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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/5730.txt b/5730.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..a0b3d57 --- /dev/null +++ b/5730.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6378 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Friends and Helpers, by Sarah J. Eddy + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world. Be sure to check the +copyright laws for your country before downloading or redistributing +this or any other Project Gutenberg eBook. + +This header should be the first thing seen when viewing this Project +Gutenberg file. Please do not remove it. Do not change or edit the +header without written permission. + +Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the +eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is +important information about your specific rights and restrictions in +how the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + + +Title: Friends and Helpers + +Author: Sarah J. Eddy + +Release Date: May, 2004 [EBook #5730] +[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] +[This file was first posted on August 18, 2002] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FRIENDS AND HELPERS *** + + + + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Charles Franks +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team. + + + + + +FRIENDS AND HELPERS + +COMPILED BY + +SARAH J. EDDY + +1899 + + + + +PREFACE. + +The object of this book is to teach children to treat all living +creatures with considerate kindness and to appreciate the services of +man's helpers in the animal world. + +In many homes this teaching is entirely neglected, and it is left for +the school-teacher to arouse interest in the animals dependent upon us, +and to encourage pity and compassion for their suffering. + +Sir Arthur Helps says: "The great advancement of the world, throughout +all ages, is to be measured by the increase of humanity and the decrease +of cruelty." + +Cruelty in any form is a species of savagery. Civilization can be +brought about only by education. The savage does not know that he is a +savage. The child does not realize that he is cruel, until he is shown +the ways in which the lower animals suffer and are made miserable. + +The thoughtless child makes the selfish man or woman, and selfishness +lies at the root of crime. + + "Evil is wrought by want of thought + As well as want of heart." + +Children have tender hearts and quick sensibilities, but they sometimes +lack imagination and sympathy through their ignorance of actual +conditions. They are easily influenced by one whom they love and +respect, and the teacher's power to make the world better by pointing +out the great duty of humanity should find more scope than it has done +in our educational systems. + +"The humane movement is a broad one, reaching from humane treatment of +animals on the one hand to peace with all nations on the other. It +implies a step beyond animal's rights. It implies character building. +Society first said that needless suffering should be prevented; society +now says that children must not be permitted to cause pain because of +the effect on the children themselves." + +Mr. Frank M. Chapman has kindly written for the book the chapters on +"Our Friends the Birds," "Feathered Travelers," "When the Birds Return," +"Birds' Homes," and "The Robin." + +Through the courtesy of Messrs. Houghton Mifflin Company several poems +by Celia Thaxter and others have been used. The publications of the +English Humanitarian League, especially the pamphlets by Mrs. Florence +H. Suckling and some of the writings of Miss Edith Carrington, have +proved helpful and suggestive. The compiler has had the assistance of +Mrs. Charles A. Lane in editing and preparing material. + + + +CONTENTS. + +PART I. + + ROVER AND HIS FRIENDS .. Adapted from an English story + FAMOUS DOGS + HOW TO TAKE CARE OF DOGS .. Anna Harris Smith + STORIES OF DOGS + FORSAKE NOT AN OLD FRIEND .. Plutarch + CATS AND DOGS + FAMOUS CATS + KITTY'S CHRISTMAS + TO MY CAT MUFF .. John Owen + HOW TO TAKE CARE OF CATS + CAT QUESTIONS .. Lucy Larcom + THE CAT FAMILY + THINGS TO REMEMBER + STORIES OF CATS + A BRAVE GIRL .. Harriet Beecher Stowe + AUNT ESTHER'S RULE .. " " + LION STORIES + THE KING OF BEASTS + THE SHIP OF THE DESERT + A HEAVY LOAD + FAMOUS HORSES + HOW TO TREAT HORSES + CATCHING THE COLT .. Marian Douglass + A REMARKABLE HORSE-TRAINER + THE ARAB TO HIS HORSE .. Bayard Taylor + "WAITING FOR MASTER" + +PART II. + + ROBERT'S DREAM .. Anna Harris Smith + ROBERT ON A FARM .. Anna Harris Smith + APRIL SONG .. Mary E. Wilkins + EARTHWORMS AND SNAKES. + HUMANITY .. T. Gisborne + ANTS, BEES, AND WASPS + A LITTLE BLACK SLAVE .. Adapted from an English story + A BUTTERFLY'S WING + TO A BUTTERFLY .. Jane Taylor + CUNNING BEE .. Anonymous + GRASSHOPPER AND CRICKET .. John Keats + PATIENT WEAVERS + THE WOODMOUSE .. Mary Howitt + A MOUSE'S STORY + WISE RATS + THE SQUIRREL'S STORY .. Anna Harris Smith + FORBEARANCE .. Ralph Waldo Emerson + THE STEEL TRAP .. Adapted from story by Mrs. C. Fairchild Allen + THE RABBIT + DAVID'S STORY + LINES FROM COWPER + SOME READY HELPERS + A TRIUMPH .. Celia Thaxter + + +PART III. + + THE CANARY'S STORY + THE CAGED THRUSH .. R. F. Murray + HOW TO CARE FOR A CANARY + AN INDIAN STORY + HIAWATHA'S BROTHERS .. Henry W. Longfellow + TO THE CUCKOO .. John Logan + OUR FRIENDS THE BIRDS \ + FEATHERED TRAVELERS | + WHEN THE BIRDS RETURN > .. Frank M. Chapman + BIRDS' HOMES | + THE ROBIN / + ROBIN REJOICE .. Garrett Newkirk + TO A SKYLARK .. Percy Bysshe Shelley + FRIGHTENED BIRDS + DON'T ROB THE BIRDS, BOYS .. Anonymous + A GOOD SHOT .. Adapted + THE GOLDFINCH + BIRDS' TRADES + THE SPARROW + SPARROWS + CHRISTMAS IN NORWAY .. Celia Thaxter + THE CROW + THE BLUEBIRD .. Emily Huntington Miller + THE FARMER'S FRIEND + THE WOUNDED CURLEW .. Celia Thaxter + THE SANDPIPER .. " " + THE COST OF A HAT + THE HALO .. Rev. W. C. Gannett + THE SNOWY HERON + WINGED FISHERS + WHAT THE LITTLE SEAL THINKS + WHAT THE YOUNG SEABIRD THINKS + WHAT THE BIRDS DO FOR US + THE BRAVEST ARE THE TENDEREREST + LINES TO A SEABIRD .. M. A. Stodart + THE TRUE HERO + LINES BY SUSAN COOLIDGE + SELECTIONS FROM EMILY DICKINSON AND S. T. COLERIDGE + WHAT THE CHILDREN CAN DO + TO THE TEACHER + + + + +ILLUSTRATIONS. + + Frontispiece, "Loving Playmates." From photograph by Sarah J. Eddy. + "Can't You Talk?" By G. A. Holmes + "Speak for It." From photograph by S. J. Eddy + Group of Sheep under Tree. From photograph by T. E. M. and G. P. White + The Connoisseurs. From painting by Sir Edwin Landseer + Odin. From painting by Sir Edwin Landseer + Owney. From photograph by Elmer Chickering + Hearing. From painting by H. Sperling + "Saved." From painting by H. Sperling + Breakfast. From painting by H. W. Trood + Alexander. From photograph by S. J. Eddy + Kitty's Christmas. From photograph by S. J. Eddy + Gentle Kitty Gray. " " " + Cat's Paw + Cat's Eye + A Happy Pair. From photograph by S. J. Eddy + The Traveling Basket. " " " + "Please give me some more. " " " + Driven out. From painting by M. Stocks + Friends + The Lion at Home. From painting by Rosa Bonheur + Portrait of Rosa Bonheur. From painting by Rosa Bonheur + The King of Beasts. From painting by Rosa Bonheur + The Ship of the Desert + At the Watering Trough. By Dagnan-Bouveret + A Norman Sire. From painting by Rosa Bonheur + Three Members of a Temperance Society. By J. F. Herring + Natural and Comfortable + Strained and Miserable + Mare and Colt. From painting by C. Steffeck + Waiting for Master + A Farm Yard + A Group of Friends. From photograph by S. J. Eddy + Hen and Chickens. " " " + Chickens Drinking + A Happy Family. From photograph by J. M. Eldredge + Just Arrived + Pig looking over a Fence + Feeding the Pigs + Old White Horse + A Little Songster + Pussy Willows + Paper-Makers + A Butterfly + Grasshopper and Cricket. Illustration by Alice Barber Stephens + Spider and Web + A Woodmouse + Little Freehold. By S. J. Carter + An Interesting Family. By S. J. Carter + Frog and Lily-pads + Four little Friends + A Bird's House + Feathered Travelers + Over the Nest + A Bird's Nest + Swallows + Bird and Nest. From photograph by S. J. Eddy + Robin + Frightened Bird + Mother Bird feeding Little One + The Goldfinch + Sparrows + A Wintry Day + The Farmer's Friend + Head-piece to "The Cost of a Hat" + The Snowy Heron + Egret Plumes + Sea-gulls + Birds on Fence + A Band of Mercy. From photograph by S. J. Eddy + Making Friends. " " " + + + + +PART I + +ROVER AND OTHER STORIES + + + + +ROVER AND HIS FRIENDS. + + +WHY ROVER RAN AWAY. + + +One morning Rover was very hungry indeed. He had been going from place +to place with his master, and now it was two long days since he had +eaten a good dinner. His master was a poor tinker who traveled about the +country and never stayed long in one place. Rover would have liked this +if his master had been kind to him, but the dog was used only to blows +and kicks. + +Rover was a rough, shaggy dog, and his tail curled down under him in a +way that showed he had been ill-treated. But he had good, faithful, +brown eyes, and the drooping tail was always ready to wag at a kind +word. + +The tinker's breakfast was on the table. How good it smelt! Rover looked +at it with longing eyes. + +"Please give me a bit, master," said Rover. "I am so hungry!" + +The tinker did not seem to hear. At last he said roughly: "Be still, +Rover!" + +Rover waited patiently for a few minutes, but his master had no thought +of feeding him. At last Rover put out his long, red tongue and swept the +meat and bread into his mouth. + +[Illustration: Caption: "Can't you talk?" Small child kneeling in front +of dog, while kitten looks on.] + +Then the angry tinker struck the poor dog and spoke sharply to him. An +hour later Rover had run away. + + + +ROVER'S NEW HOME + + +It was a hot day in summer, and Rover stopped to drink some water out of +a mud-puddle. How hungry and thirsty he was! He ran on for miles and +miles. At last he saw a cottage with smoke coming out of the chimney. +High hills were all around it, and a thick, dark wood was not far away. +On the doorstep were two little children. When they saw the dog they +shouted with delight. + +"It is Rover!" cried Sandy. "It is Tommy Tinker's dog. Where have you +come from, old fellow, and where is your master?" + +It was plain that Rover was no stranger to them. He had been there with +his master only the week before, and while Tinker Tom was mending the +kettle, the children and the dog had made friends. The mother had given +him a bone, and though some persons may forget a kindness, a dog never +does. Rover could not answer Sandy's question. All he could do was to +wag his tail faster than ever. The little girl put her arms about his +shaggy neck. + +"Poor doggie!" she said. "You shall have some of my supper." + + + +HOW ROVER WAS CARED FOR. + + +When the children's mother saw Rover she brought him a large bowl of +water, which he quickly lapped up. Then she gave him something to eat +and made a soft bed for him in a corner of the room. She said: "Perhaps +Tinker Tom may come for his dog, and we will keep him till then." + +Rover hoped he would never come, but he could not say so. He curled +himself up in his bed and, with a long sigh of happiness, went to sleep. + +Rover was very happy in his new home. He had no wish to run away again. +He had good brown bread to eat, which was better for him than white +bread would have been. Sandy learned to make for him a thick cake out of +oatmeal, and sometimes he had a bone. Fortunately for the dog, Sandy's +mother was too poor to be able to give him much meat. There was always a +dish of fresh water ready for him, and a bit of cabbage with his food +kept him well and strong. + +Sandy would often talk to Rover, and the dog soon learned to understand +what was said to him. He was delighted when Sandy said, "Would you like +to go for a walk?" But Sandy never said this unless he was really going +to take Rover out, or the dog soon would have learned that the boy did +not always mean what he said. + +One of the things that Rover liked best to do was to run after a large +ball of wool which Sandy made on purpose for him. + +[Illustration: Caption: "Speak for it!" Photograph of boy approx. 5 +years old holding treat above head of dog sitting expectantly in front +of him.] + +Sandy often brushed and combed Rover, and this made his coat glossy and +clean. One would hardly have recognized the rough, neglected dog in the +pet of the household. + + + +TINKER TOM COMES BACK + + +One day when Rover was playing with the children on the hill, he +suddenly ran away as fast as he could go. + +"Oh, Rover, come back, come back!" called little Jessie; but Rover kept +on until he was lost to sight in the dark woods. In the distance he had +seen a well-known figure. Tinker Tom was coming along the road with his +pack on his back. + +When the tinker came to the house, Sandy's mother told him about Rover. + +"You may keep him and welcome," said the tinker, "if you will give me +something to eat." + +So a good, hot dinner was spread for him, and at last he went away with +his pack on his back. When he had been gone a long time and it was quite +dark, Rover appeared. He came in looking pleased and proud, as if he had +done some very wise thing. He said as plainly as he could, "Am I not a +clever dog?" + +You may be sure that Sandy and Jessie were glad to see him again and to +know that now nobody could take him away. + + + +ROVER LEARNS TO BE USEFUL. + + +Sandy's father was a poor man who had charge of a large flock of sheep. +In summer he led them from one feeding-place to another over the high +hills. Often he was away for many days at a time. In winter the sheep +were kept near the cottage and fed with food which had been laid up for +them in the autumn. The sheep did not belong to Sandy's father, but he +took the best possible care of them. + +[Illustration: Caption: "Rover learns to be useful." Group of sheep +standing around under a tree. Several appear to be looking at something +off to the right -- Rover?] + +One day when he came home from the hills he said: "We must not let Rover +be idle all his life. He must learn to do something useful. I shall take +him to the hills in the morning and teach him to look after the sheep. +He will be a great help to me, and I will be a good master to him." + +So the next morning Rover started off with his master, looking very +proud and happy. At first it was hard to make the dog take care of the +sheep in the right way. He thought it was great fun to run after them +and bark at their heels, but he did not know when to bark and when to be +quiet. However, he did his best to learn, and when the shepherd went +home he said that Rover would make a very useful dog. + + + +THE LOST SHEEP. + + +Soon the snow began to fall and it was pleasant to sit round the fire +and watch the great logs crackling on the hearth. They were all very +happy at the cottage and Rover was sure that he had the best home in the +world. + +One bitterly cold night the wind blew in great gusts. In some way the +door of the sheep-shed blew open and in the morning not one of the sheep +could be seen. The poor things were so tired of being shut up that they +had wandered off in the cold. + +When the shepherd missed his sheep, he was in great trouble. + +"Rover, my boy," he said, "the sheep have run away. What shall we do? I +wonder if you are wise enough to help me find them." + +Rover jumped up quickly and shook himself as if to say, "I am all +ready!" and then ran to the door. First he ran round and round the +sheepfold, smelling with his moist, black nose close to the ground, and +looking very wise. Then he ran a little way towards the hills and stood +looking back, with one paw in the air. His ears were lifted, his eyes +were bright, and he gave a low whine, as if to say, "I think those poor +sheep have gone to the hills. Are you coming with me, or shall I go +alone?" + + + +THE LOST DOG. + + +Rover trotted off towards the hills and his master followed, but he +could not walk fast enough to please the dog. + +There was no snow on the ground at first, but before noon it began to +fall thick and fast. The day passed and the father was still away; night +came and he had not returned. + +Sandy and Jessie were very sad, for they could think only of their +father and his faithful dog. It was very dangerous to be out on the +hills in such weather. Often men were lost in the snow and died from +cold and hunger. + +At last, after hours of anxious waiting, a welcome footstep was heard +and the happy children ran to open the door. Their father came in, +shaking the snow from his rough coat. He looked very grave and tired. + +"Oh, father!" cried Sandy. "Where is Rover? And have you found the +sheep?" + +The poor man shook his head. "The sheep are not to be found," he said +sadly. "And I have lost our good Rover, too. It is a terrible storm. I +fear they are all frozen. If the sheep are killed, it will take all I +have in the world to pay for them." + + + +ROVER COMES HOME. + + +Sandy and Jessie began to cry. Their mother, too, was crying. She was +busy with the supper, but her thoughts were with the poor, hungry +animals in the bitter cold. + +Early the next morning, and for several days the shepherd went out to +look for his lost sheep, but he could find no trace of them. + +"There is nothing for me to do now but to go to the owner of the sheep," +he said, at last. "He is a very hard man. I am afraid he will turn us +out of our home." + +Suddenly, while he was speaking, there was a noise at the door, and in +a moment a familiar voice was heard. + +"Bow-wow-wow! Bow-wow-wow!" + +"Rover has come back!" shouted Sandy, flinging himself upon the door in +his hurry to open it. + +"Rover has come back!" cried little Jessie. + +"The sheep have come back!" said their mother, looking out into the +yard. Yes, there were the sheep,--every one of them safe and sound. And +there beside them, wagging his tail with joy and pride, was poor, tired, +cold, hungry Rover. He was hoarse from barking and breathless from +running, but he was the happiest dog in all the world. + +The unhappy sheep had paid dearly for their wish to get out. They were +glad to go back into their warm shed and eat a good meal of turnips. As +for Rover, he was treated like a prince. He had the supper he liked +best, and a soft bed was made for him near the fire. He put his curly +head down on his paws and went to sleep, while Sandy and Jessie watched +him lovingly. How far he had tramped over the hills or how he had found +the sheep he could not tell. + +"He is tired out," said the shepherd. "He must have a long rest now, for +he has earned it. Good, faithful, grateful Rover!" + + + + +FAMOUS DOGS. + + +The story of the dog Argus was told two thousand years ago by the great +Greek poet, Homer. Argus may not have been a real dog, but the poet must +have known some dog like him or he could not have told the story so +well. + +Argus belonged to Ulysses, king of Ithaca. He was only a puppy when his +master went away to the Trojan war. The years went by and Ulysses did +not return. Every one thought that he was dead. At last Argus grew so +old and feeble that he could not run about the palace. All day long he +lay in the warm, sunny courtyard, too weak to move. It was twenty years +since he had heard his master's voice. + +One day a beggar came into the courtyard. No one knew who he was. The +queen looked at him coldly. There was no friendly face to greet him. But +the old dog lifted up his head and whined and wagged his tail for joy. +The beggar's rags could not deceive him. He knew his master had come +back at last, and Ulysses stooped to caress him with tears in his eyes. + +The most famous dog in the world was a mastiff of St. Bernard's. His +name was Barry. He lived high up in the Alps where it is winter the +greater part of the year. He was trained, by the good monks with whom he +lived, to go out and hunt for travelers lost in the snow. When he found +a man lying half-frozen in the drifts, he would run back, barking for +help. Then the monks would follow him and bring the traveler to their +warm house. + +[Illustration: THE CONNOISSEURS. By Sir Edwin Landseer.] + +Barry knew all the dangerous places, and when there had been a snow +slide he was sure to be on the spot as soon as he could, to see if any +one were hurt. Once he found a little, boy in the snow and in some way +made him understand what he must do. The child climbed upon the dog's +broad back and was carried safely to the fire and the good supper always +waiting for the lost ones. + +Barry lived with, the monks for twelve years, and saved forty lives. +Other St. Bernard dogs have been brave and wise, but Barry's name stands +first among them all. + +Many great men have had dogs whom they loved and trusted. Sir Walter +Scott, one of the most famous story-writers that ever lived, had several +dogs. He used to take them with him whenever he went to walk. There was +an old staghound named Maida, and a black greyhound called Hamlet, after +one of Shakespeare's heroes. Then there was a beautiful setter with long +ears and a silky coat. Her name was Finette. Sir Walter would often stop +and talk to these four-footed friends and they seemed to understand what +he said. In one of his best stories a dog plays a very important part. + +Dr. John Brown was another Scotch writer who loved dogs. He gave an +account of his pets in a book called "Spare Hours." He wrote the story +of "Rab and his Friends," a tribute of which any dog might be proud. + +There was a great artist named Landseer, who painted his dogs' pictures +so wonderfully that we know he must have loved them very much. In one +picture he shows his two dogs looking over his shoulder at his drawing. +He gave them a very long name which means "Those who know all about it"; +but I am sure he did not laugh at them unkindly. Dogs do not like to be +laughed at any more than we do. + +Odin was the name of one of Sir Edwin Landseer's dogs, When we look at +his portrait we can understand why the artist should have thus named +him, for Odin was the all-wise god of the old Norsemen. + +[Illustration: ODIN. By Sir Edwin Landseer.] + +Jack was a famous dog who was with the English soldiers during a great +war in eastern Europe. He was not a dog of fine breed or gentle +training. He had been rescued by one of the soldiers from a cruel death, +and he gave in return his love and gratitude. He fought in one of the +battles and saved his master's life. When the fighting was over he used +to go about the battlefield carrying a can of tea for the wounded men. + +Mrs. Browning had a dog named Flush, to whom she wrote one of her poems. +She was unable to leave her room for many long months of illness, but +the little dog spent the weary days by her side, cheerfully giving up +merrier company for her sake. + +Lord Byron's dog was named Boatswain and he is buried in the garden of +the poet's beautiful home. There is a monument to his memory and on it +are these lines: + + Near this spot + Are deposited the remains of one + Who possessed beauty without vanity, + Strength without insolence, + Courage without ferocity, + And all the virtues of man without his vices. + This praise, which would be unmeaning flattery + If inscribed over human ashes, + Is but a just tribute to the memory of + BOATSWAIN, a dog, + Who was born at Newfoundland, May, 1803, + And died at Newstead Abbey, Nov. 18, 1808. + +There was once a poor man in Scotland, who, when he died, was buried in +a graveyard in Edinburgh, his only mourner being a little Scotch +terrier. On two mornings the sexton found the dog lying on his master's +grave and drove him away, but the third morning was cold and wet and the +dog was allowed to remain. From that time, for twelve years and a half, +no matter how stormy the weather, the faithful animal made the graveyard +his home, only leaving it once a day to get food. + +At last he died of old age, and was buried in a flower garden near by. A +costly marble fountain was erected to the memory of the faithful little +dog, and a bronze statue of "Grey-Friar's Bobby" sits on top of it. + +The most famous dog in America was Owney, the postal dog. He traveled +with the mail-bags from one end of the country to the other. He even +went to Alaska and across the Pacific Ocean. + +Owney first joined the Post-office Department at Albany, N. Y., and he +always looked upon that office as headquarters where he must report +himself after a long trip. + +When Owney was ready for a journey he did not ask any one to go with +him. He was quite able to take care of himself. He would follow the +mail-bag to the station and jump into the postal car. Having chosen the +particular mail-bag which he wished to follow, he would stretch himself +out upon it for a good nap. He had no further care, of course. When the +mail-bag was taken out, Owney went, too. + +Owney was not a handsome dog, but he knew how to make friends. He was +welcome wherever he went, and he often came back to Albany cohered with +checks and medals to show how far he had traveled and in what esteem he +was held. + +His intelligence was very wonderful. Many times a tired postal clerk who +had fallen asleep, forgetful of the stations, was wakened by Owney's +barking. The dog had a fine saver collar of which he was very proud. One +day a clerk had slipped it off to examine the medals which were hung on +it and in the hurry of extra work it was laid down and forgotten. Owney +was too wise to leave his collar behind him, so putting his nose through +it and rubbing his head against a post, he slipped it on for himself. +After this he was often made to put on his collar to amuse his visitors. + +[Illustration: OWNEY, photographed by Edward Chickering. Dog bedecked +with ribbons and medals.] + +Owney died a few years ago, to the grief of the largest circle of +friends a dog ever had. In nearly every large city of the United States +he was known and missed, and many years will go by before he is +forgotten. + + HOW TO TAKE CARE OF DOGS. William and Edward were two boys who lived in +the same village. They were cousins, and they had a kind uncle who was +always trying to give them pleasure. + +One day he gave to each of the boys a puppy. These puppies were so +nearly alike that neither the boys nor their uncle could tell them +apart. + +The boys were delighted with their new pets, and thinking that his dogs +were in good hands, Uncle Frank went away for two years. + +When he came back he went to see William, and asked about his dog. + +"Oh, he was very troublesome, Uncle Frank!" said William. "He cried and +whined all the time, and after a while he was so cross that I did not +like to go near him. I kept him chained to the kennel, but one day he +broke his chain and ran away." + +"Why did you chain him?" asked Uncle Frank. "We were going to train him +for a watchdog," said William. + +"That is not the way to train a watchdog," said his uncle. "I am sorry +that I gave him to you. How would you like to be tied to a kennel all +day, with no chance to run about? Did you take him to walk often?" + +"Not very often," said William. "When I am playing I have no time to +look after a dog. He would get into mischief if I let him go where he +liked." + +[Illustration: HEARING. By H. Sperling.] + +"Of course," said Uncle Frank. "He was only a baby. I can remember when +you needed looking after. Now I am going to see Edward." + +"Edward's dog is different from mine," said William. "He is very kind +and gentle. I wish I could have a dog like that." + +Uncle Frank walked away without a word. When he came to the house where +Edward lived, he saw a fine dog lying near the steps, looking very +comfortable and happy. + +"Is it possible this was once my little dog?" asked Edward's uncle, when +the first greetings were over. "How do you keep him in such good +condition?" + +"When you first gave him to me," said Edward," I fed him five or six +times a day with boiled milk. After a few weeks I gave him oatmeal or +Indian meal porridge. Sometimes he had bread or crackers in milk. + +"As he grew older, I gave him brown bread and corn cake, and once in a +while I let him have a beef bone to play with. He liked that very much, +and he did not object to being tied up sometimes, if he had a bone to +gnaw." + +"Did you keep him chained?" asked Uncle Frank. + +"Oh, no!" said Edward. "He soon learned not to run away, and now I never +chain him. Even when he was tied up, he had room to run about. I +stretched a long wire across a corner of the yard, and on the wire was a +large iron ring. When the dog's light chain was slipped through the +ring, he could run back and forth for twenty feet, and could lie in the +sun or shade as he liked." + +"Where does he sleep?" asked Edward's uncle. + +"He has a large, clean kennel," said the boy, stooping to pat the dog's +silky head. "I wash the whole kennel every week. His bed is made of pine +shavings, and in cold weather I put in a pile of them, so that he can +have a blanket as well as a bed. The kennel is raised on blocks, so that +it will not be damp, and there is a platform in front of it for hot +nights. When it is chilly, I hang a piece of old carpet over the door, +and on very cold nights he sleeps on his own rug in the laundry. He is a +big, strong dog, and he doesn't like too warm a room to sleep in." + +"How often do you wash him?" asked Uncle Frank. + +"About twice a month," said Edward, "I give him a bath in lukewarm water +and with Castile soap. I rinse the soap off with clear water, rub him +dry, and let him have a good scamper in the fields. I comb and brush him +thoroughly every day. That makes his coat clean and glossy. Once when he +had fleas I washed him with carbolic soap, and then took him in +swimming. I have been told that for a small dog the yolk of an egg is +better than any kind of soap, but I have never tried it for Chum." + +"What does he have to eat, and how often do you feed him?" + +He has two meals a day now. Sometimes he has dog biscuit soaked in water +or soup. Sometimes he likes his biscuit dry. Nearly every day he has a +few scraps of meat or a bone. He likes corn cake and brown bread and +macaroni, too. Sometimes I mix the meat and vegetables with mush made +from some cereal." + +"I suppose you