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| Suzanne Leonard, Artist |
The following was taken from Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson's beautiful book
entitled, DOGS NEVER LIE ABOUT LOVE. (Chapter 4)
On Loyalty and Heroism
On a monument outside a courthouse in Missouri is recorded one of the most moving statements ever made about the abiding love of a dog. It was made in the nineteenth century by George Graham Vest, before he became a senator, when he was legally representing a neighbor whose dog had been killed by another man and who was suing the accused for two hundred dollars in damages. By the time Vest had finished his summing up, the jury was in no mood to ruminate: It took them two minutes to reach their verdict. The plaintiff was awarded five hundred dollars, but the judge was unable to grant their wish that the dog killer be sent to prison, as the law did not permit such a punishment. These are the words that Senator Vest spoke:
Gentlemen of the Jury: The best friend a man has in this world may turn against him and become his enemy. His son and daughter that he had reared with loving care may become 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 way lose. It flies away from him when he may need it most. Man's reputation may be sacrificed in a moment of ill considered action. The people who are prone to fall on their knees and 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 head. The only absolutely unselfish friend a man may have in this selfish world. the one that never deserts him, the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous is his dog.
A man's dog stands by him in prosperity and poverty, in health and sickness. He will sleep on the cold ground, when the wintry winds blow and the snow drives fiercely, if only he can 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 encounter with the roughness of the world. He guards the sleep of a pauper 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 into the world, friendless and homeless, the faithful dog asks no higher privilege than that of accompanying him to guard him against danger, to fight against his enemies, and when the last scene of all comes, and death takes his 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 and his eyes sad, but open in alert watchfulness, faithful and true even to death.
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