderness of man toward his dog friend and companion Would any of the great writers who have loved their dogs, who nlusr nave loved their dogs. to write so , delightfully."- of dog nature, place a yalue- "a market value-on them? And can you imagine any of the characters of fiction wno nave delighted in dogs being willing to part, for money, with their canine friends?
 Private Otheris had weakness one of many. He stole dogs. But who can read the story of Garm, the story of a noble dog s love for man, without a feeling or tenderness for the rascally cockney. who must have had much good in him or good dog could not have loved him so That is what we think.
 In otheris' case it may be so, but prac-. tlcany It isn't The dog who loves a man doesn't love him because he is good ! he loves him because that is a good dogs nature to his master
 SO Who may measure the value of q dog? Pedigree and breeding may raise the price of certain puppy to a point only 10 pc considered by mllionaires or spend thrifts, but the actual value of A dog to the man who owns him and loves him that isn't measurable. The only measure IS the value of sentiment to mankind Tho love for a dog is sentiment, and if one cant ind some greater sentiment to take its place 1t is a very fine one
 The faithfulness of the dog teaches some men things they might not other wise know, the good nature of the dog leads some men to better nature thar perhaps is theirs ordinarily; the whole souled democracy and good fellowship of the dog keep some men from being cast down when luck seems against them The dog is a necessary adjunct to civilization; he helps civilize man.
 As a farewell toast to our four-footed companion I offer the following:
 Here's to our good friend old and homely, and sometimes stupid though he may be; who looks up at us with honest eyes; who greets us with an honest wag of his tail if he has one, or with an honest wiggle of what ought to be his tail if he is bereft; who believes in us even f,hough we fail in many things; who Dmehow sympathizes with our moods Rnd who almost never displays any of 7 his own in contradiction to ours: who. in short. is good. kind. loyal friend. who