know," said Uncle Frank, "that a dog needs vegetable +food, and that he cannot keep well without it?" + +"Yes, indeed. I give him cabbage and potatoes very often." + +"Is Chum a good watchdog?" went on Uncle Frank. "He didn't bark at me +when I came up the path." + +"It is just as well that you didn't try to open the door," said Edward; +"he would have barked loudly enough in that case. He barks at night when +he hears a strange step, because I have praised him for that; but in the +daytime he keeps his eyes open and lies still." + +"What is that yellow dish by the laundry door?" said the boy's uncle, +looking about the pleasant yard. + +"That is Chum's water dish," said Edward. "It is hard to keep tin or +iron clean, so mother gave me that. It is in the shade, you see. Chum +likes cool water as well as I do. You have always found it there, +haven't you, old fellow?" + +The dog looked up gravely into the boy's face and panted a little from +the heat. + +"Why does a dog pant like that?" asked Edward. + +"He perspires through his tongue," said his uncle. "That is why it is so +cruel to put a muzzle over a dog's mouth. When he is overheated he +suffers very much. I hope you never take Chum with you when you ride on +your bicycle." + +"No, sir!" said Edward with emphasis. "Chum knows that when the bicycle +goes he must stay at home. I would never let him tire himself out by +trying to keep up with me. But we have long walks together after tea." + +Chum pricked up his ears at the word "walk" and laid his head lovingly +on his master's knee. + +"There is another reason for not letting him follow your bicycle," said +Uncle Frank. "It might seriously injure him to run so fast. I am glad +his ears are not cropped. Sometimes a dog is made deaf when his ears are +cropped. They are very sensitive, and it hurts him to have them pulled +or roughly handled in any way." + +"I wouldn't have his ears or his tail cut off," said Edward indignantly, +"and no one has ever struck him. He knows by my voice when I am +displeased with him, and he will beg to be forgiven by wagging his tail +as hard as he can. Chum shall not be hurt if I can help it. + +"The other day a great bulldog got hold of him. We tried almost +everything to make the fierce dog let go, but it was impossible to +separate them. A man came out of a house with a pail of water, which he +threw over the bulldog's head. The dog immediately let go and ran away. +"A sudden dash of cold water," the man said, "will almost always break +up a fight." + +"That is a good thing to remember," said the boy's uncle. "It is your +thoughtfulness that has made Chum such a fine dog. You have not overfed +him; you have given him plenty of fresh water and a comfortable home; +you have been patient with him and willing to teach him. Best of all, +you have never deceived him or been cruel and unkind to him. No one +ought to have a pet unless he is willing to take some trouble to keep it +well and happy. See how Chum watches you when you talk! He has doubtless +learned to understand much of what you say. He seems to think that he +has a good master, and I think so, too." + + + + +STORIES OF DOGS. + + +One of the great men of history was William, Prince of Orange. He is to +the little country of the Netherlands what George Washington is to us. +One night he was asleep in his tent, and a small spaniel was lying on +his bed. The guards, faithless to their trust, were sleeping. Suddenly +the dog sprang up, barking wildly. A small band of the enemy was +approaching, unheard by any of the men. There was just time for the +Prince to escape, before the Spanish soldiers were in his tent. To the +end of his life, William of Orange kept a spaniel of the same race in +his room, and in the statues of the Prince a little dog is frequently +seen lying at his feet. + +A dog was once left in the room alone with a baby who was learning to +creep. On the hearth an open fire was smouldering. Suddenly there was a +bright little flicker of flame and the logs blazed up once more. Pleased +with the sight, the baby began to creep towards the fire as fast as he +could go. The dog saw the danger at once and seized the baby's dress +tightly between his teeth. Baby pulled and pulled, but the wise old dog +held the tiny skirts firmly. Then the baby cried and screamed, until his +nurse came to see what could be the matter. The dog wagged his tail and +looked up as if to say: "I'm glad you have come. You ought not to leave +a baby near a fire. What would have happened if I had not been here, I +should like to know?" + +There is a well-known painting called "Saved," which tells its own +story. A pet kitten has been chased by two lively little terriers, and +the big, friendly dog has taken her into his care. She is not afraid of +the little dogs now. They may bark as much as they like. The big dog +looks as if he were saying, "Run away, little dogs! You may not mean to +hurt Miss Puss, but you are very rude to frighten her so. If you were as +large and strong as I am, you would be ashamed to bark at a poor, +helpless little kitten. Come now; run away, and do not tease her any +more." + +A large dog once hurt his leg, and a friendly surgeon bandaged it for +him. One night, some months after, the surgeon received a call from his +former patient, who brought with him another dog, suffering from a +similar accident. The larger dog introduced his friend as well as he +could, and then retired politely to a corner of the room until the +operation was over. + +Once there was a small fox-terrier named Chip who hurt his foot in some +way, and was taken to the doctor for treatment. Not many weeks later he +was found on the doctor's doorstep, crying to get in. When the doctor +appeared the dog held up his swollen foot with a long thorn in it. "You +helped me before," he must have thought. "Do you suppose you can help me +now?" + +[Illustration: "SAVED" From a Painting by H. Sperling.] + +The most useful dog in the world is the collie, or shepherd dog. Without +him the Scotch shepherds would need more men than they could possibly +afford to hire. + +The collie has had very careful training. It is a dog's instinct to +chase sheep, but the collie has been taught to take care of them. He +drives the flock to pasture, watches them to see that none strays away, +keeps them close together when any danger is near, and brings them home +again in safety. + +Not long ago a collie was brought from England to this country. In his +new home there was a little girl, three years old. One day she wandered +away through the fields to an open well at some distance from the house. + +Her father was on his way home, when he heard the barking of the dog, +and knew that something was wrong. Springing over a stone wall, the man +saw his little girl and the dog near the well. There was a light snow on +the ground, and by the rows of tiny footsteps it could be seen that the +child had walked round and round the well, and that the faithful dog had +walked beside her, keeping always between the edge of the well and his +little charge. + +When the collie is kindly treated he is the most faithful and devoted of +dogs, but he feels very keenly any neglect or harsh words. Unkindness +makes him sullen, and sometimes cross. + +Every book about dogs is full of stories of their faithfulness, their +intelligence, and their unselfishness. We have made the dog dependent +upon us, and he is too often the victim of our thoughtlessness and +cruelty. Dogs are made happy or unhappy in very much the same ways that +children are. If you are kind to your dog and willing to learn how to +take care of him properly, he will probably give you very little +trouble. He will grieve when you scold him, but he will love you +faithfully through all kinds of trouble and pain. + + "FORSAKE NOT AN OLD FRIEND." + +Goodness moves in a larger sphere than justice;... kindness and +beneficence should be extended to creatures of every species.... A good +man will take care of his horses and dogs, not only while they are +young, but when old and past service. Thus the people of Athens, when +they had finished the temple called Hecatompedon, set at liberty the +beasts of burden that had been chiefly employed in the work, suffering +them to pasture at large, free from any other service. It is said that +one of these afterwards came of its own accord to work, and, putting +itself at the head of the laboring cattle, marched before them to the +citadel. This pleased the people, and they made a decree that it should +be kept at the public charge so long as it lived. Many have shown +particular regard in burying the dogs which they had cherished and +loved, and among them Xantippus of old, whose dog swam by the side of +his galley to Salamis, when the Athenians were forced to abandon their +city, and was afterwards buried by him upon a promontory which is still +called the Dog's Grave. + PLUTARCH. + + + + +CATS AND DOGS. + + +Cats and dogs seem to be natural enemies, but it is quite possible to +make them very good friends. The easiest way to do this is to bring a +kitten in your arms to your dog and explain to him that he must never +chase her, or bark at her. He will listen, looking very wise, and if, in +his presence, you are careful not to pet her too much, he will try to +please you. If you make him jealous, or if you think it is fun to see +him run after the kitten, you can never succeed. + +A bull-terrier named Teddy lives in the same house with Fluff, an Angora +cat of great beauty. Teddy has been carefully taught, and his manners +are delightful. Often when passing the chair where Fluff lies asleep, +Teddy will put up his black nose and give her face a friendly lap. Fluff +stretches out her fore-feet sleepily, but she does not object in the +least. Sometimes Teddy is too rough in his play, and Fluff taps him +gently with her soft paw to remind him that she is not as strong as he +is. + +It is not easy to teach an old cat to be very friendly with a dog. She +has too good a memory for that. She remembers the times when she has +scrambled up the tree-trunk, panting and frightened, with a dog barking +at her heels. She remembers that the children have often cheered and +praised the dog, and have made no effort to help her. On the whole, she +would rather arch her back and wave her tail than try to be agreeable. +It is quite possible that if you were in her place you would feel very +much as she does. + +[Illustration: BREAKFAST. By H. W. Trood] + + + + +FAMOUS CATS. + + +Cats were household pets in Egypt more than two thousand years ago. The +Egyptians worshiped them as beings superior to men, and would suffer no +harm to come to them. If, by accident, an Egyptian killed a cat, the +punishment was death. + +Once a Persian king named Cambyses was fighting against the Egyptians. +Knowing how cats were cherished by his enemies, Cambyses gave to each of +his soldiers a cat to carry, instead of a shield. Not one of the +Egyptian soldiers would hurt a cat, and so the Persian army was safe. + +Probably the first cats lived in Egypt, and though they are no longer +worshiped in that country, they are protected and cared for. In the city +of Cairo is a cats' hospital, where sick cats are nursed, and where +stray or homeless cats may come every day for their dinner. + +When the Romans conquered Syria and Palestine, they found in nearly +every house a kato or kitt. From these eastern names we get our words +cat and kitten. The Romans were so much pleased with the little animals +that kitts soon were carried to Italy and western Europe. + +The Roman goddess of Liberty was pictured with a cat lying at her feet. +It is quite true that it is easier to make a slave of any other animal +than it is of a cat. Your cat will love you, in his own way, but he +holds himself free to do as he likes. + +Cats, as well as dogs, have been the pets of great men. The Arabian +teacher Mahomet; the founder of the Mohammedan religion, was very fond +of cats. One day his pet kitten went to sleep upon the wide sleeve of +his robe, and he cut off the sleeve rather than disturb the comfortable +pussy. + +Richelieu, the great French statesman, kept several kittens in his house +to amuse him when tired and discouraged. As kittens will grow into cats, +Richelieu must have changed his friends often. + +Cowper, the English poet, mentions his favorite cat in more than one of +his poems. The famous Dr. Johnson had a cat named Hodge, who was treated +with the greatest kindness. When Hodge was not well, the doctor would go +out himself to buy oysters, lest the trouble of waiting upon so dainty a +pet should cause it to be disliked by the servant. + +Charles Dickens's favorite cat was old and deaf, but she had a warm +corner in her master's heart. One evening he was so busy reading that he +did not notice her when she jumped into his lap. Pussy's feelings were +hurt. She purred gently, but the reader did not seem to hear. Suddenly +the candle went out. Dickens lighted it again to go on with his reading. +In a minute the light grew dim again, and, looking up, he saw the cat +putting out the candle with her paw. Then she looked at him in such a +pleading way that he laid down his book for the rest of the evening. + +Perhaps the most famous American cat was Agrippina, who belonged to Miss +Agnes Repplier of Philadelphia. She is famous because of the charming +essay which her mistress wrote in her honor. + +Madame Henrietta Ronner is known as one of the most successful painters +of cats and kittens. Her pictures are wonderful reproductions of cat +life. Mrs. Olive Thorne Miller says: "We may safely assume that Madame +Ronner is a cat lover, for no one really knows a cat who does not love +him." + +[Illustration: ALEXANDER.] + +The intelligence and good breeding of the cat in this picture are so +apparent that it is no wonder he made hosts of friends. His picture once +adorned a humane calendar, and thus became familiar to many persons in +the United States and in Europe. + +Rev. J. G. Wood, in describing his own pet cat, said: + +"His gestures and actions are full of that spirited yet easy grace, +which can never be attained by any creature, be it man, beast, or bird, +who has once learned to crouch in terror, and to fear a harsh tone or an +uplifted hand." + +In Spain it is the custom to store grain in garrets, and there the cats +are treated very kindly. There is a small door in each attic for their +use; food and drink are given to them; and they may walk where they like +over the roofs of the city. Many of them never care to come down to the +ground. + +If there were no cats in America, we should be seriously disturbed and +inconvenienced. It is said that the government of the United States +keeps an army of more than three hundred cats for use in the Post-office +department. Their duty is to guard the mail-bags against the attacks of +rats and mice, and this they do very thoroughly and well. Before they +were employed valuable letters and mail matter were often destroyed. + +The government cats are fed well, some postmasters being allowed forty +dollars a year for "cat meat." The work that this army does proves that +well-fed cats make the best mousers. As the postal service is known for +its high standards, we may be sure that these workers are industrious +and satisfactory, or they would not be allowed to stay. + + + + +KITTY'S CHRISTMAS. + + +"Mew! mew! mew! Why don't they let me in? I have been here on these cold +steps for three days. I am very hungry and unhappy. Why do they shut me +out in the cold? + +"Ethel said she was going to the city for the Christmas vacation. She +said I could catch mice till she came back. But the mice are in the barn +and I can't get in. + +"The house, too, is shut up. No one is there to give me any milk. My +warm bed is in the kitchen, by the stove. I can't sleep on these cold +stones. + +"This is a dreadful Christmas! Last year I had a pitcher of cream and a +string of popcorn from Ethel's Christmas tree. She is very good to me +when she is at home. I wish she would come back. I am so frightened and +hungry! Mew! mew!" + + + +TO MY CAT MUFF. + + Thou art not "dumb," my Muff; + In those sweet pleading eyes and earnest look + Language there were enough + To fill, with living type, a goodly book, + Wherein who read might see + What tones unheard, and forms of silent speech + Are given, that such as thee + The eloquence of dumbness, men might teach. + JOHN OWEN. + + + + +HOW TO TAKE CARE OF CATS. + + +"Mamma!" cried Philip, coming in one day with something in his arms, +"see this poor kitty I found in the street! A dog was barking at her and +she ran straight into my arms. May I keep her for my own?" + +Mrs. Grant looked up from her work. Such a rough-coated, dirty little +cat as she saw! But there was something in the tired, frightened eyes +that touched her. + +"Are you willing to take a good deal of trouble, Philip?" asked his +mother. "If not, it would be kinder to kill the poor thing quickly." + +"I am willing; indeed I am!" cried the boy. "Please tell me what to do." + +"You should give her a saucer of warm milk, with a little bread crumbed +in it first; for the poor kitten must be very hungry. Then she will know +you mean to be kind to her. After that she had better sleep. When she +wakes up she will begin to feel at home, and then I think we must sponge +her gently with warm water, because she is so very dirty. You must not +do that alone, but you may hold her and stroke her softly, and if you +think she will scratch you I will get you a pair of old gloves." + +"Can we not put her in a little tub and bathe her?" asked Philip. + +[Illustration: GENTLE KITTY GRAY.] + +"It is not best to do that if you can get her clean any other way. Cats +do not like water, and it frightens them very much, to be put into it. +Once in a great while we hear of cats that will be patient if put into a +bath, but usually they will struggle and cry and act very much +frightened. As soon as this kitten has been fed and begins to get over +her fright at being homeless, you will see her wash herself. + +"Then you must make her feel at home," said Mrs. Grant. "You can take +her in your arms and carry her about the house, talking softly to her, +so that she may feel that you will be good to her. It is fortunate that +it is growing dark. She can see better in the twilight, and is not so +easily startled." + +The kitten lapped up the milk hungrily, and then came purring about the +boy's feet. + +"Where may she sleep?" asked the boy, pleased to see that the kitten was +not at all afraid of him. + +"A low, wide basket half full of shavings will make a soft bed," said +Mrs. Grant. "Over the shavings I will spread a piece of old flannel. +Cats like a warm, cosy bed, and it is always best to keep them in the +house at night." + +To their delight, the kitten did not object at all to the warm bath. She +stood quite still while Mrs. Grant washed her gently and dried her in an +old blanket. + +"You can easily teach her to be clean if you are kind and patient," said +Mrs. Grant. "She will not need a bath again, for she will learn to take +care of herself; but it would be very good for her to be brushed every +day, and I will give you a small brush for that purpose. If you put a +pan of dry earth where she can always get at it, she will give no +trouble when she cannot go out of doors." + +"I think she likes me already, mamma," said Philip. + +"I am sure she will like you if you are kind to her," said his mother. +"If you hurt her, she will never forget it. Dogs forgive many cruel +blows, but a cat's nature is different. She is very brave in bearing +pain, and she rarely cries out when she is hurt; but she is very +sensitive, and that ought to make us careful how we handle her. Don't +let the baby have the kitten to play with. He could not understand how +his clumsy little fingers hurt her. He does not yet know the difference +between a plaything and a playmate. But you can teach him to feed her +and to be kind to her." + +"What else must I do?" said Philip. + +"You must keep a dish of water where Kitty can find it, and you must not +forget to fill it every day with fresh water. Cats are more dainty than +dogs are. They like clean dishes and fresh food. They must have plenty +of warm milk, and brown bread and milk." "May she eat meat and fish?" +asked Philip. + +"Not yet," said his mother. "She is too young. When she is older she +should have meat cut up and mixed with bread or vegetables. The fat and +tough fiber should be removed. When raw meat is given, boiling water +should be poured on it to cleanse it. Fish may be given once a week. +That should be boiled and all the bones removed, as cats have sometimes +been badly choked with fish bones. Meat and fish should be fresh. Dogs +and cats have been poisoned by eating pieces of old meat and fish." + +"I thought cats lived on mice," said Philip. + +Mrs. Grant smiled. + +"I am afraid that your kitty will starve if she has no food but the mice +she finds here," she said. "Perhaps there are a few in the barn. Never +let her tease a mouse, Philip. If you take the mice away from her when +she plays with, them, she will learn, in time, to kill her prey +quickly." + +"Fred's cat eats asparagus," said Philip. + +"Yes; cats need some vegetable food. They usually like corn, string +beans, boiled rice, potatoes, cabbage, and even carrots. Oatmeal, very +thoroughly cooked, is an excellent food for them. If you give your +kitten corn to eat, you must scrape it carefully off the cob in such a +way that she will get only the inside of the kernel. I cut it for you, +you know, so that the empty hulls are left clinging to the cob." + +"May she have all the milk she wants?" asked Philip. + +"I think so," said Mrs. Grant, "if you feed her regularly and not too +often, and if you are sure that the milk is fresh and good. In summer it +is well to scald the milk, and it is safer to do this in winter also, if +there is any doubt about its freshness." + +"What else may she have, mamma?" + +"Corn bread and graham biscuits will be good for her, and perhaps she +will like them crisp and dry better than if they are soaked. You can +raise some catnip next summer. Kitty will like that dried quite as well +as the green herb. It may be kept for a special treat or for medicine, +although a cat that can find plenty of grass rarely needs medicine. In +the winter you can have some grass growing in a pot or box of earth." + +"How much better she looks already!" said Philip, watching the sleeping +pussy. "I think she will be a beauty. When she is a fine, large cat I +shall ask papa to take her picture." + + + + +CAT QUESTIONS. + + Dozing, and dozing, and dozing! + Pleasant enough, + Dreaming of sweet cream and mouse meat,-- + Delicate stuff! + + Waked by a somerset, whirling + From cushion to floor; + Waked to a wild rush for safety + From window to door. + + Waking to hands that first smooth us, + And then pull our tails; + Punished with slaps when we show them + The length of our nails! + + These big mortal tyrants even grudge us + A place on the mat. + Do they think we enjoy for our music + Staccatoes of "scat"? + + To be treated, now, just as you treat us,-- + The question is pat,-- + To take just our chances in living, + Would YOU be a cat? + LUCY LARCOM. + + + + +THE CAT FAMILY. + + +Our little house cat belongs to the same family as the lion, the tiger, +and the leopard. They are known as the old and powerful family of cats, +and though pussy is small, tame, and gentle, she is not unlike her +fierce cousins in many of her ways. + +All cats have sharp claws which can be drawn back until quite out of +sight. They walk softly because their feet are padded with soft, elastic +cushions. Not only is a cat one of the most sure-footed animals in the +world, but she is also one of the most graceful. + +Cats are restless creatures, and in a wild state they are prowling +about, day and night, with only short periods of rest. Yet, when they +are hunting for food, they will patiently lie in wait for hours. + +It is the nature of all cats, big and little, to pounce upon their prey +and not to chase it. + +No cat likes to run. She will hide from danger if she can, and she runs +only when she must. + +The teeth of cats are sharp and pointed so that they can tear their food +in pieces. Their tongues are rough and are of great use in eating. The +surface is covered with little prickly points which also serve pussy in +the place of a brush and comb. + +A cat's whiskers are very sensitive. Even to touch them lightly +sometimes hurts her, and to pull them is to make her suffer intense +pain. Little children, who do not know what delicate nerves are bound up +with their cat's whiskers, are often the cause of great suffering to +their pets. + +Have you ever looked at your cat's eyes? How well she sees in places +that seem dark to us! In what way are her eyes different from ours? + +At noon, the black spot in a cat's eye is only a narrow slit, but as the +light grows less bright, the pupil of the eye grows rounder and larger. +In this way her eyes gather in more and more light as darkness comes on, +so that at twilight she can easily find her way. When it is really dark, +her sensitive whiskers help her to feel what she cannot see. + +Pussy's tail is part of her backbone or spine, which is made up as +carefully and delicately as our spines are. If we pull a cat's tail, we +run the risk of giving her as severe pain as we should feel if our +spines were hurt. + +Dogs and cats have been seriously hurt by forcing their heads into empty +cans that have contained meat or soup. Sometimes they are not able to +free themselves. Their terror is pitiable, and if not found they may run +into some hiding place and die a miserable death. It would be easy to +see that a can, when emptied, is pounded out of shape, so that no animal +can get its head into it. To do this might save great suffering. + +[Illustration: A HAPPY PAIR.] + + + + +THINGS TO REMEMBER. + + +It is a mistake to suppose that cats are unloving and selfish. When a +cat loves no one, it is usually a proof that no one loves her. She +responds warmly to gentle treatment, and often shows personal devotion +in very striking ways. + +Remember that it is unfair to call a cat cruel and to punish her for +following out her own instincts. She knows nothing of the pain she +inflicts, and is quite innocent of any cruel intention. Often a word or +two of reproof is effectual, but it is useless to strike her or frighten +her. She knows no reason why she should not catch birds as well as mice. +If something she likes to eat is given to pussy the last thing at night, +she will get into the habit of coming into the house for it. If she is +kept in at night, she cannot disturb the early morning songs of your +feathered friends. Care and watching will be needed to insure their +peace and safety through the day. Especially must she be well fed and +have an early breakfast when she has kittens to care for, or she will +bring birds for them to eat. + +Remember that a half-starved cat makes a poor mouser. When she is +exhausted with hunger she loses the sense of smell, and with it all +interest in catching mice. + +Cats grow very fond of places as well as of people, and dread to change +their homes. When a cat is to be taken to another house to live, she +should be carried in a cat-basket with openings in the top so that she +can have fresh air to breathe and can see what is going on. Holes may be +made in a common basket, but the cover must be firmly fastened with a +strong strap or cord. Once arrived at her new quarters, pussy should be +shut up in a quiet room with food and water and a pan of dry earth. At +dusk, when the outer doors are shut, she may be allowed to go into other +rooms with some friendly guide. For two or three days she should be kept +in the house, and great pains should be taken not to trouble or frighten +her while she is learning to feel at home. + +Remember, in handling a cat, that it hurts her to be lifted by her front +paws alone. Her hind legs should be supported at the same time. + +[Illustration: THE TRAVELING BASKET.] + +Ribbons and collars are entirely out of place on a cat. They are likely +to get caught on twigs and nails, and may even cause death. They +certainly give no pleasure to the wearer. Harrison Weir, who has written +a book about cats, calls especial attention to the danger of collars and +ribbons. + +There are so many cats in the world that if all the kittens were allowed +to grow up, no good homes could be found for them. It is a hard thing +for a kind-hearted person to do, but many little kittens must be killed +or they would live to suffer. One kitten of every litter should be left +to the mother cat. The others should be killed as soon as possible, but +never in the mother's sight. Think how poor pussy would feel when she +saw her babies drowned! + +One of the greatest hardships that can come into a cat's life is to be +left without a home. At the beach in winter and in the city in summer +may be seen many homeless, starving, miserable cats, left there by their +cruel owners. Once these cats were petted and well-fed. They know what +it is to lie on soft cushions and to be caressed. Now, through no fault +of their own, they are wanderers in an unfriendly world. Can any name +too harsh be given to the men and women who turn adrift these timid, +helpless creatures? Remember that it is a thousand times better to +chloroform or drown the cat it is impossible to carry with you, than to +let her take her chances in so wretched a life. + +Cats are so nervous and sensitive, and so timid when taken away from +home, that they must suffer very much when exhibited in cages at a cat +show. It has frequently happened that cats have been made ill by the +fright and confinement. + +Cats and dogs sometimes take contagious diseases from each other, and if +allowed to run at large they may carry the disease to children or to +other pet animals. If our pets are ill they should not be turned out of +doors, but should be kept by themselves in a comfortable, quiet room, +taken good care of, and on no account should children be allowed to +handle them. If we are ill with a contagious disease, our pets should +not be allowed in the room with us. + +[Illustration: "PLEASE GIVE ME SOME MORE!"] + +To keep in good health, cats need to have access to fresh grass and +clean