Tribute to a dog, the rest of the story.....

[wingpatch]

That Eulogy of Senator Vest won the case for Charles Burden whose favorite hound, Drum, was shot by a neighbor, Leonidas Hornsby, who had sworn to kill the first dog that came on his place after he had lost a number of sheep. Though Hornsby had hunted with Drum, and acknowledged him to be one of the best hunting dogs he had ever seen, he stubbornly insisted on carrying out his threat when a dark night a dog was found prowling in his yard. That dog was old Drum.
Immediately, Burden sued Hornsby for damages and the trial became one of the strangest in the history of that section of the country. Each man was determined to win his case and several appeals were made till Hornsby finally took it to the Supreme Court of Missouri. Burden, however, was awarded $50.00 for damages for the loss of his favorite hunting dog, Drum. Vest's eulogy to the dog, which he made in his final appeal to the jury, won the case and became a classic speech.
"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 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, 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 fierce, 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 encounter of 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 all riches takes 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 to guard against danger, to fight against enemies, and when the last scene of all comes and death takes his master in his 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 in death."

[Beagleman973]

I have that on an old Remington calendar that I have framed in my office. True words!!!

[Tri-Power]

Excuse me while i wipe a tear and blow my nose.

[Sue]

AMEN

[dosgris]

where can i get a calendar like that or a poster with that speech so that i can frame it and place it on my wall?

[Beagleman973]

Mine is from a large Remington calendar from several years back. You might check their website or get a catologue, I don't know if they still offer it or not.

[wingpatch]

I will have it printed and down loaded and will email it to anyone that wants it the one i have here has senator vasts picture on it taken in 1870......... wingpatch