THE WHIPPETS
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.
“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.