water. They much enjoy being brushed with a brush that is not too +stiff. + +Remember that cats are delicate and easily injured about the head and +should be handled carefully. + +Agnes Repplier says: "Cats are extremely sensitive and dislike loud +voices and bustling ways. They love repose, calmness, and grace." + + + + +STORIES OF CATS. + + +There was once a cat that lived in a house in London. Her master owned a +country home also, and twice a year pussy made the journey between the +two houses. She always showed great interest and pleasure when the +trunks were brought out and the packing cases were being filled. + +She herself traveled in a comfortable basket with openings at the top, +which had been bought expressly for her. Often her master lifted her out +and held her in his lap for a while, so that the journey might not seem +long to her. + +One day, when the usual preparations were going on, pussy seemed very +uneasy. She had a little baby kitten scarcely old enough to walk, and +she was afraid the kitten would be left behind. + +At last she spied a box half full of dresses. + +"There!" thought Mrs. Pussy. "That is a fine place for my baby. I can +hide it away under those dresses and it will be quite safe." + +When the kitten was discovered, carefully tucked in among the silks and +laces, you may be sure that a place was found for it in the cat's +basket. + +In a monastery in France lived a cat who always came to dinner when the +big bell rang to call the monks. One day she happened to be shut up in a +room alone when the bell rang, and the poor kitty had no dinner. + +[Illustration: DRIVEN OUT By M Stocks] + +As soon as she was set free she ran to look for her plate, but none was +there. Presently the monastery bell was heard, and when the monks came +to see what could be the matter, there was the cat hanging upon the bell +rope, ringing for her dinner. + +Another story is told, in the Popular Science Monthly, of a cat who knew +the name of each member of the household. If she was asked about an +absent one, she would look at his vacant seat and then at the speaker. +If told to fetch him she would run upstairs to his room, take the handle +of the door between her paws, mew at the keyhole, and wait to be let in. + +A cat will often become especially attached to one member of a family. +Dr. Gordon Stables, who has written a book about cats, tells a story of +a cat named Muffle that belonged to him when he was a boy. She was so +fond of him that when he went away to school she left the house and went +into the woods to live. The boy came home frequently, and whenever he +did so she came back to welcome him. Dr. Stables also tells a story of a +cat who knew the footsteps of every member of the family, and before any +one else could hear a sound she would hasten to the door. She also knew +if a stranger knocked at the door, and would give a low growl. + +A remarkable story is told in a French scientific paper. There was a +certain cat named Cadi who lived in Roumania. The winter of 1880 was +very cold, and her master, to save his fuel, often went without a fire. + +One day Cadi mewed and mewed until her master followed her. She led him +straight to the coal-box, on which she sat until he had filled a hod +with coal. Then she led him to the wood-box, and finally back to his own +cold room. + +While the fire was being made Cadi rubbed against her master's knees +with many caresses, and when at last it began to burn bright, she +stretched herself before it, contented and happy. + +A mother cat will go through fire and water to save her kittens, and she +will fight most bravely to protect them. One poor cat, finding that she +could not save her baby from the flames of a burning building, went back +to die beside it, rather than escape alone. + +[Illustration: FRIENDS.] + + + + +A BRAVE GIRL. [Footnote: Published by Ticknor & Fields, 1867.] + + +A little girl was once coming home from school across Boston Common, +when she saw a party of noisy boys and dogs tormenting a poor kitten by +the side of the frog pond. The little wretches would throw it into the +water, and then laugh at its vain and frightened efforts to paddle out, +while the dogs added to its fright by their ferocious barking. Belle was +a bright-eyed, spirited little girl, and her whole soul was roused in +indignation; she dashed in among the throng of boys and dogs, and +rescued the poor half-drowned little animal. The boys, ashamed, slunk +away, and little Belle held the poor, cold, shivering little creature, +considering what to do for it. It was half dead already, and she knew +that at home there was no room for another pet, for both cat and kitten +never were wanting in their family. "Poor kitty!" she said, "you must +die, but I will see that you are not tormented;" and she knelt bravely +down and held the little thing under water, with the tears running down +her own cheeks, till all its earthly sorrows were over, and the little +cat was beyond the reach of dog or boy. + +This was real, brave humanity. Many people call themselves tender- +hearted, because they are unwilling to have a litter of kittens killed, +and so they go and throw them over fences, and comfort themselves with +the reflection that they will do well enough. What becomes of the poor +little defenseless things? In nine cases out of ten they live a hunted, +miserable life, crying from hunger, shivering with cold, harassed by +cruel dogs, and tortured to make sport for brutal boys. How much kinder +and more really humane to take upon ourselves the momentary suffering of +causing the death of an animal than to turn our backs and leave it to +drag out a life of torture and misery! + HARRIET BEECHER STOWE. + + + +AUNT ESTHER'S RULE. [Footnote: Published by Ticknor & Fields, 1867] + + +One of Aunt Esther's rules for the care of animals was "Never frighten +an animal for sport." I remember that I had a little white kitten, of +which I was very fond, and one day I was amusing myself with making her +walk up and down the key-board of the piano, and laughing to see her +fright at the strange noises which came up under her feet. It never +occurred to me that there was any cruelty in it, till Aunt Esther said +to me: "My dear, you must never frighten an animal. I have suffered +enough from fear to know that there is no suffering more dreadful; and a +helpless animal, that cannot speak to tell its fright, and cannot +understand an explanation of what alarms it, ought to move your pity." + HARRIET BEECHER STOWE. + + + + +[Illustration: THE LION AT HOME From a Painting by Rosa Bonheur] + +LION STORIES. + + +A large lion was once to be seen in a cage in London. He was so big and +fierce that many persons came to have a peep at him. + +One day his keeper opened the cage door and put in a little black dog. +Everybody wondered what the lion would do. As for the little dog, his +heart beat fast with fright and he cowered against the side of the cage. + +The lion looked down at the small, shrinking form, but he did not growl +or roar. Perhaps he was lonely and glad to have a companion. In some way +he must have told the dog that he need not be afraid, for presently the +little fellow put out his tongue and lapped his huge friend on the lips. + +After that they were very good friends, and the lion often allowed the +little dog to tease him and pull his mane. When they were fed, the lion +stood back like a true gentleman, and let the dog have his dinner first. +He seemed to know that because he was so strong, he must be gentle to +the weak and helpless. + +Gerard, the great lion-tamer, once brought home from Africa a baby lion. +He named it Hubert and for a time it was his pet and playmate. + +When it grew large, Gerard sent it to Paris. The next year he went to +France and visited his pet. The lion was in a cage, and when he saw his +master, he began to quiver with excitement. + +Gerard put his hand between the bars, and Hubert snuffed it eagerly. + +"Hubert!" said the lion-tamer. "My old soldier!" + +With a furious bound the lion sprang upon the bars. He stood close +against the grating and filled the building with his roars of joy. His +enormous tongue scraped his master's hand, while with his paws he vainly +tried to caress him. + +After a time he grew more quiet, but whenever Gerard turned to leave +him, there were the same heart-breaking moans and roars. + +Daily, Gerard spent hours in the same cage with his pet, and the two +were very happy together. + +Several years ago a lion and a lioness were in the menagerie at Paris. +Their keeper, Mr. Felix, was taken ill one day, and could no longer +attend to them. The duty of feeding them and keeping the cage clean fell +upon a stranger to whom both lion and lioness took a strong dislike. The +lion would sit, for hours, at the end of his cage, with bristling mane +and flaming eyes. He refused all food from the hands of the new keeper +and roared at him so furiously that no one dared to go near the cage. + +Days went on and it was evident that something must be done or the lion +would become seriously ill. Fortunately, Mr. Felix was getting well, and +one morning, intending to surprise the lions, he crept softly to the +cage and showed his face between the bars. In an instant the lion sprang +forward, patting the man's arm with his great paws and showing the +greatest delight. The lioness also ran to him, but the lion drove her +back and seemed unwilling that Felix should show her any favor. Fearing +that they might quarrel, the keeper entered the cage and caressed them +by turns. The huge beasts obeyed him promptly as if eager to show how +much they loved him, and peace and quiet were thus restored. + +Rosa Bonheur, whose pictures of animals are among the most famous in the +world, loved the wild creatures that she painted. At one time she had +for a model a fierce lion named Nero who, after a while, had to be taken +away to Paris. + +The day came when he was to go. The horses that were to draw the great +beast's cage to the city shivered with dread at the odor of the flesh- +eater. Nero was quiet, but he looked sadly at his mistress, and his +gold-yellow eyes seemed full of reproach. + +[Illustration: ROSA BONHEUR.] + +Months later the artist went to see him in one of the gardens of Paris. +He was blind and dying. + +"Oh, my poor Nero!" she said. "What have they done to you?" + +The lion lifted up his huge head, and listened for a moment. Then, +slowly and with pain, he crawled close to the bars of his cage, where +she could stroke him. About the artist and her pet there were only rough +men and women and boys of the city streets, but every man's hat came +off, and there was not a dry eye in the crowd. + +Rosa Bonheur did not confine her tenderness to dumb animals. In her +prosperity she was kind to many poor artists who were working under hard +and discouraging conditions. For years before her death she lived in a +village on the edge of the Forest of Fontainebleau, and here she brought +the wild animals, the tame pets and the human friends whom she loved, to +share her cheerful, happy life. + + + + +EXHIBITIONS OF TRAINED ANIMALS SHOULD BE DISCOURAGED. + + +Those who enjoy going to the circus or menagerie or to any show of wild +animals ought to consider how they would like to be shut up as prisoners +all their lives, and forced to do unnatural tricks. Some animal trainers +try to make the public believe that tricks are taught by kindness and +that the animals are comfortable and happy; but persons not in the +business who have had an opportunity to watch trained animals behind the +scenes say that there is a great deal of suffering among them. To all +these questions we can apply the Golden Rule and deal with these +creatures that are at men's mercy as we should wish to be dealt with if +we were in their place. + + + + +[Illustration: THE KING OF BEASTS. From a Painting by Rosa Bonheur.] + +THE KING OF BEASTS. + + +I am a great lion, and one of the strongest animals in the world. I used +to live far away in Africa, and when I roared, all who heard my voice +were afraid. + +I hunted to get food for myself and my little ones. I never killed for +fun. It is only men who kill creatures and call it sport. Wild animals +are not so savage as that. + +You wonder that I am in this cage when I am so strong. I am afraid of +men. They are wise and cruel. They made a trap and caught me. They have +made these iron bars which are stronger than I am. + +I have tried my best to get out. I am weary and homesick I need the wide +plains, and the deep streams, and the fresh, sweet air of the forests. + +Sometimes when I am asleep I dream of my old home. I forget the crowds +who stare at me, and the smell of the sawdust, and the narrow, narrow +cage. I think I am once again in the great, free, open country. + +Then I spring up gladly, and there are only the iron bars and the low +roof. I roar with pain and grief and my keeper comes to punish me with +his sharp-pointed stick. When you see me in my cage, pity me, for I am +very miserable. + + + + +[Illustration: THE SHIP OF THE DESERT] + +THE SHIP OF THE DESERT. + + +The home of the camel is in Arabia. In that country there are many miles +of sandy desert. + +We use ships to carry goods and men across the sea; in Arabia the camel +is used to carry goods and men across the sand. He carries heavy loads +over the scorching deserts, and for this reason he is called the Ship of +the Desert. + +No horse or donkey could tread where the camel does. Their hoofs would +sink in the loose, dry sand. But the foot of the camel is like a broad +pad or cushion, and it spreads out as he puts it down, so that it +neither slips nor sinks. It has also a very thick sole to protect it +from the burning heat of the sand. + +The camel is able to go for a long time without food or water. He can do +this because he carries with him a supply of both. The hump on his back +is a large lump of solid fat, which the camel is able, in some strange +way, to use as food. He does not bite it or take it into his mouth, but +it wastes away, and grows smaller and smaller, when he is making a long +journey with little to eat. If the poor camel is starved, his back +becomes quite flat. + +The camel stores up a supply of water in his two stomachs, a part of +which is lined with masses of cells. When the camel drinks, he fills +these cells, keeping the water in them for future use so that he is not +thirsty again for a long time. + +The camel's sense of smell is very acute. It is said that he can detect +water long before it is in sight. + +When he is carrying a burden across the wild, barren places where no +green thing grows, he is fed with a few dates, beans, or cakes. +Sometimes he finds a dry, thorny plant to browse upon, but when other +food is gone he must depend upon his hump. + +In a caravan there are often thousands of camels. Without them, +merchants could not send their goods across the desert, for no other +animal could endure so long a journey under such conditions. + + + + +A HEAVY LOAD. + + +One day a workman, who was helping to build a new house, saw the driver +of a large cart trying to back his horses into the yard. The cart was +filled with a heavy load of wood, and though the two horses seemed to be +patient and willing, they could move it but a little way. Then it would +roll down upon their heels again. + +The driver grew angry. He shouted at the horses and gave them cruel cuts +with his whip. The horses stopped pushing and began to kick, without +moving the cart at all. + +By this time the workman had come up to the horses. + +"Get down a minute," said he to the driver, "and let me see what I can +do." + +He went first to one horse and then to the other, stroking their necks +and speaking kindly to them. Then he lifted off several heavy timbers +and laid them on the ground. Finally he took from his dinner-pail a big +red apple, which he cut in two, giving half to each horse. + +When the horses had eaten the apple, the man mounted the cart and took +up the reins. + +"Come, now!" he said cheerily, giving the reins a little shake. "I am +sure you can do it if you try once more. Now, then, there you go!" + +The horses took new courage, and with all their might bent to their +work. With a vigorous push and a great rattle of stones the cart went up +into its place. + +"It isn't easy to work when you are being scolded." said the workman, +handing over the reins to the driver of the pair. "Try my way the next +time. It pays." + + + + +FAMOUS HORSES. + + +The horse has been known as man's companion and helper from the earliest +times. In Greek mythology horses play a very important part, as every +one knows who has read the stories of Arion and the winged horse +Pegasus. The most famous horse in history probably was Bucephalus (Bull +Head), who belonged to Alexander the Great. Alexander was the son of +Philip, king of Macedonia. + +When the boy was about thirteen years of age, there was offered for sale +to his father a superb white horse with a black mark, like a bull's +head, on his forehead. His price was twenty thousand dollars. He was +brought before the king, but no one was able to mount him. Philip was +angry and was about to send the horse away when Alexander begged to be +allowed to try. + +He went up quietly to Bucephalus and stroked him for a few minutes with +a steady, careful hand. As he did so he noticed that the horse was +afraid of his own shadow dancing on the grass before him. + +Turning the frightened animal with his face to the sun, the boy leaped +lightly on his back, and using every means to soothe him, soon brought +him under complete control. + +Bucephalus became Alexander's constant companion. The horse was once +taken prisoner by the barbarians against whom Alexander was fighting, +but the concern shown by the great soldier was so serious that his +favorite was promptly restored to him. + +[Illustration: A NORMAN SIRE. By Rosa Bonheur.] + +This famous horse died when he was thirty years old from wounds received +on the field of battle. Alexander mourned his death as that of a dear +friend and built a city as a monument to his memory. + +Swift and Spurred On were horses that belonged to two Roman emperors. +These horses were fed on almonds and raisins; they had ivory mangers and +marble stalls; and one of them drank wine out of a golden pail. But I am +sure they were too sensible to like such a life and would have preferred +a handful of fresh grass and a drink of cold water. + +There are many other horses whose names are known in history. There was +Copenhagen, the Duke of Wellington's favorite charger, that carried him +for ten hours through the battle of Waterloo. Copenhagen lived to a +peaceful and honored old age, but he had a fancy for sponge cake and +chocolate creams, and he died at last from eating too many sweets. + +Then there was Roan Barbary, Richard the Second's favorite, and Agnes, +who carried Mary, Queen of Scots. Washington's big white horse, whose +picture you have often seen, was carefully tended and cherished as long +as he lived. + +In art the horse is the emblem of courage and generosity, and as we know +him to-day he is not lacking in these noble traits. + + + + +HOW TO TREAT HORSES. + + +It is quite safe to say that of all animals the horse best repays kind +treatment. The better you treat him, the better horse he is, and the +more work he can do. + +Yet no animal is more frequently abused and neglected than the horse. He +is left standing in the cold without a blanket or only partly covered; +he is whipped by angry drivers; he is ill fed; and he is kept in a dark, +close stable for days at a time. + +A horse is often brave in facing a danger which he understands. He can +be trained to go into dangerous places without shrinking. But it is well +to remember that a horse learns only by seeing and smelling, and that a +new sight which he does not understand will fill him with terror. He is +steadfast before the danger he knows; he is timid as a deer before the +danger he imagines. + +It should be the business of any one having the care of a horse to let +him examine everything that may frighten him. If a horse shies, lead him +up gently to see and smell what he is afraid of. He may not dare to go +near it the first time, but patience and kindness will teach him, while +blows and angry words will only frighten him more. + +A bit of paper blowing in the wind is enough to frighten many horses. +Their eyes are not like ours, and often on coming out of a dark stable +they are so blinded by the light that familiar things look strange to +them. To pick up flying pieces of paper may prevent a serious accident. + +[Illustration: THREE MEMBERS OF A TEMPERANCE SOCIETY. By J. F. Herring.] + +If a horse can be used without blinders, he will be more comfortable and +can see better where he is going. He is not so likely to be frightened +if he can see what is on each side of him. + +Sometimes a horse will not cross water or bridges. It is of no use to +whip him; he will only grow more frightened. The best plan is to wait +until another horse comes along and goes over the bridge. Then the timid +one sees that nothing dreadful happens, and he follows quietly. + +A horse that is frightened in his stall will often refuse to be led out. +If his harness is put on him, he rarely objects to following his master. + +It is often difficult to get a horse out of a burning stable, but if a +blanket or cloth is thrown over his head to cover his eyes, he can +easily be led away from the fire. + +In driving a horse, a poor driver often jerks and pulls the reins. This +hardens the horse's mouth and makes it difficult to guide him properly. +Horses learn very readily, and will soon obey their master's voice as +quickly as the rein. + +A horse should not be continually urged when he is doing his best. It +only discourages him. He should have a chance to get his breath on +reaching the top of a hill before he is started into a faster gait. + +In hot weather flies are often a torture to a nervous horse. There are +several good preparations for sale to rub on horses and cattle to keep +off the flies. A fly net is also a great protection. A wet handkerchief, +tied over the top of a horse's head, will sometimes prevent prostration +from heat. In the south of France horses often wear hats in the summer, +when they are in the hot sun. A wet sponge or a cabbage leaf is placed +inside. + +It is a mistake to think that a horse should not drink much water. If +the body is over-heated it is always well to wait before drinking a +great quantity of cold water, but while exercising, horses as well as +men need to drink often. + +Every time a horse has been out, his feet should be carefully lifted and +brushed out. If a small stone gets fixed in the hollow part of the foot, +it will soon make a horse lame. It is so simple and easy to take out the +stones which a horse picks up in this way, that all boys and girls +should learn how to do it, as soon as they are old enough. + +The horse is very sensitive to the sound of the human voice. If the tone +is loud and harsh he is frightened and irritated, while he is easily +encouraged if it is quiet and friendly. Teamsters have a careless habit +of shouting at their horses, which is unnecessary and unkind. + +When a horse is balky see that the harness does not hurt him, and that +the load is not too heavy for him to draw. Then try some simple +encouragement, such as a friendly pat or a lump of sugar. + +Lastly, the over-check rein is the cause of intense pain. The use of +this rein is so common that it is well to know how painful and dangerous +it is. A horse needs to put his head and neck down in order to draw a +load well. The over-check is the direct cause of several diseases, and a +horse often becomes knee-sprung from its use. + +[Illustration: NATURAL AND COMFORTABLE.] + +It is sometimes said that a horse looks better with his head in the air. +Does not the horse on the right look quite as well as the other? He +certainly seems much more comfortable and happy. + +[Illustration: STRAINED AND MISERABLE.] + +A horse driven with an over-check rein is more likely to fall, as he +cannot see what is before him, and when he does stumble, he cannot +recover his footing quickly. He can no longer move freely and +gracefully, and no doubt he wishes that his master would care more about +his comfort and well-being. Such a horse looks awkward and ill at ease, +and would surely protest for himself if he could. + +[Illustration: MARE AND COLT. By C. Steffeck.] + + + + +CATCHING THE COLT. + + With forehead star, and silver tail, + And three white feet to match, + The gay, half-broken, sorrel colt, + Which one of us could catch? + + "I can!" said Dick, "I'm good for that"; + He slowly shook his empty hat; + "She'll think 'tis full of corn," said he; + "Stand back, and she will come to me." + Her head the shy, proud creature raised + As 'mid the daisy flowers she grazed; + Then down the hill, across the brook, + Delaying oft, her way she took; + Then changed her pace, and, moving quick, + She hurried on, and came to Dick. + "Ha! ha!" he cried, "I've caught you, Beck": + And put the halter round her neck. + + But soon there came another day, + And, eager for a ride, + "I'll go and catch the colt again, + I can," said Dick with pride. + + So up the stony pasture lane, + And up the hill he trudged again; + And when he saw the colt, as slow + He shook his old hat to and fro, + "She'll think 'tis full of corn," he thought, + "And I shall have her quickly caught. + Beck! Beck!" he called; and at the sound, + The restless beauty looked around, + Then made a quick, impatient turn, + And galloped off among the fern. + And when beneath a tree she stopped, + And leisurely some clover cropped, + Dick followed after, but in vain; + His hand was just upon her mane, + When off she flew, as flies the wind, + And, panting, he pressed on behind. + Down through the brake, the brook across, + O'er bushes, thistles, mounds of moss, + Round and around the place they passed, + Till breathless, Dick sat down at last; + Threw by, provoked, his empty hat,-- + "The colt," he said, "remembers that! + There's always trouble from deceit, + I'll never try again to cheat." + MARIAN DOUGLASS. + + + + +A REMARKABLE HORSE-TRAINER. + + +Nearly half a century ago, an American, named John Rarey, made a name +for himself by taming one of the most unruly horses in the world. + +This horse was named Cruiser. He belonged to an English nobleman, and +was a race-horse of fine blood. Unfortunately he had a bad temper. No +groom dared to venture into his stall, and one day, when he had been put +into a public stable, it became necessary to take off the roof of the +building to get him out. After this he was practically left to himself +for three years. His huge bit was loaded with chains, and on his head +was a large muzzle, lined inside and out with iron. No wonder that his +temper grew worse and worse. When any one came near him he screamed with +hate and fury. + +Mr. Rarey had already met with such success in taming horses in his own +country, that it was decided to let him see what he could do with +Cruiser. "Kindness, fearlessness and patience will subdue him," said the +American; "I am not afraid to try." + +When the time came for the trial, and Mr. Rarey threw open the door as +if there were nothing to fear, Cruiser was too much astonished to move. +Before he had made up his mind what he should do, the "kindness, +fearlessness and patience" of Mr. Rarey were at work. One of Cruiser's +fore-feet was gently strapped backward in such a way that he could +neither run nor kick. By another strap on the off fore-foot it was +possible to draw up the other leg, and presently to bring the powerful +creature down upon his knees. All the time this was going on, Mr. Rarey +spoke quietly and encouragingly to him, until at last Cruiser felt that +he had met a master and a friend. + +In three hours Cruiser's owner was able to mount him, and Mr. Rarey's +fortune was made, for the horse was a distinguished individual, whose +return to society was hailed with joy. Queen Victoria expressed her +pleasure at Cruiser's improvement and frequently came to see him and +caress him. + +Cruiser became the property of his tamer, and went with Mr. Rarey +through the principal countries of Europe. Everywhere throngs came to +see him and his still more wonderful master. + +"My mission," said Mr. Rarey, "is to teach men that kindness, patience +and firmness must be used in the management of horses. They are taught +by gentleness and not by harshness." + +Rarey gave free lectures to cabmen and truck-drivers wherever he went, +and the crowned heads of Europe were glad to share the privilege of +hearing and seeing him. Horses that had been frightened and angered by +ill-usage became, under his treatment, mild and easily governed. The +amount of good he accomplished it is not easy to estimate. He died +before he was forty years old, but the lesson he taught is not wholly +forgotten. Just before his death he said: "If I could only get back once +more to the old farm, and put my arms round my dear horses' necks, I +believe I should get well." + + + + +THE ARAB TO HIS HORSE. + + Come, my beauty! come, my desert darling! + On my shoulder lay thy glossy head! + Fear not, though the barley-sack be empty, + Here's the half of Hassan's scanty bread. + + Thou shalt have thy share of dates, my beauty! + And thou know'st my water-skin is free: + Drink and welcome, for the wells are distant, + And my strength and safety lie in thee. + + Bend thy forehead now, to take my kisses! + Lift in love thy dark and splendid eye: + Thou art glad when Hassan mounts the saddle,-- + Thou art proud he owns thee: so am I. + + Let the Sultan bring his boasted horses, + Prancing with their diamond-studded reins; + They, my darling, shall not match thy fleetness + When they course with thee the desert plains! + + We have seen Damascus, O my beauty! + And the splendor of the Pashas there; + What's their pomp and riches? why, I would not + Take them for a handful of thy hair! + BAYARD TAYLOR. + + + + [Illustration: After a painting by Sir Edwin Landseer] + +"WAITING FOR MASTER." + + Though late the master's voice is heard above, + And slowly lag his footsteps on the stair, + No hint of weariness to him ascends + From those who uncomplaining wait him there. + + If patience, faithfulness