“A Catholic Dog,” from “The New York Times,” 1877

A CATHOLIC DOG (The New York Times, May 7, 1877)

The Middletown Press tells this story: “Mr. Herrick, the liveryman, has a dog which has the peculiarity of refusing to eat meat on Friday, although he seems glad enough to get it on other days. The attempt to get him to break the rule has been repeatedly made without success. On every other day of the week he eats what is set before him, asking no questions, but when Friday comes he says by his actions as plainly as if her had words, ‘No meat on my plate, if you please.’ Other food he takes on Friday, but he has an exact discrimination, and can never be deceived by an admixture containing flesh which may be offered him on this one day. The dog was formerly owned in a good Catholic family.”