Beautiful Letter From Man's Best Friend
Gentlemen of the jury

A Dog's Eulogy

Gentlemen of the jury:
The best friend a man has in this world may turn against him and become his enemy. A son or daugther he has reared with loving care may prove ungrateful. Those who are nearest and dearest to us, those who we trust with our happiness and our good name, may become traitors.

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 absolute, devoted friend that man can have in this selfish world, the one that will never abandon him, the one that will never prove ungrateful 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 wintery 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 result from 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 wing 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 gaurd 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 th cold ground, no matter if all other friends persue their way, there by his graveside will the nobe dog be found, his head between his paws, his eyes sad but open in alert watchfulness, faithful and true even to death.
- By Sen. George Grahm Vest of Missouri.

A Little Dog Angel

High up in the courts of Heaven today
A little dog angel waits;
With the other angels he will not play
But sits alone at the gates.
"I know that my master will come, says he
And when he comes he will call for me."

He sees the spirits that pass him by
As they hasten toward the throne;
And he watches them with a wistful eye
As he sits at the gates alone.
"I know if I just wait patiently
Some day my master will come," says he.

And his master, far on the earth below,
As he sits in his easy chair,
Forgets sometimes and he whistles low
For the dog that isn't there. And the little dog angel cocks his ears
And dreams that his master's call he hears.

I know when at last his master waits
Outside in the dark and cold,
For the hand of Death to open the gates
That lead to those courts of gold,
The little dog angel's eager bark
Will comfort his soul in the shivering dark.


Stood By Your Bed Last Night

I stood by your bed last night,
I came to have a peep.
I could see that you were crying,
You found it hard to sleep.

I whined to you softly
as you brushed away a tear,
"It's me, I haven't left you,
I'm well, I'm fine, I'm here."

I was close to you at breakfast,
I watched you pour the tea,
You were thinking of the many times,
your hands reached down to me.

I was with you at the shops today,
Your arms were getting sore.
I longed to take your parcels,
I wish I could do more.

I was with you at my grave today,
You tend it with such care.
I want to reassure you,
that I'm not lying there.

I walked with you towards the house,
as you fumbled for your key.
I gently put my paw on you,
I smiled and said "it's me."

You looked so very tired,
and sank into a chair.
I tried so hard to let you know,
that I was standing there.

It's possible for me to be,
so near you everyday.
To say to you with certainty,
"I never went away."

You sat there very quietly,
then smiled, I think you knew,
in the stillness of that evening,
I was very close to you.

The day is over... I smile
and watch you yawning
and say "goodnight, God bless,
I'll see you in the morning."

And when the time is right for you
to cross the brief divide,
I'll rush across to greet you
and we'll stand, side by side.

I have so many things to show you,
there is so much for you to see.
Be patient, live your journey out.
then come home to be with me.
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