and perfect love + Are ranked as noble virtues everywhere, + May we not claim for these three loyal friends + A right in such nobility to share? + + + + +PART II + +A GROUP OF WORKERS + + + + +ROBERT'S DREAM. + + +One hot afternoon Robert was playing under the maple tree. He was tired +of his wagon and his train of cars, and he looked about for something +else to play with. "Come here, Prince!" he said to his dog. "Let me put +my hat on your head and play that you are a little boy." + +Prince was sleepy and tired. He did not feel like playing that he was a +little boy. He shook his head until the hat fell off, and Robert struck +him with a stick. Then the poor dog ran away. + +Under the rose-bush was Snowball, the cat, having a good nap. + +"Oh, Snowball!" said Robert, "I will give you a ride." And he tried to +put her into the tiny wagon. + +Snowball did not care to ride. She scratched Robert and ran off as fast +as she could go. + +"What a naughty cat!" said Robert angrily. + +"What a naughty boy!" said Robert's mamma, who had been watching him +from the porch. "It was unkind to disturb Prince and Snowball as you +did. I think you must go and stay by yourself a little while." + +Robert ran upstairs, shut his door very hard, and threw himself upon his +bed. + +It seemed to him that he had been there only a minute when he heard +voices. He looked up and found himself in the garden again. Near him +several dogs and cats were talking. To his surprise he understood what +they said. + +Prince was speaking. "I am tired of living here," he said. "My little +master does not treat me very well. This morning he took me with him +when he went on his bicycle. I was tired out and very hot and thirsty +when we came home, but he would not take the trouble to fill my pan of +water. I asked him plainly for a drink of water, but he laughed at me +and said he was busy." + +"I scratched him to-day," said Snowball. "Perhaps that may teach him not +to hurt me so often. He lifts me by one paw, and yesterday he swung me +about by the tail. I am sure he doesn't know how much he hurts me." + +"You are a brave cat to dare to scratch him," said a sober little +kitten. "We have a baby at our house, and of course I can't scratch a +baby. She pulls my fur and puts her fingers in my eyes. The other +children catch me when I run away, and give me back to her." + +"That is very unfair," said a dog who was walking about. "You must +excuse me for walking while I talk, but I have been chained so long that +I am quite stiff. Of course I run away when the chain is taken off. Who +wouldn't?" + +"But you have enough to eat," said a thin cat who sat under the tree and +who was looking up longingly at the birds. "No one gives me anything to +eat until I cry for it. Then I am scolded for making such a noise. I +should be glad to catch mice, if there were any to be found in our +house." + +"Still, you have a home," said a faint voice. "It is something to be +thankful for, if you have a place to sleep." + +All turned to see where the voice came from. A forlorn cat came out +timidly from the currant bushes. It made Robert's heart ache to look at +her. + +"You had a good home a few weeks ago," said Prince, "though I must say I +hardly knew you when you came up. Do have some of my dinner. I am not +hungry myself." + +"Thank you," said the newcomer gratefully. "Yes, I had a good home, and +the children were kind to me. They have gone to the seashore now, and +the house is shut up. They are not coming back for weeks. I don't +believe I can live till then. I wish I were dead. I should be thankful +if somebody would be kind enough to kill me." + +Her voice died out in a wail of despair. + +Robert's eyes were full of tears, and he began to sob. Then he heard his +mother say: + +"Why, my boy, what are you dreaming about? Wake up, dear. It is almost +supper time, and papa is coming up the street." + +"Oh, mother!" said Robert, "I have had such a bad dream! I am sure I +shall never be cruel to poor Snowball again." + + + + +[Illustration: A FARM YARD] + +ROBERT ON A FARM. + + +When Robert was ten years old, he spent several weeks on a farm. He had +always lived in the city, and he was eager to know something of country +life. + +The farmer, Mr. Spencer, promised to teach Robert all that he could +about the animals on the farm. The boy had not been long in his new home +before he ran to the barn. There were three cows in the barn and two +horses. They looked very comfortable and happy. + +"What wide stalls they have!" said Robert, "and I never saw a cow in a +box stall before." + +"Yes," said James, who was milking the cows, "all these stalls are wide +enough for the cows and horses to lie down whenever they like. Do you +see, too, that the animals face the barn, instead of staring at a blank +wall all day?" + +"It must be more fun to look into the barn than at a few boards," said +Robert, "but I never thought of it before." + +"They like to watch what is going on," said James, "and they have better +air than they would in a close stall." + +"What delicious milk we had last night!" said Robert, stooping to rub +Clover's head, to her great delight. + +"Our cows give good milk," said James. "Mr. Spencer makes his cows +happy, and he finds that it pays. Only last week he sent off a boy +because he made the cows run on the way to the pasture. You know that +injures the cows and spoils the milk." + +"Do they go to pasture every day?" asked Robert. + +"Yes," said Mr. Spencer, who came into the barn just then. "They go +every day in summer, unless there is a heavy rain. Some cows take cold +easily, and should never be out in a long storm. In winter, when it is +not too cold, they have an hour or two in the cow-yard at noon. The barn +is warm, and they have a good bedding of straw. In a cold barn, cows +should be blanketed in freezing weather." + +"Do cows eat anything but hay and grass?" asked Robert. + +"Oh, yes!" said Mr. Spencer. "Cows need a variety in their food, and +plenty of water to drink. My cows eat corn-stalks, carrots, mangel- +wurzels, and sometimes bran and corn-meal mixed." + +"How sleek they look!" said Robert. + +"James cards and brushes them every day, to keep them in good +condition." + +"They seem very friendly," Robert went on. "Clover is not at all afraid +of me." + +"They have never been frightened or hurt," said Mr. Spencer, "and they +are affectionate creatures. Cows are often homesick in a new home with a +strange master, and they grow to love those who are kind to them. I knew +a little boy who tried to comfort a cow for the loss of her calf. She +was very unhappy and the boy did all that he could to show how much he +pitied her. Soon the cow would follow him about the place. When he went +away she was lonely, and when he came back she greeted him with evident +delight." + +"Is it easy to milk a cow?" asked Robert. "It looks easy." + +Mr. Spencer laughed. "It is not so simple as it looks," he said, "but +James will teach you, if you like. My cows never kick, but if you ever +try to milk a cow that kicks, you must be very gentle with her. I have +heard that a cloth wrung out in cold water and laid over her loins will +keep her quiet when other methods fail." + +"I will try to remember that," said Robert. + +"Cows, like most animals, are kind to one another," said Mr. Spencer, +seeing that Robert was interested in the pretty creatures. "I was at +work in the barnyard one day when two cows came up the road to the gate. +They seemed to be looking for something. + +[Illustration: A GROUP OF FRIENDS.] + +"It was a hot, dusty day, and suddenly the thought came to me that they +were looking for some water. I opened the gate, and they went at once to +the trough by the pump. When I had filled the trough they drank as if +they were nearly choked with thirst. + +"As soon as they were satisfied they went away, but in less than an hour +they came back again, bringing three other cows with them. During all +the hot weather these cows came to me every day for water. When I found +out who their owner was I told him the story. + +"'I am ashamed to think that my cows had to go away from home to find +water to drink,' he said. 'In future I will see that they have fresh +water in their own pasture.'" + + + + +ROBERT FEEDS THE POULTRY + + +On his way back to the house Robert met Mrs. Spencer carrying a large +tin dish full of something which looked like hasty pudding. She turned +as she saw Robert, and said pleasantly, "Do you want to help me feed the +chickens?" + +"I should like it very much, thank you," said Robert, and he followed +Mrs. Spencer down behind the barn, where he saw several little houses +opening into small hen-yards enclosed with wire netting. + +"Why do you have all these little houses besides your large hen-house?" +asked Robert. + +"These little yards give the hens a chance to move about and scratch for +their chickens. The old slat-coops were not half so comfortable as +these. It is better, too, that the little chickens should be kept by +themselves. They need to be fed often, and they cannot eat what the +older ones like. In this way each brood is kept with its mother." + +"Will you let me feed them?" asked Robert. + +[Illustration: HEN AND CHICKENS.] + +"Yes," said Mrs. Spencer. "You may put a large spoonful into every yard. +It is better to give them a little at a time; then the food does not +stay on the ground and get dirty and sour." + +"What is this I am giving them?" asked Robert as the chickens ran and +clustered round the food. "They seem to like it." + +"It is Indian meal, thoroughly scalded," said Mrs. Spencer. "Raw or +slightly scalded meal is likely to do them harm." + +"Isn't it fun to watch them!" said Robert. "What else do chickens eat?" + +"They eat a variety of things. The first food I gave these little chicks +was stale bread-crumbs wet in warm water, and I mixed with that the yolk +of one hard-boiled egg. Oatmeal would have been just as good as the +bread-crumbs. I always keep a dish of fresh water, too, in their yard." + +"What nice little houses you have for them!" + +"They are good little houses, tight enough to keep out the rain and +draughts, for hens and chickens must be kept warm and dry. It is +important, too, that their houses and yards and nests should be very +clean." + +"My uncle said it was too much trouble to keep hens, and he sold his +because they did not lay many eggs," said Robert. + +"It is a great mistake to think that we can keep animals of any kind +without some trouble. The horse, the cow, the dog, the cat, the pigs and +hens, all need patient, thoughtful attention. + +"If they are to be well and happy, and do the work for us that we demand +of them, we must feed them well and wisely, keep them clean, give them +fresh water every day, and a comfortable place to sleep in. + +"Unless we are willing to do this, we have no right to keep for our +pleasure any living creature. It is selfish to expect them to do all +they can for us, when we give them as little as we can in return." + +While Mrs. Spencer was saying this, Robert had finished feeding the +chickens, and he was sitting on the grass in front of one yard admiring +a white hen with ten lovely white chickens. "I think these are the +prettiest little chickens I ever saw," he said, "and their mother seems +very proud of them. Is the mother hen always fond of her chickens?" + +"Almost always," Mrs. Spencer replied, "but this white hen you admire so +much is a queer creature. If her chickens are not all white, she will +not own them. + +"We found it out in a strange way. In her last brood all the chickens +were white but one. She was not kind to this one when it was little, and +as it grew older she seemed to like it less and less. + +"One day James saw her drive it away when the other chickens were going +to bed under her wings at night, but he thought she would let it in to +its shelter when the chickens she liked best were safe. The next morning +when James went out to milk the cows, he had a great surprise. + +"A half-grown kitten, which had come to us, was waiting to go into the +barn with him and get the breakfast which James always gave it when he +had milked. In company with this kitten was the poor little chicken that +had been driven away by the hen." + +"That was very strange!" said Robert. + +"We thought so," answered Mrs. Spencer. "After this the kitten and the +chicken became fast friends. They ate together, and slept together in +the barn, and seemed very fond of each other." + +"Did you ever know of another cat that was friendly with a hen or a +chicken?" asked Robert. + +"Yes. I remember that a cat which had been deserted, and had grown very +wild, made friends with our hens. He often used to be seen feeding with +them in the barnyard." + +"I wonder the hens were not afraid of him." + +"They seemed really to pity him and never tried to drive him away. At +first, and for a long time, the cat was so wild he would not let any of +the family come near him. I think he had been ill-treated. At last he +learned that we were his friends, and he became very fond of us. We kept +him until he died of old age." + +"That speckled hen with eleven chickens looks gentle," said Robert. + +"She is brave, too," said Mrs. Spencer. "Last summer, when she was +roaming about with a brood of chickens, a large dog came into the yard +through the gate, which happened to be open. + +"The brave mother hen flew at him and came down on his back. She clung +to him and pecked him with her sharp bill, until he ran howling out of +the yard with the hen on his back." + +"How far did she go with him?" + +"She flew off as soon as he was fairly out of the yard and came clucking +back to her chickens, her feathers all bristled up, as proud a hen as I +ever saw. She is very fond of me. Just see this!" + +Mrs. Spencer opened the door of the little house and called the speckled +hen, who ran out clucking and calling her chickens after her. The whole +brood crowded themselves into Mrs. Spencer's lap, as she sat on the +grass beside the house. + +Robert laughed merrily. "That is the funniest thing I ever saw a hen +do!" + +"I never before had one that would get into my lap," said Mrs. Spencer, +"though my hens often eat out of my hand." + +"I thought hens were too stupid to care for any one," said Robert. + +"I believe it is possible to win the affection of any creature we have +under our care," said Mrs. Spencer. + + + + +[Illustration: A HAPPY FAMILY.] + +HOW TO FEED AND CARE FOR HENS. + + +"Do you give meat to the hens?" asked Robert. + +"They do not need meat in summer," said Mrs. Spencer, "because they +catch bugs and grasshoppers. In the winter, if it seems to be necessary, +it is possible to buy animal food that is prepared for the purpose. + +"I give them potato peelings, or small potatoes mixed with some kind of +meal, and in winter I always warm their food before I give it to them. A +very good supper is whole grain, but in the morning it is better to give +them soft food. + +"They must have lime in some shape to form the eggshells. I give my hens +burnt oyster shells, pounded fine, or clam shells. All the year they +need some kind of green food; if they do not have this they are very +likely to be sick." + +"What do you mean by giving them green food?" asked Robert. "You cannot +get grass in winter." + +"That is true," said Mrs. Spencer, "but you can give them cabbage, which +they like very much, or cooked vegetables. In the spring and summer they +will enjoy the fresh clover. When they are allowed to have free range, +they eat grasshoppers and crickets and do not need meat. + +"All fowls must have some kind of grit with their grain food. Crushed +stone, which can be bought, will supply this need. Fowls must have clean +straw for their nests, and dry earth and plaster or lime must be put on +the floor of the hen-house under the roosts. It is important also to +sprinkle dry sulphur in the nests once in a while, to keep insects away. + +"They like dry earth for their dust bath. Did you ever see a hen lying +down in the dust, and throwing it all over herself? She enjoys this just +as much as you enjoy going into the salt water, and she needs it as much +as you need your bath." + +"I should think a hen would find it hard to know her own chickens." + +"Oh, no! The youngest chicken knows the voice of its mother, and the +mother can tell the difference between the cry of her chickens and the +voices of those which do not belong to her. + +"It is interesting, also, to watch the rooster care for the hens. When +he finds something particularly good, he calls them all around him, and +often he will not eat a morsel until he sees that they are satisfied. + +"Of course there are greedy roosters sometimes, as well as greedy boys +and girls, but usually the rooster is good to the hens. + +"Some thoughtless farmers carry live fowls with their heads hanging +down. This is very cruel. Think how you would like being carried in that +way. It is cruel also to crowd them into little hampers when they have +to be carried to market. + +"Fowls cannot be healthy if kept on the same ground year after year, for +the earth becomes poisoned. They should be moved to new ground every +year, and the soil occupied the year before used to grow grain, grass, +and vegetables; then the fowls could be returned. Unless a movable coop +is used it is a good plan to move the yard from one side of the hen- +house to the other. If the fowls are diseased either through being kept +on poisoned ground or as a result of crowding in taking them to market, +their flesh cannot be wholesome for food. + +"Fowls are sensitive, timid creatures, and should be treated with +kindness. If one cannot take good care of them, it is far better to give +up keeping hens and chickens." + + + + +ROBERT VISITS THE PIGS. + + +"Can I help you about anything this morning?" asked Robert of James, as +he strolled out into the barnyard after breakfast. + +"I am going to feed the pigs," said James. "You may go with me if you +like." + +Robert did not seem very much pleased with this invitation, and, as +James looked surprised, he said: + +"I do not like pigs, they are so dirty. Besides, they are always +squealing, and they live in such a disagreeable place under the barn." + +James smiled. "Come with me and see our pigs," he said; "perhaps you +will like them better than you think." + +James had a large wheelbarrow with him, and on the way he stopped in a +fine field of clover and cut enough of it to fill the wheelbarrow to the +very top. Robert helped him pile up the clover, and he would have liked +to wheel the barrow, but it was too heavy for him. + +They passed on into another field where Robert saw a row of little +houses. Each little house had a yard inclosed by a board fence, which +was not too high for Robert to look over. + +In the first yard was a fine, large sow and six clean little pigs, four +of them white, and the other two black and white. They were frisking +around their mother and playing almost as prettily as young puppies. +There was space enough in the yard to give them plenty of room for their +frolic. + +Robert was so delighted with them that he wanted to feed them, and James +let him put an armful of the sweet clover into the yard. "I have fed +them once this morning," said James. "They had their regular breakfast +before I had mine, which was very early." + +Robert went on to the next yard where a large hog was lying contentedly +in the sun. He gave a cheerful grunt as if to say "thank you," when +James threw some clover over the fence. + +"Here, old fellow, are some acorns!" said James, as he took a handful +from his pocket and flung them over into the clover pile. "That's right. +Hunt them up!" + +Robert laughed to see what a good time the hog was having. As he went on +he saw that all the yards were clean and so were the pigs. There was a +trough of fresh water in each yard, and another trough for the food. + +"I thought all pigs were dirty," said Robert. + +"No, indeed!" said James. "They like to be clean and to have room to run +about. They need to root in the earth and roll in the mud, but they +prefer clean earth and clean mud to the filthy stuff they often get." + +"There's a great difference in mud," said Robert, in such a wise way +that James laughed. "Pigs like sunshine, too," said he, "and when you +have seen me give them a bath you will never say again that they like to +be dirty. We wash them and brush them with a stiff brush, and they think +it great fun." + +"Do they eat anything but scraps from the kitchen?" was Robert's next +question. + +"Of course," said James. "They have milk, beets, potatoes, a little +grain, with plenty of hay, and green or dry clover. I don't give them +much corn because it makes them too fat. In those small troughs I keep a +mixture of clay, salt, ashes, and charcoal so that the pigs can reach it +easily. In winter I always warm their food for them and take great pains +to keep their bedding warm and dry. I am not allowed to give them any +food which isn't sweet and fresh. If I were careless about it I should +lose my place directly. Mr. Spencer made me understand that when I came. +He said that a dirty pig-pen was a disgrace to a farmer and a danger to +the neighborhood." + +"These pigs look as if they knew you," said Robert. "Do you think they +do?" + +"I know they do," said James. "They are as bright as any of the other +animals I take care of. Don't you know the old Welsh saying, 'Happy is +the man who is as wise as a pig'? When they are stupid it is because +they have been ill-treated. If we lived in a dark, damp hole under a +barn we might look a little dull, sometimes. Don't you think so, +Robert?" + + + + +A MORNING'S DRIVE. + + +One beautiful morning, when Robert had been at the farm nearly a week, +Mr. Spencer invited him to take a drive to the sheep-pasture. There was +a large basket in the buggy. "I am taking a little treat to my sheep," +said Mr. Spencer. "Once a week I carry them some chopped carrots and +turnips." + +It was only a short drive to the sheep-pasture. As Robert and Mr. +Spencer went through the gate the sheep came running to meet their +master. They were fine, fat creatures, and so tame that Robert could +stroke their woolly heads and soft noses. + +The pasture was well fenced in, and four horses were near the fence, +under a large tree. Three of them came up to share the carrots and to +hunt in Mr. Spencer's pockets for lumps of sugar. The fourth horse did +not move from where he was lying. + +"Are these your horses?" asked Robert. + +"Only one is mine," said Mr. Spencer. "The others belong to a wise +friend of ours who gives his horses a vacation in the summer. Did you +ever think how many horses work all their lives without any rest worth +mentioning?" + +"No," said Robert slowly. "I never thought of it before. It does seem +hard that they shouldn't have a vacation sometimes." + +"It seems hard that they cannot be sure of a rest on Sunday, at least," +said Mr. Spencer. "Some horses work all the week, and are then driven +for miles on Sunday." + +"Yes," said Robert. "We often see tired horses taking heavy wagonloads +of people to the beach." + +"Horses need to rest one day in seven," said Mr. Spencer. "When horse- +cars were used in New York, it was found that no horse could do good +work unless he had a day of rest once a week. A horse is not a machine. +He suffers just as we do with hunger, thirst, and fatigue. Sometimes he +needs a dentist or a doctor, just as we do." + +As Mr. Spencer talked he was walking toward the white horse under the +tree. The horse got up stiffly and slowly, and rubbed his nose against +Mr. Spencer's shoulder. + +"Oh, what a wretched-looking old horse!" said Robert. "He doesn't belong +to you, does he?" + +Mr. Spencer patted the horse's neck and gave him a few lumps of sugar. + +"This horse isn't old," he said, "but he is worn out with hard work and +abuse. He doesn't look like my other horses, does he?" + +"No, indeed!" said Robert. "How did you happen to own him?" + +"A few years ago," said Mr. Spencer, "he was a fine young horse. He +belonged to a man I knew who thought little of the comfort of the +animals in his care. I doubt very much if this poor horse ever wore +a blanket in cold weather, and I know that many a time a frosty bit +was put into his mouth." + +"Does a bit need to be warmed?" asked Robert. + +"Oh, no!" said Mr. Spencer. "If it is held in cold water a few minutes +the frost will come out of it, and there will be no danger of making the +horse's mouth sore. The owner of this horse would never have taken the +trouble to do that. His one thought was to be in the fashion. So he had +poor Whitey's coat clipped, bought a curb-bit for him, and cut off his +long tail." + +"What a cruel man!" said Robert warmly. + +"There are many others like him," said Mr. Spencer. "They do not see how +helpless a horse is when his head is drawn back with an over-check or +hurt by a curb-bit and when he has no chance to drive away the flies +that torment him. To cut off a horse's tail not only hurts him very much +at the time, but makes him miserable afterwards." + +"If I were a horse and were treated like that, I'd run away," said +Robert. + +"That is just what old Whitey did," said Mr. Spencer. "He ran away. Then +his owner sold him to a grocer." + +"Our grocer is very good to his horses," said Robert. "I hope this one +was, too." + +"No," said Mr. Spencer. "Poor Whitey grew more and more miserable. The +boys who drove the wagon whipped him and teased him. They cared little +whether or not he had a good dinner, and water to drink, and time to +rest at noon. At night they often forgot to rub him down, and sometimes, +after a long, hard day's work, he went without his supper." + +"That was mean!" Robert's voice quivered with indignation. + +"One day last March," went on Mr. Spencer, "I saw the poor fellow +standing in the cold wind and rain, with no blanket on. His head was +down and he was shivering with cold. I could hardly believe that it was +the same horse I had known a few years ago. To make a long story short, +I bought him for a small sum and took him to a stable near by. There I +saw him well rubbed down and fed with warm bran-mash. After a few days I +brought him out here. He is very happy and comfortable, but it will take +him all summer to get well. He can do only light work for the rest of +his life." + +"Does he need any food but hay and grass?" Robert asked, as he held out +a handful of sweet clover to Whitey. + +"If he were working, he should have plenty of oats," said the farmer; +"and all horses need a bran-mash once a week, at least." + +"Will his tail ever grow again?" asked Robert. + +"No," said Mr. Spencer," but I rub him with an ointment which the flies +do not like. I use it for all my horses and cows." + +"I wish I could buy all the worn-out horses in the world and send them +here," said Robert. + +Mr. Spencer laughed. "I should need a big pasture," he said. "See the +sheep in the brook, Robert! They enjoy running water as much as the cows +and horses do." + +"Do sheep need much care?" asked Robert, who found farm life very +interesting. + +"They need to be protected from stray dogs and to have a shelter from +the cold and storms. Otherwise they give very little trouble. They +should always keep their warm wool coats until the cold spring winds are +over. Some farmers are very thoughtless about this, and their sheep and +lambs suffer and die from cold. It would make your heart ache to see, as +I have often seen, the little dead lambs in the bleak pastures." + +"I'll remember that, when I have my farm," said Robert, with ready +sympathy. "I'll have my sheep keep their coats on, just as I wear my +reefer, until it is warm." + + + + +THE AIR-GUN + + +On the way home from the sheep-pasture, Mr. Spencer saw a boy by the +side of the road with an air-gun in his hands. + +"There is Frank Weston shooting birds," he said, stopping his horse. +"What are you shooting, Frank?" + +"English sparrows, Mr. Spencer," said the boy, coming forward. "My +father said I might shoot all I could find. There's one, now." + +"You are mistaken," said Mr. Spencer quietly. "That is a song sparrow +and a native of our fields." + +"Oh, yes, so it is!" said the boy carelessly. "But there are plenty of +English sparrows. I shot five yesterday. They do ever so much harm, Mr. +Spencer." + +"They certainly do some good, also," said the farmer. "They eat +cankerworms and other harmful insects. They are said to devour that +troublesome pest, the tree caterpillar, which no other bird will touch." + +Frank looked thoughtful for a minute. Then he said: "A boy wants to have +some fun with his gun." + +"It seems to me," said the farmer, "that it would be more fun to shoot +at a mark than to give pain to some living creature. But a gun is a poor +toy, at the best, Frank. Ask your father for a good pair of opera- +glasses, and study the birds instead of killing them. We know very +little yet about any of them. See if you can't bring me a bit of news +about some of our feathered neighbors before the summer is over. I'm a +real bird-gossip, you know, and I'm always anxious to hear of what is +going on in their homes." + +"All right, sir," said Frank, smiling into his friend's kindly eyes. +"I'm afraid it will be hard work to find out anything that you don't +know already, but I'll try." + +Mr. Spencer drove on for a few minutes in silence. + +"I never could understand why boys are always trying to hit something," +he said at last. "When they haven't an air-gun, they throw stones and +snowballs. I could tell you of some serious accidents from stone- +throwing. A little friend of mine was killed by falling from a horse +which had been frightened by a snowball. It is disgraceful that there +should be no strict laws to forbid that kind of play." + +Robert's cheeks and ears were beginning to burn. + +"Father won't give me an air-gun," he said, presently. "He says it will +make me hard-hearted to kill anything--even English sparrows. But I +thought all boys threw snowballs." + +"Perhaps they do," said Mr. Spencer. "I wish they could know some of the +risks they run and the pain they give. I have seen little girls come +home from school, crying and hurt, and I knew they had been snowballed." + +"They were pretty mean boys who did that," began Robert. "We don't throw +snowballs at girls." + +"Tired old men and hard-working