_Kindness to helpless animals, especially those in distress, is the
mark of a generous nature._
A Newfoundland dog was once hurt by a wagon that crushed his foot.
The driver of the wagon did not stop to help the poor dog, but went
on leaving him in the road.
The poor dog was limping painfully along when a blacksmith saw him.
He felt sorry for the dog and said:
“Poor dog! what is the matter? Let me see your foot.”
The dog at once seemed to know what was said to him and held up his
foot for the blacksmith to see. The blacksmith led him to his shop
near by, where he carefully washed and bound the foot. The next
day the dog returned to the shop to have his foot dressed by the
blacksmith, and kept coming every day. Even after he was cured he
kept up his visits to his friend and came every day to play around
the shop. He seemed to know who his friends were, and when the
blacksmith would tell how he had helped him the dog would wag his
tail in a very knowing way.
On one of the dog’s visits he saw the blacksmith’s little boy,
Ned. Ned was only six years old, but he was a fine little fellow,
and loved to play. The dog and the boy became fast friends and
had many romps together. The blacksmith named the dog Rover, and
told Rover to be careful to look after Ned. After that, Rover was
careful that nothing should happen to his little friend.
One day the dog was walking near the river bank when he spied
little Ned who had run away from his older brother. Ned was running
near the bank and every now and then turned to look back to see if
his brother was in sight. Once, just as Ned turned to look, his
foot slipped as he struck against a rock and at once he was in the
water.
It took Rover only a second to spring in after his little friend.
He seized Ned by his jacket and swam to the bank.
By this time a crowd had collected. Willing hands took Ned from the
dog, and he was none the worse for his ducking. Rover shook the
water from his shaggy hair, and looked for all the world as if he
had done nothing to be proud of.
You can imagine how Ned’s father felt when he heard of Rover’s
brave deed. He put his arm around the dog’s neck and said:
“How glad I am that I helped to cure your foot!”
After that nothing was too good for Rover. He slept in the room
with Ned, and went with him everywhere.