Show REVEREND BRIGGS BRIBES 11 CORNER IN DOGS what happened to a preacher who sympathized with dumb animals by DAVID C CGALE GALE ionie I onie people have absolutely no consideration for dumb animals remarked rov rev samuel briggs mrs airs briggs looked up inquiringly she knew that lier her husband wa was a leading up to something now it says here in the paper lie he went on that twenty five dogs are to le ie killed tomorrow because the licenses been paid think of it twenty five dogs to give up their lives simply because tile the owners uro tire uni unwilling villing to par part with the small sum slin required of them Per hafis they belong to poor people who the money advanced mrs airs briggs 1 I hardly think so go my experience with the world mr briggs was always referring to hla his experience with tile the world it was a phrase lie ho particularly ticul arly ly liked my aly experience with the world haa taught mo that poor people as a rule have a tender love for foi their pets they are willing to sacrifice a great deal for them no I 1 fancy these dogs belong to people who have grown tired of them to men who could pay but will not how heartless exclaimed mrs airs briggs she never attempted to combat the superior wisdom of her bus bub band 1 I have been giving careful consideration to the case of the dogs he said it has haa occurred to roe me that there Is a way to save them and set a good example at the same time ilow how ills his wife paused with th the e coffee pot in mid air pay tho the licenses myself how much will it take 1 I think I 1 have heard its a dollar a head the plan did not appeal very strongly to mrs airs briggs there were many things which she had contemplated adding to the f of the house and twenty five dollars would be a great help bell it seemed like a waste of capital to invest that amount in dogs soon after breakfast mr brigga was on his way to the office designated in athe he paper lie ho walked with the important stride of a man who Is sure of himself and lie he stood very erect as he stated ills business at the desk 1 I understand there are to be sonio some dors dogs killed today lie he said yos yes replied to the clerk its about that I 1 f came to see you will pay the licenses which ones all of them bloing going to start a tog dog farm asked the clerk hs as the minister counted out the money all and handed it over the desk 1 I am working for the good of humanity replied mr briggs with dignity so the clerk took down the address and mr air briggs started for home ile he thought it best not to say anything to tits his wife about tile the wanderers which would soon be housed beneath their root roof he simply told her that lie ho had arrived in time after that there was work in the study to occupy its his mind and it was not until late afternoon when mrs airs briggs called up tip to him from below that lie he was compelled to battle with the question again W where here do you suppose all those dogs are going she asked the minister glanced out of the window A tangled line of dogs doga was coming up tile the street led by halt a score of men a verL veritable table uncle toms cabin parade with little eva left out and such a line it was even the most zealous dog lovers would hardly have grown enthusiastic over it very likely they are coming here tie he said in as unconcerned a tone as aa he could command just then thee the doorbell door bell rang and mr briggs went out to point the way to the barn put them right in there he alaid to tile the man in charge loose loose 11 aby why yes I 1 suppose so eo only see that the door Is fastened this aint any too friendly a lot declared the man with a grin and if you dont want your barn turned into a slaughter house I 1 should advise you to keep them separate you divide them up I 1 asked mr briggs after a rno moments ments reflection there are two closed stalls in tile the barn then there Is the hen yard which la Is not in use and you might open the hatchway and put a few down cellar how would all that tt work wo can tell by trying said the man accordingly tile the dogs were conducted to their apartments and the minister returned to his work had ho he settled down instill chair however before ali the sound of barking brought him to his feet again thero was only one at but tho the others vere illicit to take lake up tip the cause I 1 this Is terrible cried aled mrs briggs r foot what la is t the lie matter with them 1 suppose u it Is in because they are in a strange place mr air briggs was obliged to rb gb bolow in order to mako make himself heard probably quiet town down after a little perhaps tile the poor things are hungry remarked mrs briggs as her Inis husband band hung up tho the receiver if they were it would take all we have in ili the housa hous to teed feed them he be retorted lis his nerves wore were beginning 1 to feel the str strain I 1 in 1 I do dont nt think they are more than likely they will I 1 top op barking before and to a ce tl it came about as ho he prof atlo lat or er the hobill nowling 19 th the first part of the As aa a period of blissful 0 nce or perhaps it w emild uld be nearer the truth to call it at aej intermission ap had bauser paused to hold a consultation oveAt their grievances incas that being over itye tn commenced barking again with a algor and freshness that was little short abort of wonderful it sounds louder than it did this afternoon exclaimed mrs airs briggs why dont you go out and try to I 1 quiet them ready to try anything tho the minister went forth into the darkness no wonder they mako make more noise h he said as 8 he reentered re entered the library it if t there I 1 le ro are re twenty five dogs inside there must be at A least fifty outside very likely all the dog swithin a radius of three millaro mlle saro clustered around our yard 1 I dont see what we are going to do sighed mra airs briggs iler her husband was silent he also failed to see what they were going to do there would be no sleep in the house he could see that and it began to look as it if there would be no end of trouble before the dogs were finally assigned to their permanent homes you might open the doors and let them out suggested mrs airs briggs probably every one of them would go to the place became he came from do you think so asked the minister eagerly ile he had lost sight of the lesson lie he was going to teach the original thal problem had been crowded out by a nav now one anil and his solo sole desire was to ril rid himself of the roaring mena menagerie gerlo which was turning the ill night into a hideous dream ill try it he declared lighting uehling a lantern lie he made his way out to tho barn aniro n 61 alib stall doors from there he went to the hen yard and swung back the gate by that time the dogs were so thick that air briggs wha was surrounded on all sides as lie he moved toward the cellar at the hatchway there was vas more trouble le waiting for him tile the mastiff arts v is naturally rather irritable and his confinement had been bad for him and incidentally for mr air briggs since the minister was the first thing the dog saw when lie ho came out he began to pinch that gent lemans in ili a most aggravating manner ur mr driggs started off down the street on the run with the mastiff after him and with the other seventy four dogs doga after the nin mastiff stiff it was an exciting chase they all enjoyed it except mr air briggs ile ho was kept so busy dodging dogs and mud ioles holes that he could give very little time to pleasure occasionally too one of the dogs would take a souvenir out of tho the wearing apparel much to his chagrin and discomfort while all this was taking place mrs briggs was waiting for the return of her husband she had heard the last departing yelp of the dogs then a refreshing quiet had settled on the house nor was that quiet broken by any stop step on oil the porch or rattle of the door knob it was broken instead by the ringing of the bell and when mrs braggs jerked back the doors door hysterically there were two mon men standing outside a blue coated individual and what was waa loft left of mr air briggs this man says ho he belongs here said raid the policeman why what has happened cried mis airs briggs dont be alarmed my dear replied the minister smiling weakly 1 I experienced some difficulty in getting tho the dogs started in the tho right direction lie ile was as still carrying the lighted lantern 1912 press by A associated 39 rite literary |