horses and other busy workers are not +much better targets," said Mr. Spencer, and again Robert's cheeks +flamed. "Perhaps, however, your snowballs always go just where you +intend to have them. That makes it safer, of course." + +The farmer's tone was so polite that Robert looked up suspiciously. +There was a twinkle in the kind, gray eyes. + +"Now, Robert," said Mr. Spencer, good-humoredly, "you have heard me +preach a good many sermons since you came. Let me tell you just one +thing to remember. Don't do anything, to any living creature, which you +wouldn't enjoy if you were in its place." + +"Why, that's the Golden Rule," said Robert. + +"I know it," said the farmer, as he drove into the clean, pleasant yard, +"but I never heard that the Golden Rule wouldn't work wherever it was +tried." + + + + +APRIL SONG. + + Now willows have their pussies, + Now ferns in meadow lands + Hold little downy leaflets, + Like clinging baby hands. + Like rosy baby fingers + Show oak-leaves 'gainst the blue; + The little ones of nature + Are ev'rywhere in view. + + There's purring in a sunbeam + Where Tabby's babies play. + The hen is softly brooding, + Her chickens came to-day. + Up in the crimson maple + The mother robin sings; + The world is full of caring + For little helpless things. + MARY E. WILKINS. +From "Songs of Happy Life," by permission of publishers. + + + + +EARTHWORMS AND SNAKES. + + +The little earthworm, crawling across the garden path or burrowing its +way into the loose soil, seems very common and insignificant, but it is +a most useful servant to man. + +Without the earthworms it would be difficult for us to live. It is by +their help that grass grows for the cattle, and the garden yields food +for our own use. + +Long before any one thought of making a plough, the hard lumps of earth +were broken up by the slender bodies of the earthworms. These worms have +no eyes or feelers or feet, but they have, on each ring of their bodies, +four pairs of bristles, which aid them in making their way through the +earth. + +Air is let into the soil through the holes that the worms make, and the +moisture is drained away. Thus the roots of the plants are kept in good +condition. + +Worms are useful in another way. They can make poor soil into rich +mould. This they do by swallowing earth and dried leaves. + +After passing through the body of the worm, the earth is cast up in +little heaps, which are soon scattered by the wind and rain. Hundreds of +these "casts" may be seen in any large garden, and thus the whole +surface is constantly changing. + +In this way fields which were unfit for crops of any kind are made ready +for the farmer's use. In some places it has been found that ten tons of +dry earth on every acre are made into good soil each year by the worms. + +No gardener can prepare fine mould for plants so well as the worms can +do it, and no farmer can so carefully make ready his fields. + +There are some creatures which are commonly disliked and avoided because +they are not attractive to look at. Often this is a mere prejudice +against them, and careful study reveals a beauty not noticed before. +There is a very general and absurd feeling against snakes which is the +cause of much unnecessary suffering. This fear is so common that for +many children and grown people a walk in the woods and fields loses half +its pleasure. + +Most of our common snakes are harmless and are useful in destroying +insects. Instead of shuddering with horror at the little green snake, +watch him as carefully as you can. Soon you will begin to wonder how he +can go so fast, what he eats, and where he makes his home. You will find +that he is not at all like the earthworm. He belongs to a very different +class of animals, but he is as innocent as the worm of any wish to do +you harm. He prefers to be left to himself in the long grass, but you +may be sure if he should glide over your feet, or across your hand, he +would not hurt you at all. + + + + +HUMANITY. + + Turn, turn thy hasty foot aside, + Nor crush that helpless worm! + The frame thy wayward looks deride + Required a God to form. + + The common Lord of all that move, + From whom thy being flowed, + A portion of his boundless love + On that poor worm bestowed. + + Let them enjoy their little day, + Their humble bliss receive; + Oh! do not lightly take away + The life thou canst not give! + T. GISBORNE. + + + + +ANTS, BEES, AND WASPS. + + +Ants, bees, and wasps belong to the same family of insects. The ant, to +begin with the smallest, is a good proof that size has little to do with +intelligence. + +These little people, as King Solomon said of them long ago, "are +exceeding wise." A long chapter might be filled with an account of the +wonderful things they do. In this country there are ants who are +farmers. They plant their fields, keep them carefully weeded, and gather +each year the seed for the new crops. They make roads, build bridges, +and fashion wonderful houses with underground storerooms and galleries. +If their harvest gets wet, it is brought out to dry on the first sunny +day, and then carried back again with the greatest pains. + +Other ants are master-builders and make elaborate houses of more than +forty stories. These houses are made of bits of stick and straw. Some +ants are soldiers, others are gardeners, while still others are famous +bridge-builders. The red ants make slaves of black ants and become very +dependent upon the faithfulness and industry of their servants. Many +ants keep as cows the small green plant-lice on the rose-bushes. These +tiny green cows fill themselves full of a sweet juice which they make +from the plant-leaf. The little people like the sweet juice and have +found out that they can get it by stroking the cows. So they keep herds +of fat cattle and often mount guard round the branch or tree where their +cows are feeding. + +Ants have a keen sense of smell and a wonderful way of talking to each +other by touching their antennae. They must have a complete set of +signals, for they are able to carry on a long conversation. + +How do we know so much about them? Wise men have spent years in studying +their ways. There was a blind Swiss naturalist, named Huber, who, with +the aid of his servant, was able to learn more of ants and their doings +than any one had dreamed of before. It was Huber who found out that ants +go to war and make slaves. In England another famous observer noticed +that ants knew and welcomed each other after ten and twelve months of +separation. + +It would be interesting to know what the ants think of us, who in some +ways are no wiser than themselves. How blundering and clumsy we must +seem when with careless feet we crush millions of the innocent dwellers +in their underground cities! Surely we might try not to disturb the +little people in the wonderful homes they have made. + +Bees and wasps are cousins of the ants. They have four wings, the front +pair being the larger. In flight the two wings on each side are hooked +together so as to form one broad wing. + +We all know how helpful bees are to us. They lay up enough honey to feed +themselves through the winter, and we think this a very desirable +addition to our own table. The wax they make for their houses is useful +to us in more ways than one. But they help us in another way, which is +still more curious and interesting. While the bee is burrowing for honey +in the heart of some deep blossom, the yellow flower-dust, or pollen, +sticks to its hairy body and legs. When it flies to the next flower, +some of this dust is brushed off and falls in the right place to make +the seeds in that flower grow. So, without knowing it, the bee is +helping us in our gardening. Some plants would never bear fruit if the +bees did not carry the pollen from one flower to another. + +Next to the ants, the bees are the most intelligent insects we know. +They make wax houses of beautiful shapeliness, and they rear their +little ones with great wisdom and care. There is always a queen bee, and +no real princess is more royally tended than are the princess bees. They +are fed on different food from that of the other babies, and the royal +cradles are of the finest quality. Should all the princesses die, one of +the common bees is put into the royal cradle and fed upon the dainty +food, and she often makes quite as good a queen as if she were born in +the purple. + +Bees seldom sting if they are let alone. They are easily frightened by a +sudden movement and will try to defend themselves. If a bee alights by +mistake on your hand or face, it will soon fly away without hurting you +if you can keep quite still. As a rule, they are good-tempered and +harmless. + +Wasps have not earned for themselves a reputation for good-nature or +thrift. They have never learned to store up honey, and every winter many +of them freeze to death in their elegant paper houses. It is considered +wise not to handle a wasp, lest his feelings, which are easily ruffled, +get the better of him. But there is room to admire his good looks, his +skill in house-building, and his sturdy pluck and courage. + +[Illustration: PAPER-MAKERS.] + +Wasps do much good in the garden by destroying grubs and caterpillars, +and they are quite willing to take their wages in overripe fruit at the +end of the season. + + + + +A LITTLE BLACK SLAVE. + + +I am going to tell you about a little slave who lived in France. Her +name was Alerta, and she was a tiny black ant. + +Not far from Paris there lived a colony of red ants--great lazy fellows +who would not work and who would hardly find food for themselves. They +thought that a set of slaves would help them very much. + +"If we had slaves," they said, "we should not have to milk our cows or +take care of our children." + +So one fine morning they set out to conquer some weaker colony and make +slaves of the prisoners of war. + +It was not long before they came upon a nest of black ants. + +"These are good workers," said the lazy red ants. "They will make good +servants." So they fell upon the nests and carried off all the baby +ants. + +"We could never carry the older ones so far," said the red ants, "but +these children will grow up before long." + +This was true. Soon Alerta was a fine, strong young ant. One morning her +mistress tapped her on the shoulder. + +"Do get me some food, please," said she. + +"What would you like, and where shall I get it?" asked Alerta briskly. +She was glad to have something to do. + +"Oh, run outside," said the red ant, "and you will find our cows grazing +on a rose-bush near the door." + +Alerta ran up the narrow winding passage-way and came out in the warm +sunlight. Numbers of slaves were running about, but they were all so +busy that Alerta did not like to stop them. At last, however, she saw +one of them approach a small green insect which was clinging to a leaf, +and tap it gently. A big drop of honey came out of the little insect, +and the ant passed on to another. + +"Those must be the cows," thought Alerta, and she hastened to follow her +companion's example. She found that the honey was very sweet and +delicious. Soon she had a good supply for her hungry mistress and was +about to return to the nest, when she met another servant. + +"Where are you going?" asked Alerta. + +"I am head-nurse in a large family of children," said the other slave. +"They need all my time and attention. I mustn't stop to talk, thank +you," and she hurried on. + +"I wonder," thought Alerta, "what would become of the red ants if it +were not for us. They seem to be a very helpless people." Then she went +back to her mistress. + +"Now," said the red ant, when she had eaten all she wanted, "please +carry me to bed." + +"I wonder if I can lift her," thought Alerta doubtfully, as she looked +at her heavy companion. "Still, I can try." So, with many stumbles and +stops, and a great deal of panting, she bore the large ant to the place +she pointed out as her bedroom. + +"That will do," said the sleepy lady. "Now go and give the children a +bath, and as soon as the sun is warmer, carry them up into the air." + +Alerta ran off to find the nursery. The soldiers were on guard at the +door, but they let her go by when she told them her errand. Some of the +babies were being fed, while others were already on their way upstairs. +Alerta was about to pick up one of the children when a cry came from +above. + +"Take the children down at once. It is going to rain!" + +Down the passage-way swarmed a crowd of nurses with their charges. + +"No," cried another voice, "it is not rain. Some one is flooding our +house." + +Great was the terror of the hard-working nurses. "Can we get the +children to a safe place?" was their first thought. + +"What shall I do?" cried Alerta. She was thoroughly frightened. + +"Your first duty is to the children," said an older ant. "You see that +not one of us is looking out for herself. But I think we shall be able +to stay here after all. See! the water is going down." + +At this moment a stern voice was heard outside. It was the first time +that Alerta had heard human speech, but she understood every word. + +"What a mean, cruel thing to do!" it said. "Were the ants doing any harm +to you? In future, remember that you are never to hurt or frighten any +creature, even the smallest of them, for your own poor pleasure or +amusement. I am ashamed of you, my son." + +"Now we are safe," said the ants joyfully. "Let us go on with our work. +This is a great day for us. That boy will not harm us again." + +Adapted from an English story. + + + + +A BUTTERFLY'S WING. + + +When a great green worm crawls across our path, we shrink with disgust +because we are too ignorant to see its real beauty. But when, after a +few weeks, a gorgeous creature is seen waving its exquisite wings in the +summer twilight, we all are ready to admire the caterpillar in its new +dress. + +Moths and butterflies are among the loveliest things living. Moths fly +at night, spread their wings when resting, and have no knobs at the ends +of their antennae. Butterflies love the sunshine and fold their wings +over their backs when at rest. Their antennae are thickened at the ends. + +To some people, catching butterflies seems a harmless sport, especially +if the pretty creature is soon released and allowed to flutter away in +the sunshine. Those who have studied them, however, say that much +suffering is caused in this way. + +On the surface of the wing are soft, tiny feathers, set row upon row +like shingles on a house. There are over two million feathers on each +wing. When the butterfly is held in hot, hasty hands, these feathers are +rubbed off and do not grow again. It is very much as if we should have +our teeth pulled out, or our hair torn out by the roots. When we think +of the shock and pain, and of the helplessness that will surely follow, +catching butterflies no longer seems an innocent pleasure. + + + + +TO A BUTTERFLY. + +Poor harmless insect, thither fly, + And life's short hour enjoy; +'Tis all thou hast, and why should I + That little all destroy? + +Why should my tyrant will suspend + A life by wisdom giv'n, +Or sooner bid thy being end + Than was designed by Heav'n? + +To bask upon the sunny bed, + The damask flowers to kiss, +To range along the bending shade + Is all thy life of bliss. + +Then flutter still thy silken wings, + In rich embroidery drest, +And sport upon the gale that flings + Sweet odors from his vest. + JANE TAYLOR. + + + + +CUNNING BEE. + + Said a little wandering maiden + To a bee with honey laden, + "Bee, at all the flowers you work, + Yet in some does poison lurk." + + "That I know, my little maiden," + Said the bee with honey laden; + "But the poison I forsake, + And the honey only take." + + "Cunning bee with honey laden, + That is right," replied the maiden; + "So will I, from all I meet, + Only draw the good and sweet." + ANON. + + + + +GRASSHOPPER AND CRICKET. + + The poetry of earth is never dead! + When all the birds are faint with the hot sun, + And hide in cooling trees, a voice will run + From hedge to hedge about the new-mown mead; + That is the grasshopper's, he takes the lead + In summer luxury; he has never done + With his delights, for when tired out with fun + He rests at ease beneath some pleasant weed. + The poetry of earth is ceasing never: + On a lone winter evening, when the frost + Has wrought a silence, from the stove there shrills + The cricket's song, in warmth increasing ever; + And seems to one in drowsiness half lost + The grasshopper's among some grassy hills + JOHN KEATS + + + + +PATIENT WEAVERS. + + +Is a spider an insect? If you have thought so, you have been +mistaken. Insects are made up of three distinct parts; they +always have six legs, and they breathe through air-tubes along +the sides of their bodies. + +Spiders breathe through lungs as we do. Their bodies are in +two sections, and instead of six legs they have eight. They have +six or eight eyes on the top of the head. The spider spins from +her body a silk so fine that we can scarcely see it, of which +she makes a web as carefully measured as if she had a foot +rule. In fact, she has a useful pair of compasses in the shape +of claws at the ends of her fore legs. + +The spider is one of the most industrious, cleanly, and patient workers +in the world. More than six hundred separate strands go to make one +slender thread of her web. She can choose, moreover, whether she will +spin a fine or coarse, a dry or spangled thread for the particular work +she has in hand. + +In an hour a spider will make a web more than half a yard across, and of +a strength wonderful in proportion to its size. Steel wire of the same +thickness as a spider's thread would be less than two-thirds as strong. + +The spider is a devoted mother, and will die with her little ones rather +than leave them. Some kinds of spiders carry their babies about with +them, while others fasten their cradles to a crevice in the wall. +Spiders are very useful to us in destroying the flies and troublesome +insects that annoy us. Though spiders are often called cruel, they never +torture their victims, but kill them at once by means of a poisonous +fluid which is said to deaden pain. + +One day when the Scotch king, Robert Bruce, lay sick and discouraged in +a lonely shed, he watched the patient efforts of a spider to repair its +web. Six times she tried to throw the frail thread from one beam to +another, and six times she failed. + +"Six times have I been beaten in battle," said Bruce. "I know how to +pity that poor spider." + +But the spider was not discouraged. A seventh time she flung her thread, +and this time she succeeded in fastening it to the beam. + +Bruce sprang to his feet. "I will try once more," he said, and went +forth to victory. Since that day, the story goes, no member of the +family of Bruce will injure a spider. + + + + +THE WOODMOUSE. + +Do you know the little woodmouse, + That pretty little thing, +That sits among the forest leaves, + Or by the forest spring? +Its fur is red like the chestnut, + And it is small and slim, +It leads a life most innocent, + Within the forest dim. + +It makes a bed of the soft, dry moss, + In a hole that's deep and strong, +And there it sleeps secure and warm, + The dreary winter long; +And though it keeps no calendar, + It knows when flowers are springing, +And it waketh to its summer life, + When nightingales are singing. + MARY HOWITT. + + + + +A MOUSE'S STORY. + + +Men call me a thief. I wonder if they are right. I used to live in the +fields, and I found nuts and acorns in the woods for my little family. +Then a man came. He dug up my field and planted his own crops. He +destroyed my home and killed my little children. He said that the nuts +were his, and the field, too, was his. I thought they were mine. + +Now I have to live on what I can find near his house. I am sure I eat a +great deal that he would not care for. Usually I am half-starved. It +seems to me as if the world were big enough for me to have a corner of +it in peace. + +I dare say the man thinks that he is wholly in the right. He says I am +very troublesome, and he sets a trap every night to catch me. One night +I was caught by the paw, and held for hours in an agony of fright and +pain. I have been lame ever since. He would have been kinder if he had +killed me outright. + +There is another dreadful trap which does not hurt at all at first, and +it is often used for this reason. There is a little door which opens +easily, and you find yourself in a wire house. There you starve to +death, unless some one comes to drown you. If we are to be caught in +traps, I wish that we might be put out of pain at once. + + + + +WISE RATS. + + +Rats are clever and intelligent, and in their way are very useful. In +large cities they eat the garbage which collects in harbors and at the +mouths of drains. This would cause sickness if it were not removed. + +Although the rat's work takes him into the foulest places, he always +keeps himself neat and tidy. To wash his coat he uses his tongue and +paws in the same way that a cat uses hers, and he invariably takes such +a bath after he has been eating or working. + +Rats are disliked and hunted by men, yet they often shield our homes +from the danger of disease. When rats infest a place it is proof that +there is work for them to do, and though they may easily become a +plague, we should remember that it was probably our own carelessness +which first brought them. + +The intelligence shown by rats is remarkable. They have frequently been +known to carry eggs up and down stairs in their paws; one rat pushing +the egg and others receiving it. It happened, one day, that a trap was +set and carefully watched. A young rat was about to step upon the fatal +spring, when the watcher saw an old rat rush to the rescue. The little +one was seized by the tail and promptly dragged off to his hole. +Probably he was told to be less reckless in future. + +Rats have great courage and devotion, as many stories prove. Once, when +some rats were being driven from a ship, a young rat was seen carefully +making its way along a rope, with an old and feeble rat upon its back. +It shrank from the stick in a seaman's hand, and it might easily have +saved its own life if it had been willing to leave its companion. +Instead of running away, however, it went on bravely and carefully in +the face of danger. The gallant animal was allowed to reach a place of +safety, amid the cheers of the crew, who knew how to appreciate such +devotion and sacrifice. + +Rats are said to become warmly attached to the friends who care for +them. A minister had a pet rat which liked to sit on his desk. One day, +having poked its nose into the ink-bottle, the rat was in evident +discomfort in consequence. The minister went for a saucer of water, +saying, "There, wash your face!" The neat little fellow carefully +scrubbed its inky nose, first with one paw and then with the other, +holding up at last a clean and satisfied face for its friend's +inspection. + +While rats may be useful and brave and wise, they are not good +housemates. Cleanliness and care, however, are usually sufficient to +keep them out of houses and storerooms, and a good cat makes an +excellent policeman. In our wish to be rid of the company of the rats +there is no excuse for treating them with cruelty. + + + + +THE SQUIRREL'S STORY. + + +Do you know who planted that little butternut tree in the field? I +planted it; I, a tiny gray squirrel. + +To tell the truth, I did not think of setting out a tree when I dropped +my nut in the ground. I meant to leave it in a safe place until I was +ready to eat it, and I forgot where it was. The first thing I knew it +was sending up a fine green shoot through the loose earth. + +I suppose you think I steal your nuts. Please remember that I plant nut +trees, too. That ought to be put down to my credit. + +I have a very pleasant home, high up in a large elm tree. It is +carefully hidden so that the boys may not see it. That is the most +important thing to think of in building a house. + +My house is made of the smallest twigs, of dry grass, and of straw that +I found in the field. I built it near a house where all the family are +kind to me. The children feed me with apples and nuts. + +I have had some happy days in my life, but I have had some sad ones, +too. The saddest days were when I lost my two little children. + +The brightest child I ever had was Chippy. He liked to ask questions and +look at every new thing he saw. This was all very well if he had been a +little more careful. One day when I was away, Chippy saw a box under the +tree. Down he went to see what was in the box. Of course you know what +happened. Chippy was caught in a trap. + +[Illustration: LITTLE FREEHOLD. By S. J. Carter.] + +The boy who had set the trap carried Chippy home and put him in a cage. +He was kind to the little fellow and gave him fruit and nuts to eat. +Still Chippy was not happy. He longed for the green trees and a frolic +in the open fields. + +For several days after Chippy was caught, I was very unhappy, but I +tried to be cheerful for the sake of my dear little Bushy Tail. Then I +lost this little one in a way that is almost too sad to think of. + +Bushy Tail was playing in a tree one day, running up and down and +jumping from limb to limb, when some boys saw him among the green +leaves. + +They began at once to stone him. Poor little Bushy Tail ran up the tree +as far as he could, but at last a stone hit him. For a minute he clung +trembling to the branch, and I hoped he was not hurt, but another stone +struck him and he fell. + +The boys shouted when they saw him fall, but a little girl ran and +picked him up so gently that I have loved her ever since that day. I was +his mother, but I could not help him. + +She carried him to a house near by and put him in a box filled with soft +grass, but the little fellow was badly hurt. Three days later I saw her +bury him in her little garden, and I knew his pain was over. + +I went home feeling that I could never be happy again, but a great +surprise was in store for me. When I had climbed up to my nest, there +sat Chippy, safe and sound. + +"My dearest Chippy, how did you get out of the cage?" I asked. + +"Frank let me out," said the joyful Chippy. "He was watching me this +morning, and at last he said, 'Chippy, I don't believe I should like +to run in a wheel if I had been used to running in trees. I think +those wires must make your feet sore. I am sure I should like my own +home better than this dull cage. Chippy, old fellow, I am going to +let you out.' + +"Didn't I run! I forgot to say 'Thank you,' I was so happy, but I think +he knew how glad I was." + + + +FORBEARANCE. + +Hast thou named all the birds without a gun? +Loved the wood-rose, and left it on its stalk? +At rich men's tables eaten bread and pulse? +Unarmed, faced danger with a heart of trust? +And loved so well a high behavior, +In man or maid, that thou from speech refrained, +Nobility more nobly to repay? +O, be my friend, and teach me to be thine! + RALPH WALDO EMERSON. + + + + +THE STEEL TRAP. + + +In a little village in the northwestern part of America there once lived +a boy named Amos Hunt. In that part of the country the trade in furs is +extensively carried on, and Amos frequently caught some of the smaller +wild animals in his steel traps. + +One morning, early in the winter, Amos went into the woods to look at +two of his traps. As he came near the first one, he saw that a fine +mountain mink was caught in it. The poor creature was struggling to +escape, but the teeth of the trap held its leg so firmly that the more +it tried to get away, the more cruelly its flesh was torn. + +Amos ran toward the trap, when suddenly his foot slipped, and he was +thrown violently to the ground. He felt a sharp pain in his ankle, which +was held fast so that he could not move. He was caught in the other +trap, which, in his excitement, he had forgotten. + +He was not frightened at first, for he thought he could easily set +himself free, but the chain would not yield an inch. Soon his ankle +began to swell, causing him the most intense pain when he tried to move. +The teeth of the trap pressed closer and closer into the aching flesh, +and he knew that he could only wait for help to come to him. + +Not far from where he lay was the mink, suffering similar agony, and +after struggling in vain to set himself free Amos watched the +frightened, trembling little creature. It panted with terror, uttering +now and then low moans of pain. + +For the first time, Amos realized how cruel he had been, and as he +thought of the long hours which would pass before any one came to look +for him, he wished that he might at least set his fellow-sufferer free. + +"Poor little creature!" he said. "This may be a punishment for my +cruelty. I know now how much pain my traps have given." + +No one came and the long day went by. Night darkened, and the woods were +cold and dreary. Amos was chilled through, and thought with longing of +the warm fire at home. The little mink was still now. Amos hoped its +sufferings were over. He almost wished that his own might end in the +same way. + +Suddenly, very early in the morning, there was a noise in the bushes, +and a man came towards the traps. He saw at once what was the matter and +ran to set the boy free. + +"Now," said he, "you must get on my back and I will try to carry you +home." + +"Wait a minute," said Amos. "I have a fellow-prisoner there in that +other trap. If he is dead, I wish you would bury him. No one shall ever +have his fur to sell, and I will never catch another animal in that +fashion." + +The hunter walked over to the other trap and looked at the mink closely. + +"I think it is still alive," he said. + +"Put my comforter round it," said Amos. "I am going to take it home." + +So the mink was carefully wrapped in the comforter and laid in the +hunter's bag. Then they started homewards. There was great rejoicing +when the missing lad appeared, and the little mink was taken out of the +bag by gentle hands and kindly cared for. It became tame and +affectionate, and when it was quite well again Amos took it to the +mountains and let it go free. + +As for the boy trapper, that was the last time that he ever set a trap +for any of the creatures of the woods. "Even a cage-trap must cause much +suffering from fright," Amos would say. "I shall not soon