The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1925-10-09
n LID MAN NEGLEY was trim

ming the Shrady hedge, on Vine
street, one morning, when Dick
Benner came running bareheaded
across the street. in evident distress,
and hailed him.
"Negleyw he exclaimed. "We're
just back from the shore, ten minutes
ago. We left our big st. Bernard
with the maid, while We were gone
He has rabiesl He developed it three
days ago, one evening just after she
had fed him. 1t came on, all at once.
She sent for the vet. He said it's a
true case of dumb rabies; and the only
thing to do is to shoot him. Will you
do it for us? l haven't the heart to.
I'll pay you well. The poor fellow is
in awful agony. / left my wife crying
over him. She thinks the world of
that poor old dog. Hurry, won't you?''
Old Man Negley laid down his clip
pers, and followed the excited man
across the street to a shaded back
yard.
There, securely tied to his kennel
Will a CLdln lLldL WOQlQ hdVC AClQ Oh
OK, stood or rather crouched a beau
tiful st. Bernard dog. Just out OF
reach of the chain-in case the dogs
madness should take turn toward
violence stood a weeping woman.
The ST. Bernard was slumped weak
ly against the side Of his kennel. His
great head was hanging. Now and
then he made feeble effort to stick
his mouth into a pail Of drinking wa
ter with his swollen tongue.
For dog must use his jaws as well
as his tongue, in drinking. though few
humans realize this. And this dogs
jaws were stretched wide and immov-
able.
Old Man Negley studied the suffer
er, for moment; while Benner went
Indoors for his pistol. Then, disre-
garding Mrs. Benner's fearful warn
ings, the old man walked calmly up to
the rabid dog and knelt beside him,
forcing the dogs head upward and
gazing into the wide mouth.
| A second later he thrust one Of his
own hands in between the slavering
jaws, and yanked hard at something.
After which he drew forth in triumph
a small knuckle-bone Of mutton that
had wedged itself at the point Of con-
tact of the big jaws, far back where
the 'hinge" is formed. on the right
hand side.
Boiling his dinner, three days
earlier, the st. Bernard had been
chewing this bone, when its knuckle
had become wedged there, preventing
him from closing his mouth or moving
his jaws from their wide-open posi-
ton.
For seventy-two hours, the poor
creature had remained thus, suffering
and helpless to eat or to drink-espe-
cially to drink. though the weather
was hot and dry.
AS Dick Benner came out Of the
house with his pistol, he saw the dog
make frantic dive for the WATERFALL
and begin to drink ravenOusly.
"A grain Of commonsense is worth
ton of cartridge lead" commented
Old Man Negley. '"The executions
postponed. Here" holding up the
knuckle bone, "here's you dumb
rabies Such bones have caused
many mad dog scare In their
time; and made many suffering dog
lose his life by a bullet.
Hold on, there!" he interrupted
himself gently pulling the dog away
from the water. THAT'S enough for
now. Another drink in few minutes.
Too much, after three hot days. thirst,
might hurt you. suspicioned what
was the matter when he said the rabies
came on you all at once, right after
dinner. That isn't the way Of rabies ;
or any other disease"
But" cried Mrs. Benner, throwing
her arms around the shaggy neck of
the rescued trembling dog, "but don't
understand"
Most folks DON'T" responded Old
Man Negley. That's why SO many
mad dog scares start, every year.
There isn't one mad dog to every thou
sand mad dog scares.
For instance, you'd have sworn
| this dog of yours was in the last