Mark Twain's Grateful Poodle

One day a benevolent physician (who had read the books), having fouud a stray poodle Biiffericg from a broken leg, conveyod the poor creaturo to his homo, and, af ter setting and bandagiug the injured limb, gave the littlo outcast its liberty ngain and thought no moro about tlio matter. But how great was his surprise, upon opening his dooi' one morning, some days later, to find the grateful poodle patiently waiting there, nnd in its coinpany another stray dog, one of whoso legs, by somo accident, had been fcroken. The kind physician at once relieved the distressed animal, nor did he forget to admire tlie inscrntable goodnoss and merey of God, who had been willing to uso so huinblo an instrument as the poor onteast poodle for the ineulcating of, etc, eto. , eto. Sequel: Tbe next morning the benevolent physician found the two doge, beaming with gratitude, waiting at his door, and with them two other dogs- cripples. The cripples were speedily healed, aad the four went their way, leaving the benevolent physician, more overeóme by pioua wonder than ever. The day passed, the morning came. There at the door sat now the four recontitruetcd dogu, and with them four others requiring reconstrucción. This day aleo passed, and r.nother morning came; and now sixtecn dogs, eight of them newly crippled, occupied the sidewalk, and tho people wero going around. By noon the broken legs wcro all set, but tho pions wonder in the good phypician's breast was begiuning to Ret mixed with involuntary profnnity. The sun rose once more, and oxhibibited thirty-two dogs, sixteen of them with broken legs, oecupying the sidowalk and half of the street; the human spectators took up the rest of the room. Tlie cries f tho wounded, the songs of tho healed bruteo, aud tho coraments of the on-looking citizens made great and iuspiring chcer; but tmfh'ic was interrupted in that street. The good phynician hired a couplo of assistant surgeons and got through his benevolent work before dark, first taking the precantion to cancel his church memberBhip, f:o that he might express himself with tho hititude which the case requireii. But some things have tbeir limits. Wlicn once more the morniog dawiKl, and the good physician lookinl out npou a masned and far-reacliing multitudoof cli-morous and bttiecching dog, he said: "I might as well acknowledge it, I have been fooled by the books; they only teil the proity part of tho story and then stop. Fetoh me the shotgun. This thiüg h:is gonc along far enough." Ho issued forth witli his weapon and chanccd to step upon tho tail of the original poodle, who promptly bit him in tlie kffi Now the frmit and good work which tho poodlo had been engagiJd in had engendered in him snoh a mighty and RugmentiDg entim iaenl as to turn hio weak head at lust and drive him mad. A month later, whn the benevolent pliysician lay in the déath throcs of hydrophobin, he calleil his weeping friends abont him and said: " Beware of the books. They teil but half of the story. Whenever a poor wretch nsks yon for help nnd yon í'eel n doubt as 1o wiint result may tiow from your bénevolenoO, give youreelf the benefit of the doubt, and kill tho applicant. " And so KRying he turued hifi face to