forget how +terrible it is to be a prisoner." + +Adapted from a story by Mrs. C. Fairchild Allen. + + + + One lesson, shepherd, let us two divide, + Never to blend our pleasure or our pride + With sorrow of the meanest thing that feels. + WORDSWORTH. + + + + +THE RABBIT. + + +Rabbits are such gentle, pretty, furry little creatures that boys and +girls like to make pets of them. A caged pet needs much more care and +intelligent kindness than one that can run free, and the poor little +rabbit is often made very miserable. + +A boy or girl who is truly kind can take little pleasure in playing +jailer to some unhappy prisoner who longs for the sunshine and green +grass. Sometimes, however, the care of such a pet is forced upon one, +and it is well to know how to make imprisonment as easy as possible. + +The rabbit lives on vegetable food, cropping leaves and grass, and +gnawing the young shoots of trees. Its teeth are beautifully adapted to +the purpose. In the front of both jaws are two long, flat teeth, with, +sharp edges like a chisel. As so much filing and scraping wear away the +teeth very fast, these keep on growing from the root. Each upper front +tooth meets one in the lower jaw, so that the constant rubbing against +each other keeps both the right length. Sometimes one tooth is broken +and the other goes on growing till it stands out like the tusk of an +elephant. Then the poor rabbit, unable to gnaw its food, dies of +starvation. + +A tame rabbit should have carrots and turnips to gnaw, and sometimes +young tree-twigs and cabbage stalks. If it has nothing hard to rub its +teeth against, they will grow too fast, and the rabbit will be unable to +bite anything. + +[Illustration: AN INTERESTING FAMILY. By S. J. Carter.] + +In feeding tame rabbits, try to give them their green food with the dew +upon it. A sprinkling of fresh water will answer the same purpose. They +need plenty of water, and both food and drink must be kept fresh and +sweet. Rabbits love the sunshine. They were made to live in warm, sunny +lands, and they are too often shut up in cold, damp places. + +A rabbit is the most timid creature in the world, but the devoted little +mother will fight for her babies if she sees them in any danger. When +she burrows in the warm, sandy earth to make a snug home for her family, +she strips the soft fur from her own breast to line the beds of grass +for her little ones to sleep in. Sometimes a mother rabbit's chest is +raw and bleeding for days after making her nest. She is timid because +she is so defenseless, but no one can call her a coward. Timid folk are +often braver in times of real danger than the strong and daring ones. + +Rabbits require variety in their food as much as we do. In summer there +are many weeds which are a great treat to them. Dandelion, plantain, +clover, grass and hay, with an occasional sprig of parsley, will give +them much pleasure. In winter they may have carrots, turnips, and +parsnips with barley meal and some oats. Too much green food is likely +to make them ill, and too much grain is equally harmful. If we prevent +them from finding their own food, we ought to give them the best we can, +so that they may be well and happy. + + + + +DAVID'S STORY. + + +A man was fishing by the river. Splashes near by, round the bend, +sounded now and then. David grumbled mildly to himself. Voices rose +suddenly, and the splashing ceased. Presently a small boy came breaking +through the bushes. + +"Well, Sammy?" said David inquiringly. + +"It's mean," said Sammy, in an explosive fashion. "A boy came and +spoiled all my fun. Now I haven't anything to do." + +"Too bad," said David. "How was it?" + +"I was throwing stones at the biggest bullfrog you ever saw. That boy +came along and made him jump." + +"Anything else?" asked David. His voice was calmly indifferent. + +"He said I was a coward," added the small boy. + +"So you are!" said David. "The meanest kind of coward I know." + +Sammy sat down on a flat rock to consider this astonishing remark. David +drew up a lively fish, which he killed with a sharp blow on the back of +its head. + +"What did you do that for?" asked Sammy, glad to change the subject. + +"To save his feelings," was the brief answer. + +"Ho!" said Sammy contemptuously. "He hasn't any feelings." + +"Nonsense!" said David in sudden wrath. "Does he wriggle? Yes. Why? +Because he suffers out of water. I've caught him to eat, and I owe it to +him not to make him suffer any more than is necessary. What did that boy +say to you about the frogs?" + +"He said frogs were good for something in the pond." + +"So they are," said David. "When they are growing up they live on the +decaying weeds and the rubbish which would be dangerous if left in +stagnant water. What else did he say?" + +"He said they were pretty," said Sammy scornfully. + +"That's true, too," said David. "That boy knew a good deal. They are as +handsome as they are harmless. Did you ever know of a frog's doing any +harm? Well, that's more than can be said of boys." + +Sammy was silent for a minute. + +"They don't know much," he said at last. + +David looked round quickly. + +"Now who told you that?" said he. "In the first place, if ignorance were +any excuse for tormenting a poor creature, I might make you wretched for +an hour or two. Fortunately for you, it isn't. We don't have to stop and +ask what you know before we can be kind to you. But you make a mistake +if you think frogs are stupid. See how well they dive and swim! I have +been trying all summer, and I can't dive like that. They don't ever go +down on their shoulders and stick their heads in the mud. I taught a +frog to come and eat out of my hand. That was a brave thing for him to +do. He knew as well as you know what some boys would have done to him." + +Sammy was beginning to look ashamed. + +"There's just one thing more," said David. "When you have to kill +anything, kill it as quickly as you can. Don't let it suffer pain. There +isn't any excuse for half the suffering there is in this world. Did you +ever hear the story of Theodore Parker and the frogs?" + +"No," said Sammy; "I should like to." + +"When he was a little boy, perhaps less than four years old, he had to +go home alone by a frog-pond where he had seen boys stoning frogs. He +raised his hand to throw a stone at a frog, when he heard a voice say, +'Don't.' He looked all around but could see no one, and he raised his +hand again to stone the frog. Again he heard a voice say, 'Don't.' Still +he could see no one. He was frightened, and running, home to his mother +he told her about it, and asked who it was that said, 'Don't.' She took +him on her knee and told him that it was the voice of God speaking in +his heart, and that if he would always listen to it he would grow up to +be a good man." + +"Will you take me fishing this afternoon?" said Sammy, after a long +pause. + +"No, I will not," said David with emphasis. "I don't go fishing for fun, +and I have here all that I need." + +"May I go swimming with you then?" persisted Sammy. + +"Of course you may," said David cordially. "We'll see if we can swim +any better than the frogs. I haven't much hope of it, but we can try." + +"All right," said Sammy as he rose to go. He had gone not more than +thirty feet before he stopped. "I won't stone them any more, David," +he called back over his shoulder. Then he went on into the woods. + + + + I would not enter on my list of friends, + Though graced with polished manners and fine sense + Yet wanting sensibility, the man + Who needlessly sets foot upon a worm. + COWPER. + + + + +SOME READY HELPERS. + + +We often fail to understand some of our best friends in the animal +world. We know so little about them that we think they are useless and +uninteresting. Frogs, and especially toads, are often the objects of +unjust dislike, yet their lives are very useful and full of interest. + +The toad and frog are somewhat alike. Both come from eggs laid in the +water, and both begin life as little swimming tadpoles. + +The young toad, when he is a tadpole, is sprinkled all over with very +fine spots, which look like gold-dust, while the frog tadpole is dark. + +The first few weeks of a toad's life are spent in a ditch or a pond. +Here he lives on water-weeds and dead leaves. After a while he eats +water-insects and small grubs. + +While living in the water the little toad looks very much like a fish. +He has a large head and a long tail. He breathes through two branches, +like feathers, which are called gills. These gills grow on each side of +his head. + +The toad changes very much before he is ready to live on land. In the +water he has no legs, but soon he has four. His gills are gone and he +draws in air through his throat. He is going to begin a new life. In the +spring the toads go back to the shore of the pond. Mrs. Toad knows that +her eggs must be hatched in the water, although she prefers to live on +the land. + +Frogs must live near the water, for they will die if their skins are not +kept moist and cool. Yet they cannot live long in the water, and a +drowned frog is no uncommon sight. Kind-hearted boys and girls should +remember this, and be ready to lend a helping hand to some poor frog +that finds the sides of his swimming-place too steep for him to climb. + +Young toads are very sensitive to heat, and secrete themselves in cool +places during the day. A summer shower will bring them out by the +dozens, so that many ignorant people think that the thirsty creatures +have "rained down." Mr. Toad carries under his skin a great many small +sacs full of liquid. This keeps him cool and comfortable, no matter how +dusty his home may be. If he is frightened he can defend himself with +this liquid, which is harmless to the hands, but probably bitter and +disagreeable to the taste, since dogs and cats show signs of discomfort +after taking toads in their mouths. Care should be taken to wash one's +hands after touching a toad, as this liquid is also very irritating to +the eyes, and might be rubbed into them. + +The most curious thing about a toad is its tongue. This is very long, +and its tip is turned backward into the mouth. It can dart out and snap +up a fly or a beetle so quickly that it is almost impossible to see the +motion. + +Toads are not only harmless, but they are our very good friends. If they +are not disturbed they will live a long time in one place, and destroy +many bugs and insects that injure our gardens. + +It has been estimated that every year in this country property to the +amount of $400,000,000 is destroyed by insects. If this is true all +creatures which feed upon insects are entitled to our care and +gratitude. + +The United States Department of Agriculture has published a paper on the +toad. It estimates that he saves to the farmer, by eating the cutworms +which destroy the crops, about twenty dollars every season. + +Toads eat the common house-fly, which is such an annoyance to us. A toad +has been seen to snap up eighty-six flies in less than ten minutes. + +Toads are sometimes kept for pets, and they are not lacking in +intelligence. Once a toad lived in a garden, and every day at the dinner +hour he came to be fed. It happened that the dinner hour was changed, +and when the toad came there was nothing for him to eat. Mr. Toad made +up his mind that he would not lose his dinner twice. On the second day +he came at the new hour, and after this he was as punctual as the rest +of the family. No one could tell how he knew that in the future his +dinner would be served two hours earlier. + +The toad is often the victim of thoughtless cruelty. He can do no one +any harm. He cannot even run away when he is stoned and tormented. The +fun of teasing him must be like that of beating a baby or a helpless +cripple. No one but a coward could ever think it an amusing thing to do. + +Perhaps no animal is so misunderstood as the bat. He seems such a queer +compound of mouse and bird, and to most of us he is such a stranger, +that we do not have a very friendly feeling for him. + +Of course you know that he is not a bird at all. Birds have feathers and +the bat has soft, smooth fur. He is absolutely harmless, unless +frightened or hurt, and he is a very useful little fellow. He eats +mosquitoes and house-flies and the insects that cause most of the worm- +eaten apples. + +Bats fly only at night. They soon become friendly with any one who is +kind to them, and will come to be fed or stroked. One who has studied +them says that the good they do is very great and that the value of one +of the little animals might easily amount to fifty dollars a year. + +Are we not unjust to any living creature when we shrink from it because +to us it does not seem beautiful? It may well be that our eyes are too +dull to see its real beauty. But whether we can see the beauty or not, +it is only fair that we should recognize the service which we are so +willing to accept. + + + + +A TRIUMPH. + +Little Roger up the long slope rushing + Through the rustling corn, +Showers of dew-drops from the broad leaves brushing, + In the early morn, + +At his sturdy little shoulder bearing, + For a banner gay, +Stem of fir with one long shaving flaring + In the wind away! + +Up he goes, the summer sunrise flushing + O'er him in his race, +Sweeter dawn of rosy childhood blushing + On his radiant face; + +If he can but set his standard glorious + On the hill-top low, +Ere the sun climbs the clear sky victorious, + All the world aglow! + +So he presses on with childish ardor, + Almost at the top! +Hasten, Roger! Does the way grow harder? + Wherefore do you stop? + +From below the corn-stalks tall and slender + Comes a plaintive cry; +Turns he for an instant from the splendor + Of the crimson sky, + +Wavers, then goes flying toward the hollow, + Calling loud and clear, +"Coming, Jenny! Oh, why did you follow? + Don't you cry, my dear!" + +Small Janet sits weeping 'mid the daisies; + "Little sister sweet, +Must you follow Roger?" Then he raises + Baby on her feet, + +Guides her tiny steps with kindness tender, + Cheerfully and gay, +All his courage and his strength would lend her + Up the uneven way, + +Till they front the blazing east together; + But the sun has rolled +Up the sky in the still summer weather, + Flooding them with gold. + +All forgotten is the boy's ambition, + Low the standard lies, +Still they stand, and gaze--a sweeter vision + Ne'er met mortal eyes. + +That was splendid, Roger, that was glorious, + Thus to help the weak; +Better than to plant your flag victorious + On earth's highest peak! + CELIA THAXTER. + + + + +PART III + +OUR FRIENDS THE BIRDS + + + +THE CANARY'S STORY. + + +Am I happy? No, not quite happy, though I sing as if I were. Do you +think that a cage would make you happy if you had wings? + +I am willing to say that I am grateful. Helen is very good to me. She +never forgets to fill my seed-cup and my glass of water. Every morning I +have my bath and my cage is cleaned. At night I am taken into a cool, +dark room to sleep. If the house is too warm I am very uncomfortable, +and Helen is careful to keep my sleeping-room cool. + +Sometimes Helen takes me out of the cage for a while. It is a great +pleasure to fly in and out among the plants in the window. I pretend +that I am in the woods. For a time I am very happy. + +I was a wretched little bird when Helen's mother bought me. For days I +had been in a tiny wooden box, with no chance to move about. Every +morning a man took several of these boxes in his hand and walked up and +down the streets crying, "Birds! Singing birds! Only two dollars!" He +swung the boxes back and forth until I was sick and dizzy. It seemed to +me that I could never sing again. + +Then Helen saw me and begged her mother to give the man two dollars, so +that she could take me out of the hot sun and the narrow box. How big +and bright this cage seemed then! + +I am never cold and hungry, it is true, but sometimes I try to fancy how +it would seem to be free, to fly where I like under the open sky, and to +have other birds near by. I dream of waving branches and distant +mountain-tops. I can almost hear the sea pounding on the sunny beaches +of those warm islands where I first saw the light. Do you think, if you +were I, you could be quite happy? + + + +THE CAGED THRUSH. + + Alas for the bird who was born to sing! + They have made him a cage; they have clipped his wing; + They have shut him up in a dingy street, + And they praise his singing and call it sweet; + But his heart and his song are saddened and filled + With the woods and the nest he never will build, + And the wild young dawn coming into the tree, + And the mate that never his mate will be; + And day by day, when his notes are heard, + They freshen the street, but--alas for the bird! + R. F. MURRAY. +In the "Academy." + + + + +HOW TO CARE FOR A CANARY. + + +The original home of the canary was in the Canary Islands. These are +warm, sunny islands not far from the west coast of Africa. Winter is +almost unknown there, and before the bird-catchers came the canaries +must have led happy lives. + +The birds were trapped and sent to all the countries of Europe. The +first canaries brought to America came from Germany in 1842. It was a +long voyage in a sailing-vessel, and many of the poor little prisoners +died on the way. + +The birds are put into wicker cages so small that there is scarcely room +to stretch their wings. These cages are packed in boxes or crates, and +one hundred and sixty-eight birds are sent in one crate. + +The birds are kept in the tiny cages until they are sold. The cups of +food and water are put inside the cages. Sometimes when they are moved +to a larger cage, the birds do not know where to look for their food. +They have been known to die of hunger because they could not find their +seed-cups, which in their new cages are on the outside. + +Every day, when the cage is cleaned, fresh water and food should be +placed in it. Birds like a daily bath in a shallow dish of tepid water. +After the bath they should have an hour or two of liberty. It is unkind +to keep them shut up in a cage all the time. + +After a bird has had his morning frolic he should not be chased or +frightened into his cage. When the little fellow is hungry he will be +glad to go back, especially if he sees there a bit of food that he +likes. In time he will even learn to fly to the outstretched finger of +his master or mistress, and to answer, as well as he can, the caressing +tones which he loves. + +A canary is one of the most sensitive creatures in the world. A harsh or +sudden noise disturbs it, and a severe fright may kill it. + +Canaries like the sunshine and dread the cold, but they should not be +left in the sun in warm weather. Do not hang the cage in a draught or +away from the light. It should be about five feet from the floor and not +too near a register or radiator. + +Once a month the cage must be thoroughly washed and the perches scalded, +if you wish your bird's home to be healthful. The floor and perches will +also need cleaning every day. Coarse sand should be sprinkled on the +thick, brown paper which covers the bottom of the cage. At night put the +cage in a dark room or spread over it a square of soft, dark material, +in such a way that the air is not shut out. + +The ordinary bath-tub provided for a canary is much too small. Mrs. +Olive Thorne Miller says that it should be nearly as wide as the spread +of his wings, so that he can beat the water and toss it over him in a +spray. A common earthen saucer belonging to a flower-pot is very good +for the purpose. As this saucer will be too large to go through the +cage-door, it should be placed on a large folded cloth or paper and the +upper part of the cage placed over it. While the bird is taking his +bath, the floor of the cage may be made clean for the day. + +It is a good plan to give a canary bread, crackers, a little of the +hard-boiled yolk of an egg, or a piece of apple. In summer he will enjoy +a bunch of chickweed. In winter he may have a bit of lettuce or cabbage +leaf. He should have something green every day. Of course he must have +also canary and rape seeds, and occasionally a very little hemp seed for +a treat. + +If the canary or rape seed is poor the bird will scatter it and refuse +to eat it. Only seed which is large and clean should be used. It is +better to buy each kind by itself and mix them afterwards. The hemp seed +is so rich that not more than half a small teaspoonful should be given +at a time. Do not mix this with the other seeds, but scatter it on the +floor of the cage. + +Mosquitoes sometimes annoy a canary very much. A loose bag of netting +drawn over the cage will save him from unnecessary suffering. When these +poor prisoners are in our care we must do what we can to protect them +and make them happy. No true bird-lover would choose to see his pets in +cages, but we cannot turn the defenseless little creatures out into the +cold. If no one would buy a canary, there would be no more caught, and +the cruel business would come to an end. Is it not worth while to think +how much better it is to have no caged pets at all? In this free land of +ours shall we deny freedom to the bird, which, above all other +creatures, needs space and sunshine? + + + + +AN INDIAN STORY. + + +In a little book about Omaha there is this story which is told by Bright +Eyes, the daughter of an Indian chief. "We were out on a buffalo hunt. I +was a little bit of a thing when it happened. Father could neither speak +English nor read and write, and this story shows that the highest moral +worth can exist aside from all civilization and education. + +"It was evening. The tents had been pitched for the night, the camp-fire +made, and mother and the other women were cooking supper over it. + +"I was playing near my father when an Indian boy, a playmate, came up +and gave me a little bird which he had found. + +"I was very much pleased. I tried to feed it and make it drink. After I +had played with it a long time, my father said to me: 'My daughter, +bring your bird to me.' + +"When I took it to him he held it in his hand a moment, smoothed its +feathers gently, and then said: 'Daughter, I will tell you what you +might do with your bird. Take it carefully in your hand out yonder where +there are no tents, where the high grass is. Put it softly down on the +ground and say as you put it down, "God, I give you back your little +bird. Have pity on me as I have pity on your bird."' + +"I said: 'Does it belong to God?' + +"He said: 'Yes, and He will be pleased if you do not hurt it, but give +it back to Him to care for.' + +"I was very much impressed and carefully followed out his directions, +saying the little prayer he had told me to say." + + + +HIAWATHA'S BROTHERS. + + Then the little Hiawatha + Learned of every bird its language, + Learned their names and all their secrets, + How they built their nests in summer, + Where they hid themselves in winter, + Talked with them whene'er he met them, + Called them "Hiawatha's Chickens." + Of all beasts he learned the language, + Learned their names and all their secrets, + How the beavers built their lodges, + Where the squirrels hid their acorns, + How the reindeer ran so swiftly, + Why the rabbit was so timid, + Talked with them whene'er he met them, + Called them "Hiawatha's Brothers." + HENRY W. LONGFELLOW. + + + + +TO THE CUCKOO. + + Sweet bird! Thy bower is ever green, + Thy sky is ever clear; + Thou hast no sorrow in thy song, + No winter in thy year. + + O could I fly, I'd fly with thee! + We'd make on joyful wing + Our annual visit o'er the globe, + Companions of the Spring. + JOHN LOGAN. + + + + +OUR FRIENDS THE BIRDS. + + +We have few better friends than the birds. They spend their lives +working for us. Without them our crops would be destroyed by insects and +mice. Soon no green thing would be left, and the earth would no longer +be habitable. + +Birds do all this without being asked. If we treat them kindly and try +to make friends with them, we shall find that in addition to the good +they do in protecting our fields and gardens, they may also bring us a +great deal of pleasure. + +Birds are the most beautiful of creatures. Their plumage is often +brilliant and always pleasing. Their motions are so graceful it is a +delight to watch them. Their voices are so sweet that they charm every +one who loves the fields and woods. + +It is very interesting to study the habits of birds. They make journeys +thousands of miles in length and return to the same home each year. They +build the most wonderful homes and take the best of care of their young. + +If we would have these beautiful and interesting creatures live near us +we must show them that we mean them no harm. Then they will come about +our homes, cheering us with their glad songs, and amusing us with their +intelligence. + +It is sad to think that birds have learned to fear man because he has +killed and trapped them, or robbed their nests of eggs or young. This is +not a very good way to treat a friend, is it? + +Travelers tell us that when they have visited islands where men did not +live, the birds were so tame that they perched upon their shoulders and +could be easily caught. + +Birds soon find out when man is their enemy, and then become wild and +shy; but they are always willing to become our friends again. If we can +make them understand that when near us they are safe, they will show +their faith in our good-will. + +The wild eider-duck makes her nest and lays her eggs in the huts of the +Icelanders because she knows that she will not be harmed. In nesting +time the birds may be seen in the village streets. They are so tame that +one might think they were domestic ducks. + +In Europe the storks build upon the house-tops. The peasant welcomes +them as friends when each spring they return to their home. He is glad +to have them near him, and he places an old cart-wheel on top of his +house as a foundation for their nest of sticks. + +Near some of the steamboat landings in Florida no shouting is allowed. +The wild ducks and coots quickly learn to know where they are safe, and +in these places they are very tame, so that one can walk quite near +them. But when they are outside the spot in which they are protected +they are as shy as the wildest ducks. + +Throughout the South it is against the law to kill the buzzards or +vultures. These birds are very useful. They are public scavengers, +devouring many things which would cause disease. The birds know that +they have no one to fear and they hop about the streets as tame as +chickens. + +You see, therefore, that the birds will trust us when they learn that we +are their friends. If you would encourage them to make their home near +yours, you might provide little boxes for them to occupy or make holes +in hollow limbs where they can place their nests. + +They enjoy, too, a trough of water in which they can bathe. When winter +comes a piece of tallow in the trees will prove a rich treat to the +chickadee, and a few seeds scattered on the snow will make a feast for +the hardy snowbirds. + +[Illustration with caption: Bird-house. Made from a bark-covered log, 8 +inches long and 8 inches in diameter, a hole 5 inches in diameter "being +bored from end to end, leaving an outer wall 1 1/2 inches thick."