Eulogy on the Dog - from closing arguments in an 1870 civil suit about the death of a mans dog

[moobu2]

This might be widely known I don't know but I've never read it before and was moved to tears last night when I did read it. The words were spoken in the closing arguments at this civil trial concerning the killing of a foxhound named Old Drum that had been shot and killed by a sheep farmer in 1869. Old Drum's owner sued the sheep farmer for $50.00 the maximum amount allowed by law at that time and these were his lawyers closing arguments. Anyway, these are the famous words.

"Gentlemen of the jury: The best friend a man has in this world may turn against him and become his enemy. His son or daughter that he has reared with loving care may prove ungrateful. 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, perhaps when he needs it the most. A man’s reputation may be sacrificed in a moment of ill-considered action. The people 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 absolutely unselfish friend that a man can have in this selfish world, the one that never deserts him and the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous is his dog.

Gentlemen of the jury: A man’s dog stands by him in prosperity and in poverty, in health and in sickness. He will sleep on the cold ground, where the wintry winds blow and the snow drives fiercely, if only he may be near his master’s side. He will kiss the hand that has no food to offer, he will lick the wounds and sores that come in encounters with the roughness of the world. He guards the sleep of his pauper master as if he were a prince. When all other friends desert, he remains. When riches take wings and reputation falls to pieces, he is as constant in his love as the sun in its journey through the heavens.
If fortune drives the master forth an outcast in the world, friendless and homeless, the faithful dog asks no higher privilege than that of accompanying him to guard against danger, to fight against his enemies, and when the last scene of all comes, and death takes the master in its embrace and his body is laid away in the cold ground, no matter if all other friends pursue their way, there by his graveside will the noble dog be found, his head between his paws, his eyes sad but open in alert watchfulness, faithful and true even to death.”

from wikipedia -
Vest won the case (a possibly apocryphal story of the case says that the jury awarded $500 to the dog's owner) and also won its appeal to the Missouri Supreme Court. A statue of the dog stands in front of the Warrensburg, Missouri courthouse."

Wikipedia's page about this

[sinkingfeeling]

1. I've read it before. Wonderful tribute.

[hlthe2b]

2. Now you've done it..... tears streaming & hugging my own pup

for dear life! She's like---"whoah, Mom, its ok... I'm here...." ;)


Great story. thanks for sharing. I don't know how I could avoid a violent response to someone who was cruel enough to kill my dog... I truly don't. But, this man's words are undoubtedly a better tribute.

[Duppers]

7. ...

:hug:

Me either, hlthe2b.

[happyslug]

3. $50 in 1870 was just under half a year pay to the average worker

Now, using a strict inflation calculator $50 in 1870 is worth $837.99 in 2009.
http://www.westegg.com/inflation/

Please note the US Government in 1870 was committed to returning the US dollar to its historical value in terms of Gold, $20 to an ounce of Gold.

Gold today (2011) is $1329.54
http://www.goldprice.org/gold-price.html

Thus $50 in 1870 was 2 1/2 ounces of Gold, or $3323.85.

On the other hand average income was only $129 per year
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090518160729AATe6F0

If you want to look at the Actual Statistics go to the US Census 1870 site. In the 1800s the US Census did NOT make such a calculation, instead you have to take total income of everyone in the US and divide it by the total number of people living in the US:
http://www.census.gov/prod/www/abs/decennial/1870.html

Just pointing out, $50 was a lot of money in the 1870s, those were the days of less then a dollar a day income.

[Duppers]

4. when I hear taps, I think of my deceased pups and weep

I loved my kitties too but my dogs, well, only if you've ever owned a very intelligent, very sensitive animal could you understand. I've lost family and felt less sorrow.

They were 2 B.C.'s, a standard collie, and a yellow lab named "Duppers."



:cry:

[hlthe2b]

10. I totally understand....

TOTALLY... My heart aches every time I contemplate loosing my aging doggy girl in the not distant future-- to the point, that I can't be at peace if I'm not totally certain she is comfortable. When it gets too hot for her in my bedroom and goes somewhere cooler, I automatically wake up. Of course, she's always done so for me--never leaving my side when I was incapacitated with a migraine.

"Only those who have owned a very intelligent, very sensitive animal" can understand. Indeed. So sad to think what they have missed. :loveya:

[Hotler]

5. kicking n/t

[tk2kewl]

6. I love my dog...

but he is a pussy and recently cowered in the corner when my brother decided that he would take a poke at me

[xchrom]

8. Recommend

[ThomCat]

9. Even my Chihuahua would follow me into the depths of hell

yipping at every threat, thinking she's a big, threatening defender, and never leaving my side. They don't know that they can't, or shouldn't, and really do love you forever.

[arbusto_baboso]

11. Vest is a however-many-times great uncle of mine.

His love for dogs seems to be a genetic trait, because my whole family have it.

Read his biography. He was quite the interesting character.

[fishstickle]

12. I was reading a bit about the him just now.

what an honor it must be to have him as a relative.

[arbusto_baboso]

13. Actually, I'm having trouble figuring him out.

I can't decide if he was actually as principled as he seems, or if he was just a gifted bullshitter who knew which way the wind was blowing.

Because both traits run pretty deep in my family.