The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-12-28
SINS OF MEN AND DOGS.
Both Have Been Known 70 Murder
Sleep and 10 XIII Sheep.

To THE EpIrcR OF THE SUN-Sir: The
enemies Of dogs and horses and OF all
ot Gods dumb creatures on this mum
dane sphere are so numerous and gen.
orally so inferior 70 the things they
would destroy that one gets weary OF
trying TO show them the error ot their
ways. But II does seem strange that
because man il unable to appreciate
the fact that there is good, and much
OF It. in all domestic animals. he should
want them destroyed.
One writer gays dogs bark and keep
him awake nights, So shoot the dogs !!
Not unlikely he Is the proud parent OF
a yelling kid that would keep his neigh
Dor IN the next apartment awake II that
neighbor did not know enough 70 go 20
sleep, but he never says shoot the baby.
A man on the way home after having
a fairly good tims at pink tea. or
something, decides 10 try out his voice
and eIrulates the vocal efforts Of Ca
ruso. and somebody who does not know
what work is and cannot sleep soundly
hears the noise, but he never asserts
that Carusos rival should be shot.
Another. half asleep. hears n cat new
ing, but his wife Is fond OF cats. so he
goes TO sleep without shooting the.cat.
Then there Is the sportsman who hears
tho voice OF the hound floating over a
river "a mile wide and to whom the
sound Is OF music sweet. reminding him
Of tho notes OF old Melody as she fol-
lowed the trail OF Reynard until she
pulled him down in the open. Another
man whose nerves are out Of gear hears
that same music and longs for gun
instead Of getting up and taking a nerve
tonic. II It is not the nerves that need
attention. why does he not pack his ears
with cotton wool and get of TO Sleep
Not all dogs bark and bite. The dog
that barks does not bite, and the dog
that bites does not bark hence the say
ing. His bark Is worse than his bite -
There are exceptions 20 this rule. as
there are TO other rules, though very few
OF them. just rs We find that many men
do not bark at all. while q few not only
bark. but bark loud and yet never seem
to realize that they may be keeping
somebody awake who does not know
how TO get TO sleep.
Undoubtedly many dogs like mutton,
and have known men who were equally
fond OF IT. Also some years ago I was
acquainted with man who killed sheep
because he wanted mutton. and a num-
Der OF dogs that watched the process OF
killing became prohcient IN the art OF
killing sheep. 4 dog. ha,lng 50 much
mora intelligence than some OF mis- own
ers. soon learns trade and soon learns
what to kill and what to save. II all
depends on his master. and II the lat
ter should lanpRp N hava a s5nTp0Ia n =
something loose In his cupola, not un-
likely the dog would, realize that fact
and proceed TO boss the Job, with the
result that the dog might acquire n
larger appetite for mutton than the law
would allow,
Were the State 10 pay the farmer all
claims for sheen killed by dogs there
would soon ne more sheep killed by dogs
than tho farmers raised, and the dogs
would rot put on any extra weight.
though the farmers might grow out OF
all proportion. n not in figure, then in
wealth; but the dog would be neither
gamer nor loser This explains why
tho farmer has difficulty in collecting
for lost mutton.
II the idea ls, az one writer hints, 20
save the lives OF Huns by letting them
have the food that goes TO the dogs, II
Is not necessary To go beyond the fact
that the domestic dog Is not a vicious
brute. and 20 name him in that connec-
ton Ia something OF an lnsult--to the
dog. The dog is mans best friend The
Hun is mans worst enemy
A FRIEND OF MANS BEST FRrENn.
PoRr WAsHINoroN, L. T.. December 81