--From +"Bird-Lore" by permission of The Macmillan Company.] + + + + +FEATHERED TRAVELERS. + + +Some birds are great travelers. They may pass the summer in the Arctic +regions and in the autumn go to Patagonia to spend the winter. Is it not +wonderful how they can make this long journey without a compass or map +to guide them? + +Generally they follow rivers or coast lines; but they may have to cross +large bodies of water where no land can be seen Still they find their +way to and fro, returning each year to the same place Sometimes they +even use the nest they built the year before. + +Large birds and those which can fly swiftly, like swallows, are not +afraid to travel by day. But the little birds, like wrens and warblers, +that live in the shelter of trees and bushes, wait for the night. + +They are not afraid of the dark. It hides them from their enemies. So +when the sun has gone down and night comes, they fly up into the air and +start on their journey. + +If you should look through a telescope at the moon some clear night in +spring or autumn, you could probably see the birds flying by. They look +like bees going across the face of the moon. + +Large birds, like ducks, fly very swiftly. It is thought that they may +travel one hundred miles an hour. But the small warblers and flycatchers +go less than half as fast. + +Most birds that fly at night are far above the earth. They go as high as +two or three miles. If you have ever been on a mountain top or a very +high building, you will know how much farther you can see than when you +are on the ground. + +So the birds, too, can see a great distance as they fly by, high in the +air. At night they can see the water sparkling in the starlight. This +helps them to find their way. + +When it is foggy or raining they cannot see which way they are going +This is a sad time for the little feathered travelers. Some fly far out +to sea and are drowned. The feathers of some are so wet that they cannot +fly. Then they must seek shelter in the trees. + +In wet and foggy weather the birds sometimes fly to the lighthouses. The +light seems to attract them, just as a light attracts moths. They fly +against the glasses which protect the light, and often are killed. + +Sometimes large birds fly through the glass about the light. The light- +keeper therefore puts wire netting outside the glass to protect it from +these large birds. + +While the birds are traveling at night they often call and chirp to each +other. This keeps them from being lonely and from getting lost. If you +should listen very carefully some still night in September, you might +hear the birds calling as they fly swiftly by. + +When morning comes the birds fly down to earth. Would you not think that +they would be very tired after flying all night? They do not seem to be. +But they are hungry, and as soon as they alight they begin to look for +something to eat. + +After breakfast they rest for a few hours. In the afternoon they go out +for supper, for they must have a good meal if they are to fly again all +night. + + + + +WHEN THE BIRDS RETURN. + + +How pleasant it is to hear the song of the robin on a March morning! At +the first sign of spring he comes back to us from his winter home in the +South. His cheerful song tells us that winter will soon be gone. In a +few weeks we can look for wild flowers, and the fields will be green +again. + +The blackbirds follow a few days later. With a merry, jingling chorus +they perch in the leafless trees. We know now that soon there will be +leaves and blossoms, and the thought makes us glad. + +Now we may look for the bluebird also. His soft, sweet warble is one of +the most welcome of the springtime sounds. See him looking at the box in +which last year he had a nest! Probably he is planning repairs. How +happy he seems! + +When we see gnats or small insects in the air we may expect the phoebe. +The phoebe belongs to the family of flycatchers. He spends his life in +man's service, catching the insects which are so troublesome. + +When the first insects appear the phoebe comes to prevent them from +growing too numerous. You will know the phoebe by his note. "Pewit- +phoebe!" he calls, with a wag of his tail, as he sits on a fence or +bridge rail. + +If the frost has left the ground, you may be sure that the woodcock has +come. The woodcock has a bill nearly three inches long. He sticks it +into the soft earth to hunt for the worms on which he lives. So you see +if the ground were hard the woodcock could not get his usual fare. + +For the same reason the kingfisher waits until the ice has left the +ponds and streams. Then we can hear him sound his rattle-like voice and +watch him fishing. What a sure aim he has! See him hovering over the +water, waiting for some small fish to come near the surface! Then he +closes his wings and plunges downward like a dart. There is a splash, +and a second later he flies up with his prize. + +Early in April the chippy comes. He has not much of a song, but we are +always glad to see him because he seems glad to see us. He comes to the +piazza steps, plainly asking for crumbs. If we give them to him, he may +build his hair-lined nest in the vine on the trellis. + +Some day later in the month the barn swallow may be seen flitting in and +out the barn door or hay window, twittering merrily. He has seen many +countries since he left us last October. Probably he has been to Central +America, or even Brazil. But in all his travels I am sure he has visited +no place he loves as well as the old barn. + +The chimney swift loves his chimney, too. Let us hope that when he +returns early in May he will not find smoke curling from his home. + +Each day now brings a host of the little feathered travelers. In +February and March we cannot tell just what day to look for our bird +friends. If it is cold and bleak, they must wait for warmer weather. In +May, when the sun shines brightly, and the season of storms has passed, +we know almost exactly when to expect each bird. + +About the first of the month we shall again be cheered by the songs of +the catbird and wren. From a tree-top near the roadside a brown thrasher +will sing a song of rejoicing. In the woods the wood thrush will chant a +hymn of praise. + +The ground is carpeted with wild flowers, and we may gather the +beautiful anemones, violets, and buttercups. The trees are putting on +their dresses of green. The air rings with the joyful music of birds. +Now we know that the song of the robin was true. + + + + +BIRDS' HOMES. + + +Nearly every bird has a trade. Some are carpenters, others are masons, +weavers, tailors, basket-makers, etc. It is only when building their +homes that birds work at their trades. + +Then you may see the woodpecker hammering with his chisel-like bill, +making a home in some dead tree. You can hear his strokes a long way +through the woods. The chips fly from beneath his strong blows. + +The robin, the phoebe, and the barn and eave swallows are masons. The +robin moulds an inner layer of mud in his round nest and covers it with +fine grasses. The phoebe uses a mixture of mud and moss in plastering +his large nest on some beam or rafter. + +The barn swallow also uses a beam. His nest is nearly all mud, but is +lined with soft feathers. The eave swallows are the most expert masons +of all. They build rows of mud tenements beneath the eaves of the barn. +Each little apartment is rounded over and has a round hole for a door. + +The chimney swift or swallow uses wood and glue in making the pretty +little bracket-like basket he fastens to the chimney wall. His feet are +so small that he cannot perch as other birds do, so when he rests he +clings to the side of the chimney and leans on his tail. Each tail +feather is tipped with a stiff, sharp point that keeps it from slipping. + +How then do you suppose he gathers the twigs for his nest? Watch him +some day when he is flying rapidly about. You may see that he goes by a +dead tree, and as he passes he hovers for a second near the end of a +limb. Then it is that he snaps off with his bill a small, dry twig for +his home. + +But how can he fasten a nest of twigs to the upright chimney wall? Well, +the chimney swift carries a gluepot with him. It is in his mouth, where +certain glands produce a sticky substance like mucilage. With this he +glues the little twigs together and fastens them to the bricks. + +Sometimes a heavy rain will moisten this glue. Then the nest is loosened +from the chimney and, with the poor little birds in it, falls to the +fireplace. If you fasten it as high in the chimney above the fireplace +as you can, the parent birds may come down and feed their young. + +The humming-bird is an upholsterer and decorator. He and his tiny wife +build the daintiest little nest it is possible to imagine. They use +plant-down or "thistle-down" and cover it all over with grayish or +greenish lichens, those flakes of "moss" we see growing on the bark of +trees. Generally they place it on a limb of a large tree. There it looks +so much like a knot that it takes sharp eyes to find a humming-bird's +nest. + +The great crested flycatcher places his nest in a hollow limb and though +he seems to care very little about its appearance he has, nevertheless, +an idea of his own about decoration and evidently thinks no nest is +complete without a bit of cast-off snake skin. + +Just why he should want to have such a thing in his home no one can say. +Some naturalists believe that he uses it as a scarecrow to frighten his +enemies away. But I do not think he could give a reason if he were +asked. + +Birds build the same kind of nests their parents built, without asking +the reason why. + +The chipping sparrow always lines its nest with hairs, the crane uses +cedar bark, the robin mud, the vireos often place a bit of wasps' nest +in their bag-like nests; but no one has ever tried to explain why they +should always employ these particular things. + +The oriole is a master weaver. Have you ever seen his cradle swaying +from an elm branch? It is so well made that it often lasts through the +winter. + +It is usually made of long grass fibres. If the birds can find strings +or worsted, they are glad to use them, but they sometimes get their +claws caught in the string, and are not able to free themselves, so it +is better for them to use other material. When the birds have left their +nests in the autumn, yon may take them to study and to show to others. + +Many thoughtless boys rob birds of their nests and eggs. They do not +intend to be wicked, but they do not know any better. If they could +learn how interesting it is to see the birds building their homes and +rearing their young, they surely would not wish to destroy them. + + + + +THE ROBIN. + + +Some birds are shy and retiring, and if we would meet them we must go to +their haunts in the forests. Others are comparatively tame and domestic, +living about our dwellings and meeting us more than halfway when we +attempt to make friends with them. + +Among these familiar birds of the garden and orchard, none is better +known than the cheery robin. Robins are very numerous, and are found in +all parts of North America, from New England to Alaska, and south to the +city of Mexico. + +It is due to his tameness and also to his brick-red breast that he bears +the name of "Robin." + +When the first English settlers came to this country, of course +everything was new and strange to them. The birds had only Indian names +which the newcomers could not understand, even when they heard them. So +they had to make up names for those birds that were common enough to +attract their attention. + +The robin was probably one of the first to be named. When the settlers +saw this friendly bird, with a breast colored somewhat like the robin +redbreast of England, they called him "Robin," after the favorite of +their far-away homes. + +The two birds are really quite unlike. The robin redbreast is less than +six inches in length, and is slighter than our bluebird, while our robin +is ten inches long, and is, as every one knows, a stout, heavy bird. +There is only a general resemblance in color, both birds having a +brownish-red breast; probably our bird's name is due as much to his +friendly ways as to his appearance. + +The robin is a migratory bird, and in winter is not usually found north +of New Jersey and Pennsylvania. This is his playtime in the sunny South. +He lives in flocks containing hundreds and even thousands of birds. They +feed on the berries of the dogwood, china tree and mistletoe, and are +the jolliest lot of birds it is possible to imagine. + +Some are singing; not so long a song as they sing in the summer, but +just a kind of gay humming; while others are dashing about, chasing one +another through the woods in sport. + +But the robin is a great home-lover. At the very first sign of spring he +begins to think about returning to us, and some warm day, late in +February, we may generally find him hunting for food about the grassy +banks of a spring, or on the sheltered side of a wood. + +Soon, if the weather continues pleasant, we shall hear him sing. What a +welcome sound it is! How it recalls memories of cherries and +strawberries, and of all the good things of summer! + +In the latter hall of April he and his mate go to housekeeping. Who +hasn't seen a robin's nest?--that strong, large house of grasses, +plastered inside with mud, and furnished with a lining of rootlets. + +He places it almost anywhere in the trees, but generally in a broad +crotch. If you are fortunate, and the robin has learned that you are his +friend, he may build his mud and grass cabin in a tree near your window. + +Then you can learn all about his household affairs. You will see the +four blue eggs. You will know how many days it takes them to hatch, and +you will see what faithful parents birds are. + +Not only will they give every minute of their time to securing food for +their hungry family, but they will bravely fight any enemy who appears. +If it rains, you may see the mother bird standing on the nest with wings +spread over her young, to shelter them from the falling drops. + +Generally the robin rears two families each season. When the first brood +is ready to leave the nest, Father Robin takes charge of them. Every +night he leads them to a great roost or nursery where other young robins +are brought by their fathers to sleep. In the daytime he returns to help +Mother Robin care for family number two. + +At last all the young are old enough to care for themselves. Then they +gather in large flocks and go for a holiday in the wild cherry trees. +When the cherries are gone, they visit the sassafras and pepperidge +trees, and the woodbine tangles. Then comes a course of dogwood, with a +dessert of nanny-berries. + +Cedar berries are added by way of a bit of cracker and cheese. Then the +robin's great feast is over, and he leaves us for the repast which is +awaiting him in the South. + +The robin is very useful to the farmer. He eats ants, bugs, +caterpillars, army worms, and many other worms and insects which would +harm the grass and fruit trees. + +In return, what does he ask? Only to dine on a few ripe cherries and +strawberries. + + + +ROBIN REJOICE. + + Among the first of the spring, + The notes of the Robin ring; + With flute-like voice, + He calls, "Rejoice, + For I am coming to sing!" + + To any one gloomy or sad, + He says, "Be glad! be glad! + Look on the bright side, + 'Tis aye the right side; + The world is good, not bad." + + At daybreak in June we hear + His melody, strong and clear: + "Cheer up, be merry, + I've found a cherry; + 'Tis a glorious time of the year!" + GARRETT NEWKIRK. +From "Bird-Lore," by permission of The Macmillan Company. + + + + +TO A SKYLARK. +(EXTRACT.) + + Hail to thee, blithe spirit! + Bird thou never wert, + That from heaven, or near it, + Pourest thy full heart +In profuse strains of unpremeditated art. + + Higher still and higher + From the earth thou springest, + Like a cloud of fire, + The blue deep thou wingest, +And singing still dost soar, and soaring ever singest. + + Teach me half the gladness + That thy brain must know, + Such harmonious madness + From my lips would flow +The world should listen then, as I am listening now! + PERCY BYSSHE SHELLEY. + + + + +FRIGHTENED BIRDS. + + "Hush, hush!" said a little brown thrush + To his mate on the nest in the elder-bush. + "Keep still! Don't open your bill! + There's a boy coming bird-nesting over the hill! + Let your wings out, so + That not an egg or the nest shall show. + Chee! Chee! It seems to me + I'm as frightened as ever a bird can be!" + + Then, still, with a quivering bill, + He watched the boy out of sight o'er the hill. + Ah, then in the branches again, + His glad song ran over vale and glen. + Oh, oh! if that boy could know + How glad they were when they saw him go, + Say, say, do you think next day + He could possibly steal those eggs away? + ANON. + + + + +DON'T ROB THE BIRDS, BOYS. + +Don't rob the birds of their eggs, boys, + 'Tis cruel and heartless and wrong; +And remember, by breaking an egg, boys, + We may lose a bird with a song. + +When careworn, weary, and lonely, + Some day as you're passing along, +You'll rejoice that the egg wasn't broken + That gave you the bird with its song. + ANON. + + + +A GOOD SHOT + + +There was once a boy whose eye was so true, and whose hand was so +steady, that he became a very good marksman. If he threw a stone, or +fired at anything with his air-gun, he usually hit what he aimed at. He +took such pride and pleasure in his skill that he was always looking for +good shots. + +Near his house lived a bird. Five young ones were in her nest. So many +mouths, always wide open for food, kept the little mother busy. From +morning till night she flew over fields and woods, getting worms and +bugs and seeds for her babies to eat. Every day she flew off chirping +gayly, and came back as soon as she could with a bit of food. The +smallest bird had been hurt in some way and could not cry so loudly as +the others. The mother always gave him his breakfast first. + +One day when she had picked up a worm and was resting a moment, the good +marksman saw her. + +"What a fine shot!" he said, and fired his air-gun. The bird felt a +sharp, stinging pain in her side, and when she tried to fly she found +that she could not lift herself from the ground. + +Fluttering and limping, she dragged herself along to the foot of the +tree where her nest was. Her broken wing hurt her very much, but she +chirped a little, in as cheerful a way as she could, so that her babies +should not be frightened. They chirped back loudly, because they were +hungry, and they could not understand why she did not come to them. She +knew all their voices, and when she heard the plaintive note of the +smallest, she tried again and again to fly. At last she fell in such a +way that she could not move her wings again. + +All day she lay there, and when her children called, she answered with +her old, brave chirp. But as the hours went by, her voice grew fainter +and fainter, until at last it was still. + +In the morning she was dead. The little ones called now in vain. They +cried until they were so tired that they fell asleep; but soon their +hunger waked them and they cried again. + +The next night was cold, and they crowded together, hoping to get warm. +How they missed their mother's warm, soft feathers! It grew colder and +colder. Before dawn they all died, one after the other. Would the boy +have been so proud of his good shot if he had known the whole story? + +Adapted + + + +"Be kind to animals," as a motto for every schoolroom in the United +States conspicuously and constantly displayed by teachers upon wall or +blackboard, will go far and help greatly towards inculcating a spirit of +kindness to animals and educating humanely the boys and girls who are to +be future citizens of this great country. + + + + +THE GOLDFINCH + + +Have you ever noticed the downy white seeds of the thistle? A puff of +wind will carry away hundreds of these soft, woolly tufts, which sail +like tiny balloons. When they drop to the ground they take root and soon +become young thistles. + +There is no weed more troublesome to the farmer than the thistle. It +will soon crowd out the young wheat, and if let alone would cover the +whole farm. If the farmer had no help, it would be difficult for him to +raise anything but thistles. + +He has, however, one of the best helpers in the world. The goldfinch is +ready to look for thistle seeds, and asks no wages at all. The farmer +ought to be grateful to such a busy little worker. + +The mother goldfinch builds a beautiful nest for her little ones. For +food they have seeds which she has carefully softened in her own crop. +As soon as the young birds can fly, she takes them to the fields where +the thistles grow. + +In winter birds are thankful for food and shelter. The story is told of +a man who has part of his house-wall covered with cages. The finches +which live near his home find snug lodgings in these cages during the +cold weather. In the spring his feathered guests build their nests in +the cages and pay their rent by working in his garden. They are not +confined to the cages, but come and go as they please. + +Their wild sweet notes seem to come from a happy heart, and nothing can +be prettier than to see a number of these goldfinches swinging on the +brown sunflower and daintily feasting on the seeds. + +Mr. Frank M. Chapman in "Bird-Life" says: "I wish that every one knew +the Goldfinch. His gentle ways and sweet disposition are never-failing +antidotes for discontent. One cannot be long near a flock of these birds +without being impressed by the refinement which seems to mark their +every note and action. They show, too, a spirit of contentment from +which we may draw more than a passing lesson. 'HEAR ME, HEAR ME, +DEARIE,' they call as they feed among the weeds or on the birch buds, +and, no matter how poor the fare, they seem thankful for it. The seeds +of the dandelion, thistle, and sunflower are among their favorites; and +if you would attract goldfinches as well as some other birds, devote a +corner of your garden to sunflowers." + + + + +BIRDS' TRADES. + + The swallow is a mason, + And underneath the eaves + He builds a nest, and plasters it + With mud and hay and leaves. + + Of all the weavers that I know + The oriole is the best; + High on the branches of the tree + She hangs her cozy nest. + + The woodpecker is hard at work-- + A carpenter is he-- + And you can hear him hammering + His nest high up the tree. + + Some little birds are miners, + Some build upon the ground; + And busy little tailors, too, + Among the birds are found. + + + + +THE SPARROW. + + +One of the most common of our American birds is the sparrow, of which +there are as many as sixteen varieties. Those that we know the best are +the field sparrow, the song sparrow, and the chipping sparrow, often +called the chippy. + +The sparrows are among the earliest comers in the spring, and some of +them stay with us through the winter. Their nests may be found in +hedges, under bushes, in thick grass tufts, and in low shrubs. + +These nests are usually made of dried grasses and fine roots, but the +chipping sparrow weaves horsehair with the grass and makes his nest very +delicate and dainty. He is often called the hair-bird. He is known also +as the social sparrow because he likes best to live near houses, and +seems ready to be friendly with mankind. The tree sparrow, though +larger, closely resembles him, and is often called the winter chip-bird. + +The chipping sparrow's eggs are greenish-blue, speckled with dark brown. +They are four in number. The nest is built in a bush or a low tree. + +The song sparrow is a very sweet singer. Early in the spring we hear his +song, and he stays late in the autumn. Sometimes he is with us all +winter. His nest is usually on the ground or in some low bush. The eggs +are grayish-white, clouded and spotted with brown and lavender. When the +nest is not disturbed, there are often three broods of little ones +during the summer. + +We cannot have too many of these sweet songsters. They make our hearts +glad with their delightful melody, and they help us to keep our gardens +beautiful. + +The field sparrow is found in pastures and woodlands. If he is +disturbed, he flies up suddenly from the grass and alights again farther +on. He has a sweet song that ends in a little trill. + +While we find our own sparrows lovable we are not so fond of the English +sparrows, which have become more numerous than the native birds. The +English sparrow, or finch, as he is more properly called, may be a +troublesome visitor, but we invited him to come, and he is not to blame +for some of his disagreeable ways. He is by no means useless, for he +clears the gutters of quantities of unsavory and unsightly fragments +which would decay and become a nuisance if not removed. The English +sparrow eats also a great many of the army worms which have done so much +harm in some parts of the country, and he has in many places entirely +destroyed the cankerworms. + +He has good traits, and he may certainly be admired for his courage and +perseverance. He bears our hard winters very cheerfully, and when no +other birds are to be seen he flies about, chirping as bravely as in the +summer sunshine. + + + + +SPARROWS + + Let skies be sunny or clouds hang low + Little brown sparrow away you go + Ever in search of food or fun + Come summer or winter rain or sun + + Boughs of lilac whereon to rest + April spreads when you build your nest, + Autumn feeds you with golden corn + And berries ripe on the wayside thorn + + Winter comes with its frost and snow + Waters may freeze and winds may blow + Yet little you care and nought you rue, + For every hand has a crumb for you + + Through sunshine tomorrow and storm today + You go like a friar of orders gray, + Finding wherever your fancy leads, + A table spread for the wanderer's needs + + + + +CHRISTMAS IN NORWAY. + + In the far-off land of Norway, + Where the winter lingers late, + And long for the singing birds and flowers + The little children wait; + + When at last the summer ripens + And the harvest is gathered in, + And food for the bleak, drear days to come + The toiling people win,-- + + Through all the land the children + In the golden fields remain + Till their busy little hands have gleaned + A generous sheaf of grain. + + All the stalks by the reapers forgotten + They glean to the very least, + To save till the cold December, + For the sparrows' Christmas feast. + + And then through the frost-locked country + There happens a wonderful thing: + The sparrows flock north, south, east, west, + For the children's offering. + + Of a sudden, the day before Christmas, + The twittering crowds arrive, + And the bitter, wintry air at once + With their chirping is all alive. + + They perch upon roof and gable, + On porch and fence and tree, + They flutter about the windows + And peer in curiously. + + And meet the eyes of the children, + Who eagerly look out + With cheeks that bloom like roses red, + And greet them with welcoming shout. + + On the joyous Christmas morning, + In front of every door + A tall pole, crowned with clustering grain, + Is set the birds before. + + And which are the happiest, truly, + It would be hard to tell; + The sparrows who share in the Christmas cheer, + Or the children who love them well! + + How sweet that they should remember, + With faith so full and sure, + That the children's bounty awaited them + The whole wide country o'er! + + When this pretty story was told me + By one who had helped to rear + The rustling grain for the merry birds + In Norway, many a year, + + I thought that our little children + Would like to know it too, + It seems to me so beautiful, + So blessed a thing to do-- + + To make God's innocent creatures see + In every child a friend, + And on our faithful kindness + So fearlessly depend. + CELIA THAXTER + + + + +THE CROW. + + +The poor crow has had very few friends. Like many mischievous people, he +has been more severely blamed than he really deserves. He has been +called an egg-stealer, a bird-eater, and a corn-thief. I am afraid that +this is all true, and yet it is not fair to forget the good that he +does. + +In the spring, before there are many insects for him to eat, the hungry +crow will sometimes do a great deal of mischief. + +He troubles the farmer by pulling up the tender young corn, but a way to +prevent this has been found. If the corn is dipped in soft tar, and +afterwards in powdered lime to give it a white coating, the crow will +not touch it. He does not like the taste of tar, and he will look +elsewhere for his dinner. + +Some farmers feed the crows by scattering loose grain over the surface +of the cornfield, and in many cases the birds have been satisfied with +what they received in this way. + +Now let us see why it is for the farmer's interest to make friends with +the crow. In the early days of New England, crows were thought to be so +harmful that many of them were killed. The next year the grass and the +crops were greatly injured by worms which the crows would have +destroyed. It has often been proved that when a large number of crows +and blackbirds have been killed, there has been an increase of harmful +insects. + +Crows eat the cutworm, the white grub, and the weevil. They like no food +so well as mice. In the spring they like to follow the plough and pick +up hundreds of insects that would do more harm than the most mischievous +crow. + +A tame crow should never be kept in a cage. If the bird is well fed and +kindly treated, it will not fly far from its home, but it is a noisy and +sometimes a troublesome pet, and it is better to leave it in the woods. + +Crows are social and intelligent creatures. They choose a thick wood for +their winter home and gather in flocks which sometimes number thousands +of birds. In the summer they build their nests in neighboring trees, and +are ready to lend each other aid if danger arises. + +The United States Department of Agriculture says that the crow does more +good than harm, and that he is a friend to the farmer instead of the +enemy that he is commonly supposed to be. + + + + +THE BLUEBIRD. + + I know the song that the bluebird is singing, + Out in the apple tree where he is swinging; + Brave little fellow! the skies may be dreary, + Nothing cares he while his heart is so cheery. + + Hark! how the music leaps out from his throat! + Hark! was there ever so merry a note? + Listen awhile, and you'll hear what he's saying, + Up in the apple tree, swinging and swaying. + + "Dear little blossoms, down under the snow, + You must be weary of winter, I know; + Hark, while I sing you a message of cheer! + Summer is coming! and Springtime is here! + + "Little white snowdrop! I pray you, arise; + Bright yellow crocus! come open your eyes; + Sweet little violets, hid from the cold, + Put on your mantles of purple and gold + Daffodils! daffodils! say, do yon hear? + Summer is coming! and Springtime is here!" + EMILY HUNTINGTON MILLER. + By permission of the author. + + + + +THE FARMER'S FRIEND. + + +We all know from pictures what owls look like, though we do not often +see them. Their wise faces, with large, solemn eyes, are familiar to +every one of us. Why do we see these birds so seldom? + +The owl flies at night, and at all times he is a shy bird. He likes a +quiet home and does not wish to be disturbed. + +As for himself, he makes no noise. He is like a cat, not only in his +face and in his taste for mice, but in his quiet ways. His broad wings +are fringed with the softest down, so that they move with as little +sound as a feather fan. The owl is a large bird, but his wings never +make the sharp whirr of a pigeon's flight. + +The barn owl builds his nest not far from the farmyard. He catches the +mice arid rats in the barn and feeds on many harmful beetles and moths. +The number of mice he catches for his little ones in a single night is +sometimes very large. He is said to bring to his nest four or five of +his hapless victims every hour. + +Pennsylvania once offered a premium for killing hawks and owls, not +knowing how much good they do. Before long the state was overrun with +little rodents, and many valuable crops were destroyed. + +No bird is more devoted to her little ones than the mother owl. She will +take up her tiny owlet in her claws and carry him away, if she fancies +that any danger is near; and she will not leave him, even to save her +own life. + +It has been supposed that an owl is unable to see in the daytime, but +probably this is not true. He can see better at dusk than we can, but +when it is really dark he cannot see at all. He hunts at night, because +rats and mice do not often venture out in the daytime. + +Unless he is free, an owl is miserable. It is cruel to keep him caged, +because it makes him ill and unhappy. When he is at liberty he is a good +friend to the farmer. + + + + +THE WOUNDED CURLEW. + +By yonder sandy cove where, every day, + The tide flows in and out, +A lonely bird in sober brown and gray + Limps patiently about; + +And round the basin's edge, o'er stones and sand, + And many a fringing weed, +He steals, or on the rocky ledge doth stand, + Crying, with none to heed. + +But sometimes from the distance he can hear + His comrades' swift reply; +Sometimes the air rings with their music clear, + Sounding from sea and sky. + +And then, oh, then his tender