One evening, while the story-telling class was in session, there came
into the park two men and two dogs. All looked tired and dusty, as if
they had come a long way afoot.
The men threw themselves down on the grass to rest. The dogs, who were
different from the usual park types, were lean and graceful, clean-cut
racers. They were whippets, or, as some call them, “snap dogs.”
They were indeed tired and had come a long distance to rest. After
taking a drink from the fountain, they too stretched out beside the
men to take a nap. But, being unable to sleep after the thrilling
experiences of the day, they started up and began investigating the
park and the people in it. First they visited the different groups and
watched the children at play. Then they wandered over to the corner
where the dog’s court was in session.
The whippets had just come from a country fair, which was being held
in an adjoining county. There, besides the horse races and automobile
races, one of the attractions was a whippet race, in which they had
taken part.
They approached the court corner, and stood at a respectful distance
until Ruby was through with a story she was telling about two little
Skyes. During the applause, the whippets drew nearer. In making
observations as to the size of the dogs assembled there, they noticed
that the Judge was a much larger dog than they were. Also there were
others there that would be more than a match for them should any
unpleasantness arise. They, however, could get away from the others,
with no danger of being overtaken, so swiftly could they run.
As the Judge exhibited only the friendliest feelings toward them in his
welcome, they joined the circle. This, thought the Judge, is to be a
test of the sincerity of the desire of the dogs in the class “to live
and let live,” and he was much pleased with their behavior. The good
seed he was trying to sow was taking root, and they were losing some of
their selfishness.
The story which Ruby had just finished was about two little Skyes, one
of whom was vain and jealous; so, if Ruby could realize how wrong it
was to permit such feelings to exist in one’s nature, it was a good
indication that the Judge’s plan was a good one, and they would all be
better dogs for it.
The dogs all agreed to have the whippets with them during their stay
in the park. The Princess recognized in them distant cousins. She too
could do some sprinting when occasion called for it.
The whippets, looking the crowd over, and scenting nothing to eat at
this picnic, concluded, if these other dogs could have such a gathering
in a park without eating, there must be something else very absorbing
about it to hold them; so they decided to remain.
When they were asked how they came to be racing dogs, one of them,
who was less bashful than the other, told of their being trained when
they were puppies for this very thing. They were encouraged to play
tug-of-war--which all little pups love to do--and they were given a
strong piece of cloth, or a rubber shoe, and they would pull and pull.
This strengthened their muscles. Then a ball was thrown for them to run
for, and the one who returned with it was given something to eat. Then
two balls would be thrown and they would race after them. The one who
had to go the farthest was rewarded. As they grew larger, they were
taken on long hikes over the fields and country roads, where they would
chase rabbits or any game they could scare up.
Later, they began racing with horses and bicycles, farther and farther
each time, until they could run two hundred yards, the handicap
distance.
One sorry thing about being a whippet is that these dogs never get to
eat all they would like, as their weight must be kept down to fourteen
pounds, or they become too heavy to run.
[Illustration: “They Would Chase Rabbits or Any Game They Could Scare
Up”]
At the Fair it was advertised that the Whippet Brothers, famous racers,
were to run and had challenged two other equally swift dogs for the
race. A large purse was made up and the betting became lively. The
other two whippets were not brothers, and were unused to team work,
but, in every other respect, they were a match for the brothers, being
of the same weight and age, and having had the same training and all.
The bout was set for the morning, before the horse racing started. The
crowd gathered around the grand stand, from where the dogs were to
start. Each dog had been groomed and sleeked and their feathery tails
were combed. All were clean-cut, snappy little dogs, ready for the
start. The crowd was roped off on each side of the track. Then, one,
two, three, the gong sounded, and they were off. Neck and neck they
went until halfway to the goal, when one of the odd dogs crossed to
the center of the track to get a better footing. This distracted his
running mate for one fatal second. His partner leaving him alone on the
off side of the road made this dog lose his grip on himself. He, too,
tried to change his position, but in doing so, he tripped and fell
head on. Gathering himself up, he came limping after the racing dogs.
Of course he lost out, but he was game to the end. The other three kept
pace, on and on, until within a foot of the goal, when the odd dog
shot across the line, amid the cheers and shouts of the onlookers. The
Whippet Brothers lost the race, but it made no difference to them that
their backers had lost money on them; they had done their best and had
played a clean game.
Running back to where the lame dog was, they both licked his sore leg
and showed their sympathy. They were much better sports than their
masters, who grudgingly lost to the other men, and took their ill will
out on the dogs, kicking and abusing them, and, tired as they were,
bringing them the whole distance to this town.
During the description of this race, the group of dogs became so
excited that it was all the police dog could do to prevent a small
riot. The dogs who had any racing instinct in them, like the Princess
and Gyp, could scarcely make their legs behave during the narration.
All were whining and yelping, and jumping up and down. It was useless
to think of their quieting down again, so they were dismissed.
All clamored for more from the whippets, who, traveling as they did,
knew some very interesting stories; and they agreed, if their masters
remained in this place long enough, and if the kind-hearted dogs really
desired them to do so, they would tell the story of two setters and a
mastiff they knew about.
The whippets did remain over for another day, and they were on hand for
the next session of the story-telling class. They were called on to
tell their story first. They said it was a sad one, and they thought
it was too bad that all dogs could not have the advantages of the good
training these dogs were getting. Also, if they could do anything
toward making the world better, they meant to try, always keeping their
motto in mind.