voice, so sweet, + Is shaken with his pain, +For broken are his pinions strong and fleet, + Never to soar again. + +Wounded and lame and languishing he lives, + Once glad and blithe and free, +And in his prison limits frets and strives + His ancient self to be. + +The little sandpipers about him play, + The shining waves they skim, +Or round his feet they seek their food, and stay + As if to comfort him. + +My pity cannot help him, though his plaint + Brings tears of wistfulness; +Still must he grieve and mourn, forlorn and faint, + None may his wrong redress. + +O bright-eyed boy! was there no better way + A moment's joy to gain +Than to make sorrow that must mar the day + With such despairing pain? + +O children, drop the gun, the cruel stone! + Oh, listen to my words, +And hear with me the wounded curlew moan-- + Have mercy on the birds! + CELIA THAXTER. + + + + +THE SANDPIPER. + +Across the narrow beach, we flit, + One little sandpiper and I; +And fast I gather, bit by bit, + The scattered driftwood bleached and dry. +The wild waves reach their hands for it, + The wild wind raves, the tide runs high, +As up and down the beach we flit,-- + One little sandpiper and I. + +I watch him as he skims along, + Uttering his faint and mournful cry; +He starts not at my fitful song, + Or flash of fluttering drapery; +He has no thought of any wrong, + He scans me with a fearless eye,-- +Stanch friends are we, well tried and strong, + The little sandpiper and I. + +Comrade, where wilt thou be to-night + When the loosed storm breaks furiously? +My driftwood fire will burn so bright! + To what warm shelter canst thou fly? +I do not fear for thee, though wroth + The tempest rushes through the sky: +For are we not God's children both, + Thou, little sandpiper, and I? + CELIA THAXTER. + + + + +[Illustration of two birds.] + +THE COST OF A HAT. + + +"What does it cost, this garniture of death? + It costs the life which God alone can give; +It costs dull silence where was music's breath, + It costs dead joy, that foolish pride may live. +Ah, life, and joy, and song, depend upon it, + Are costly trimmmgs for a woman's bonnet!" + MAY RILEY SMITH + +Among the cruel things that are done thoughtlessly there is none more +common than the wearing of birds' feathers as ornaments in hats. The +coloring is often exquisitely soft and delicate, and we do not think, at +first, what these beautiful feathers mean. + +In the morning some mother bird sings her sweetest songs under your +window as she flies forth to look for food for her nestlings. At night +she lies wounded or dead and her little ones must starve alone in the +nest. Is the pleasure of wearing a dead bird enough to pay for this +suffering? + +Perhaps you will say that since the bird is already killed when you buy +it, it may as well be in your hat as in the shop window. Now think a +moment. You may be sure that when you buy such a bird, another will be +shot to take its place in the milliner's show-case. If no woman would +buy these feathers, do you suppose that milliners would keep them for +sale? + + + +THE HALO. + +Think what a price to pay, +Faces so bright and gay, + Just for a hat! +Flowers unvisited, mornings unsung, +Sea-ranges bare of the wings that o'erswung,-- + Bared just for that! +Oh, but the shame of it, +Oh, but the blame of it, + Price of a hat! +Just for a jauntiness brightening the street! +This is your halo, O faces so sweet, + DEATH: and for that! + REV. W. C GANNETT. +In "Voices for the Speechless" + + + + +[Illustration with caption: THE SNOWY HERON.] + +THE SNOWY HERON. + + +One of the greatest sufferers among the bird mothers is the egret, or +snowy heron. The pretty, airy plumes which we see on many hats grow on +the egret's back, and fall over the sides and tail of the bird. They are +most beautiful at the time when the mother bird is raising her brood of +little ones. This is the time for the hunter to shoot her, and he finds +it easy, because the egret will not readily fly away from her babies. + +The little birds starve to death, and in many places there are no egrets +left. Every feathery plume in the dainty bonnet means that at least one +happy, innocent life has been taken. Do the feathers look quite so +pretty to you when you think of all this? Is it comfortable to feel that +for the sake of being in the fashion you have been the cause of such +distress? If you can, for one moment, put yourself in the place of the +mother bird as she lies dying on the grass and thinking of the little +ones that will never see her again, I am sure nothing will induce you to +be seen with her beautiful feathers in your hat. No ornament, bought at +such a price, is worth the cost. + + + + +WINGED FISHERS. + + +The seagull loves the salt sea and the wild wind. The waves are his +cradle. When he wishes to fly, he spreads his long, narrow wings, and +the breeze carries him along as if he were a white boat with sails. + +Now and then he pounces down upon the water. That is when he catches +sight of some shining fish which he thinks will make him a good dinner. +He is a hungry bird, and, fortunately for us, he is not very particular +as to what he eats. He swallows the floating scraps which would soon +become unsightly and dangerous if they were left along the shore. + +The common gull has a pure white breast, a slate-colored back, and +black-tipped wings. Its nest is built of seaweed on some rocky cliff or +ledge. As soon as it can scramble out of its nest, the young gull likes +to sit on a ledge of rocks, where it looks like a ball of soft, gray +down. When hundreds of them are seen sitting on the same cliff, it seems +wonderful that the mother birds can find their own children, but they +make no mistake. They are devoted and faithful mothers. Often their +lives are in danger, and they might easily seek safety for themselves, +but they will not leave their helpless birdlings. + +The gulls have the same sad story to tell that belongs to all beautiful, +soft-hued birds. They are much less numerous than formerly, because +sportsmen take advantage of the mother's devotion to kill her and steal +her wings. When girls and women consent to wear these feathers in their +hats, they forget the pain and terror of the dying birds. Few girls +would go so far as to kill a bird. Perhaps not one would harm a mother +bird defending her little ones. Yet to wear the soft, pretty wings is to +doom another victim to this piteous death. + + + + +WHAT THE LITTLE SEAL THINKS. + + +I am very lonely and hungry. Here I have been, for days, hidden in a +cave in the rocks, and I do not dare to come out. Only a little while +ago my mother and I were so happy! To lie on the sunny beach, to splash +and swim in the salt sea, to nestle close to her soft, warm fur when I +was cold and tired,--this was my life. + +Then men came in boats and drove away my playmates in a flock to be +clubbed and killed. When I ran back to my mother I could not find her, +but her beautiful coat had been torn off and thrown upon a pile of +skins. My mother had been killed while she was trying to find me. I +wonder if any woman would wear my mother's coat if she knew this. + + + + +WHAT THE YOUNG SEABIRD THINKS. + + +There comes that man with a gun! The winter wren has just told me what +it means. It seems that women like to wear the feathers of dead birds, +and that man is trying to shoot my mother as she comes back to her nest. +I am afraid I shall never see her again. + +The wren tells me that people like to adorn themselves with the skins of +fur-coated animals. It does seem strange that men and women think that +they cannot be well dressed without killing us and wearing our clothes. + + + + +WHAT THE BIRDS DO FOR US. + + +Have you ever thought what the world would be without the birds? A +learned Frenchman, named Michelet, said that if it were not for the +birds there would be no plant life, no animal life, no life at all upon +this earth. Hosts of insects would destroy all plant life, and if there +were no plants, no animals could live. The common chickadee destroys in +twenty-five days more than a hundred thousand eggs of the cankerworm +moth, and the chickadee is one of our smallest birds. + +In winter, if you have an apple tree near your home, you can watch the +hungry woodpecker getting his dinner. He runs up the trunk, digging into +the bark for insects and insects' eggs. Almost seventy-five per cent of +his food is made up of insects. + +Perhaps you have read of the army worm and of the harm it does to grass +and grain. In a single night a green field attacked by this pest is made +brown and bare. In 1896 the damage done in Massachusetts by this worm +was estimated at $200,000. As soon as the birds discover that the army +worm is at work, they come flocking from long distances. No farmer could +summon helpers so promptly. Kingbirds, phoebe birds, cowbirds, Baltimore +orioles, chipping sparrows, robins, English sparrows, meadow larks, +crows, golden-winged woodpeckers, and quail eat the army worm, but of +all these helpers, none is so valuable for this work as the red-winged +blackbird and the crow blackbird. + +About fifty years ago, caterpillars were destroying an immense forest in +Europe, when suddenly a flock of cuckoos appeared and saved the +woodland. During the great locust invasion of our own western country, +when the farmers had given up the battle, an army of birds would +sometimes alight upon a field and save the crop. + +Swallows live entirely upon insects, and a very large proportion of the +food of most of our birds is made up of insect life. Thirty-eight kinds +of birds have been seen to feed on some form of the gypsy moth, and they +are not expecting the salaries that are paid to government agents. The +sea-gull is another official on a small salary. He is the best health- +inspector of our coasts, for he not only sees what is to be done, but +does it himself, promptly and well. The little tree-sparrow, in Iowa +alone, destroys more than a million harmful seeds every year. + +Sometimes, it is true, the birds eat the fruits that men have taken +pains to raise. "What little thieves they are!" says the gardener. +"Please tell me," says Mr. Robin, "how I am to know that you care so +much for some kinds of fruit, and so little for others? If you would +plant shad-berries for me, I would not eat so many strawberries. In +September I should be quite willing to make a dinner of choke-cherries, +if they were as conveniently near as your grapes. Perhaps, in time, you +will learn to be more careful in your planting. Why not protect your +fruits by planting wild varieties that we like?" + +Mr. Lawrence Bruner says: "If we take pains to water our birds during +the dry season, they will be much less apt to seek this supply from the +juices of fruits so temptingly at hand." He suggests placing little pans +of water in the orchard and vineyard. + +There is another side to the same question which is worth considering. +Not only does the agriculturist know how useful birds are to us, but +every child can tell us of the pleasure they give. One does not have to +be a poet to know the beauty of the birds. What would spring be without +the bluebird, or June without the oriole? To the eye and to the ear +alike they are a joy. + +From a selfish point of view, then, it is folly to let the wholesale +destruction of birds go on. We are losing more than we fully understand. +But can there be no other motive than a selfish one? Have the birds no +rights which we are bound to respect? Must their claim to life be based +on the fact that they do us good or give us pleasure? We are hopeless +tyrants if this is true. Let us not be content with the smaller +question, What can the birds do for us? but ask ourselves the larger +one, What can we do for the birds? + + + + +"THE BRAVEST ARE THE TENDEREST." + + +It is remarkable how many great men have been noted for their interest +in birds and beasts. We have seen how devoted Scott and Dickens were to +their pets. Daniel Webster's dying request was that his beloved cattle +might be driven by his window, so that he might see them once more. +Abraham Lincoln often went out of his way to do a kindness to some weak +or suffering creature. [Footnote: The following incident is related by +one who knew Lincoln: "We passed through a thicket of wild plum and +crab-apple trees, and stopped to water our horses. One of the party came +up alone and we inquired: 'Where is Lincoln?' + +"'Oh,' he replied, 'when I saw him last he had caught two young birds +which the wind had blown out of their nest, and he was hunting for the +nest, that he might put them back in it.'"] A great German poet so loved +the birds that he left a sum of money with the request that they should +be fed every day on his grave. + +Thoreau, who has written many beautiful books about nature, had a great +love for the little wild creatures of the woods, and they in turn loved +and trusted him. "Even the fishes came into his hand when he dipped it +into the stream. The little mice would come arid playfully eat from his +fingers, and the very moles paid him friendly visits. Sparrows lighted +on his shoulders when he called them; the phoebe birds built their nests +in his shed, and the wild partridge with her brood came and fed quietly +beneath his window. + +"After he had lived two or three months in the woods the wild birds +ceased to be afraid of him, and would come and perch on his shoulder, +and sometimes on his spade when he was digging." + +Amiel, a great French writer, said in his journal: "I have just picked +up on the stairs a little yellow kitten, very ugly and pitiable. Now, +rolled into a ball on a chair at my side, he seems perfectly happy and +asks for nothing more. He followed me from room to room as I went to and +fro. I have nothing for him to eat, but a look and caress satisfy him, +at least for the present. + +"I have been told that weak and feeble creatures feel happy near me. I +know that this is true, but I take no credit for it. I know that it is a +gift. With a little encouragement the birds would nest in my beard. + +"This is the true relation of man with the weaker creatures. He would be +heartily adored by the animals if he were not a tyrant... So that all +unnecessary murder and torture are not only cowardly actions, but +crimes. A useful service imposed on the animal world demands in return +protection and kindness. In a word, the animal has claims on man, and +the man has duties to the animal." + +St. Francis of Assisi not only cared for the birds and the harmless +creatures of the fields and woods, but he is said to have fed a fierce +and hungry wolf until it followed him like a dog. + +Some years ago, General David S. Stanley, of the United States Army, was +leading a force across the plains. He was laying out the route for a +great railroad. There were two thousand men, twenty-five hundred horses +and mules, and a train of two hundred and fifty wagons heavily laden. + +One day the general was riding at the head of the broad column, when +suddenly his voice rang out, "Halt!" + +A bird's nest lay on the ground directly in front of him. In another +moment the horses would have trampled on the nestlings. The mother bird +was flying about and chirping in the greatest anxiety. But the brave +general had not brought out his army to destroy a bird's nest. + +He halted for a moment, looked at the little birds in the nest below, +and then gave the order, "Left oblique!" + +Men, horses, mules, and wagons turned aside and spared the home of the +helpless bird. Months, and even years after, those who crossed the +plains saw a great bend in the trail. It was the bend made to avoid +crushing the bird's nest. Truly, great hearts are tender hearts, and +"the loving are the daring." + + + +"There is one language that all creatures comprehend--the language of +loving-kindness. Love to an animal is what sunshine is to a plant. It +has a tonic effect, and they thrive on it. This does not mean fussiness +--it means a combination of sympathy, wisdom and justice." + The Humane Pleader + + + + +LINES TO A SEABIRD. + + Bird of the stormy wave! bird of the sea! + Wide is thy sweep, and thy course is free; + Cleaving the blue air, and brushing the foam, + Air is thy field of sport, ocean thy home. + + Bird of the sea! I could envy thy wing, + O'er the blue waters I mark thy glad spring; + I see thy strong pinions as onward I glide, + Dashed by the foam of the white-crested tide. + M. A. STODART. + + + + +THE TRUE HERO. + +FOUR WAYS OF LOOKING AT IT. + + +Four boys were standing at the corner of the street. Bound the next +turn, with a great burst of splendid music, came the regiment on its way +to the troop-ship. Along the street were lines of eager faces, some sad +and anxious, to be sure, but all interested and full of excitement. + +"It must be glorious to fight for your country," said George, feeling +his heart beat faster and faster as the regiment drew near. "I'm going +to be a soldier when I grow up." + +"I'm not!" said Dick, with a laugh. "It's too hard work, and I don't +care about being shot. I like plenty to eat, and a good bed to sleep in. +Soldiers' fare would never suit me!" + +"I'm on your side, George," said the tallest boy of the group, as he +watched the men marching by. "A man can make a name for himself when +there's fighting going on. If we are only lucky enough to have another +war, I'm not going to spend my life at a high desk, or digging potatoes +on a farm. A soldier's life is the life for me." + +"I don't feel just that way about it, Ned," said George doubtfully. "I +hope I'm not thinking about my own glory. I should be glad to go as a +common soldier, if I could feel that I was doing all that I could for my +country." + +The fourth, boy was silent. With his hands in his. pockets, he had his +eyes fixed on the lines of glistening bayonets. + +"What do you think, Jack?" said Ned. "You look as wise as an owl." + +Jack turned slowly on his heel. He settled his firm chin a little deeper +in his coat collar. + +"I don't agree with any of you, wholly," he said. "George has the best +of it so far, but I think fighting is a poor way of deciding whether a +thing is right or wrong." + +"You'd make a noble hero," said Ned, with a good-natured laugh. + +"I'd rather make my life count for something in doing work that is worth +doing, than in fighting with men who never did me any harm," said Jack +calmly. + +"A man can't do more than give his life for his country," persisted +George. + +"That's true," said Jack quickly. "Only you were talking about giving +your death, which isn't half so valuable." + +George looked blank for a moment. The others laughed at his puzzled +face, but he recovered himself promptly. + +"I don't see why fighting isn't a good way to settle disputes," he said. + +"So everybody used to think," said Jack. "If a man quarreled with his +neighbor, it was the proper thing to have a duel. We don't have duels +nowadays, and I think we are better off. Don't you remember, George, +that day when we fought over the bag of marbles we found in an old +cellar? It was years ago, when we were little fellows. Father found us +fighting and sent us home. The next day he divided the marbles between +us. I'm sure that was a better way than if I'd held you down a minute +longer and got them all." + +George had still a lively recollection of that fight. + +"You were bigger than I was," he began. + +"I know it," said Jack, "and because I was bigger, I should have got the +marbles if father hadn't stopped me. But that wouldn't have made me the +rightful owner of them. You had as much right to them as I had. Father +talked to me, and made me see how silly our fighting was." + +"Do you truly think that a man who stays at home can be as good a +patriot as a soldier who goes to fight for his country?" asked George, +feeling a little ashamed of his friend. + +"I think that a man can do more for his country in time of peace than in +war," said Jack. "And as for courage, I know it is harder to do some of +the little, common, everyday things well than to do great deeds. Father +says that the mothers are the real heroes in the world. I dare say it +took more courage for some men to stay at home than for any of those in +the regiment to go." + +"But you never hear about the bravery of those men," objected George. +"Of course, once in a while, there is a fire or a railroad accident, and +somebody is very brave and heroic, but that is the exception." + +"I don't call daring the only kind of bravery," said Jack. "Just think +of those nurses and priests who go out to the leper islands to care for +the sick. They know that they are going to something worse than death, +yet they give up everything to make life easier for a few unknown +people." + +"I wasn't speaking of them," said George. "I mean those who stay at +home, and don't do anything very remarkable." + +"I've noticed one thing," said Jack. "The heroes are usually those who +have done their work well every day. Father says that what the country +needs is the quiet faithfulness of every citizen." + +"Do you think," said Ned, with a superior smile, "that wars are going to +stop because you disapprove of them?" + +"I think that war is cruel," said Jack stoutly, "and I don't believe +there is any need of our being cruel. I know that some of our wisest men +think that the time is coming when nations will be ashamed to settle +questions in that way." + +"How do you propose to show your wonderful patriotism. if you won't +fight?" demanded Ned. + +Jack flushed a little, but he answered steadily: + +"I propose to make of myself as good a citizen as I can. I propose to +keep my temper, and to remember that others beside myself have rights. I +propose to be honest and fair. If I do all my work as well as I can, I +hope that some day my life will be of service to my country." + +Ned and Dick walked off with a disagreeable laugh, but George slipped +his arm through his friend's. "If I didn't know better, I should say +that you were a coward, Jack," he said. "I wish you had more of the hero +in you." + +"Even a hero doesn't like to be laughed at," said Jack. "I know one +thing, George: it takes more courage to be called a coward, and to stand +up for what you think is right when others are laughing at you, than it +does to fight." + +"I believe you are right," said George; "I can see that a man may be as +much of a hero and patriot in one place as another, if he is only true +to himself." + + + + He serves his country best + Who lives pure life, and doeth righteous deed, + And walks straight paths, however others stray; + And leaves his sons, as uttermost bequest, + A stainless record which all men may read. + SUSAN COOLIDGE. + + + + + SELECTIONS. + + +"He prayeth best who loveth best + All things both great and small; + For the dear God who loveth us, + He made and loveth all." + COLERIDGE. + + + If I can stop one heart from breaking, + I shall not live in vain; + If I can ease one life the aching, + Or cool one pain, + Or help one fainting robin + Unto his nest again, + I shall not live in vain. + EMILY DICKINSON. +Copyright 1890 by Roberts Bros +Little, Brown & Co., publishers. + + + + +[Illustration with caption: A BAND OF MERCY.] + + +WHAT THE CHILDREN CAN DO. + +SUGGESTIONS + + +SPEAK GENTLY. Animals are very sensitive to loud, harsh tones. Listen to +the teamsters on the street and you will find that much of their +shouting is unnecessary. Watch a boy with his dog and notice the rough, +masterful way in which he likes to speak. There is no occasion for these +harsh tones. Dogs, cats, and horses are rarely deaf. On the contrary, +their hearing is most acute, and a loud tone, even if it is not an angry +one, is frequently a cause of positive suffering. Some birds are so +sensitive that they have been frightened to death by an angry tone. Let +us be courteous whenever we can, not only to each other, but to our dumb +friends. + + +BE KIND TO THE BIRDS. Many birds spend their winters with us, but we +rarely stop to think how a heavy snowstorm must fill their small hearts +with dismay. If we feed them, they will stay near our houses all winter. +Fasten a bark cup for water, and a bone with a bit of meat on it, to +some convenient tree-trunk and watch for your visitors. They may not +come to you while it is warm, but the first cold storm will bring them +in flocks. A flat board, fastened to the top of a clothes-post, will +hold seeds and crumbs, and makes a safe dining table for your guests. +Keep a cleared space on the ground for those who do not dare to be seen +in high places. + +[Illustration with caption: MAKING FRIENDS.] + +Here you may scatter cracked corn, nuts, and sunflower seeds. See to it +in the household that nothing is thrown away that can make a bird's +heart glad. + +HELP THE HORSES. There are many ways in which this may be done. +Sometimes the day is warm, and you can bring a pailful of cool water for +some tired traveler. Or it may be cold and the horse-blanket has slipped +off. A pair of willing hands can soon fasten it properly. Perhaps the +street is icy, and a sprinkling of ashes would make it safe once more. +If a horse has fallen, a blanket spread upon the ice will help him to +regain his feet. Often kind-hearted boys, going up the hill to school, +will carry part of a heavy load, or will put their strong, young +shoulders to the wheel. If the hill is long, you can bring a stone or a +log of wood to block the wheel, and give the horse a moment's needed +rest. Do not get angry even with a cruel driver. Every kind thought, +kindly carried out, will not only be an immediate help, but it may lead +a thoughtless driver to be careful. If you can do nothing more, you can +speak a friendly word, which is never thrown away, even on a horse. +Sometimes a little encouragement will help over a hard place. + +REMEMBER THE VALUE OF LITTLE THINGS. A cup of cold water to some toiling +worker may mean the difference between comfort and misery. Animals, as +well as human beings, suffer very much if they cannot get water. Louisa +Alcott tells a pretty story of the efforts of two little girls to give +water to the thirsty cattle in a dusty cattle-train. + +"Full in the hot sun stood the cars, and every crevice of room between +the bars was filled with pathetic noses, sniffing eagerly at the sultry +gusts that blew by, with now and then a fresher breath from the pool +that lay dimpling before them. How they must have suffered, in sight of +water, with the cool dash of the fall tempting them, and not a drop to +wet their parched mouths! + +"I could not hear what the little girls said, but as they worked away so +heartily, their little tanned faces grew lovely to me, in spite of their +old hats and their shabby gowns. One pulled off her apron, spread it on +the grass, and emptying upon it the berries from her pail, ran to the +pool and returned with it dripping, to hold it up to the suffering +sheep, who stretched their hot tongues gratefully to meet it, and lapped +the precious water with an eagerness which made the little barefoot's +task a hard one. + +"But to and fro she ran, never tired, though the small pail was so soon +empty. Her friend meanwhile pulled great handfuls of clover and grass +for the cows, and having no pail, filled her 'picking-dish' with water +to throw on the poor dusty noses appealing to her through the bars. I +wish I could have told those tender-hearted children how beautiful their +compassion made the hot, noisy place, and what a sweet picture I took +away with me of those two little sisters of charity." + +In a foreign city many of the shopkeepers provide dishes of water for +the thirsty dogs, cats, and birds who may need it. It is a pretty custom +and one easily followed. + +Here is a clipping from a Western newspaper:-- + +"A short time ago, as I was crossing Market Street, near Twenty-second, +a boy, not over ten years old, who had been walking just before me, ran +into the street and picked up a broken glass pitcher. I supposed he +intended the pieces as missiles, since the desire to throw something +seems instinct in every boy. Consequently, I was very much surprised +when he tossed the pieces into a, vacant lot at the corner and walked +quietly on. As he passed me, whistling, I said:-- + +"'Why did you pick up that pitcher?' + +"'I was afraid it might cut some horse's foot,' he replied. + +"My next question was a natural one. + +"'Are you a Band of Mercy boy?' + +"He smiled as he said:-- + +"'Oh, yes; that's why I did it.'" + +The little story may serve to suggest other ways in which children can +be of service, not only to the animals and to each other, but to the +world of grown-up men and women. Fragments of orange and banana skins +make our sidewalks dangerous as well as unsightly; rusty nails and bits +of glass may do much harm which the truly helpful child will prevent. + +There is a mutual helpfulness among animals which is very beautiful to +see. They will come together for defence and to get food, and sometimes +help each other in sickness and trouble. A blind swan was fed with fish +brought twice a day by other swans from a lake thirty miles away. An +English sparrow pluckily rescued his mate from a big snowdrift at the +risk of his life. Livingstone tells of a wounded buffalo who was caught +up on the strong shoulders of another buffalo and carried to a place of +safety. The little mice in the meadow, and the birds upon the marshes, +have learned that to be strong they must keep together and help each +other. This is the law of all life. + +When young people learn to think about the causes of pain and suffering, +and to respect the rights of animals, they will soon learn to respect +each other's rights and to render this mutual aid. + +John Bright, a noted English statesman, said: "If children at school can +be made to understand how it is just and noble to be humane even to what +we term inferior animals, it will do much to give them a higher +character and tone through life." + +There are men and women who would be thankful if they could blot out +some careless deed of their childhood. We may be sure that we shall +never regret the kind things we have done. George Eliot says:-- + +"It is only a poor sort of happiness that could ever come by caring very +much about our own narrow pleasures. We can only have the highest +happiness, such as goes along with being a great man, by having wide +thoughts and much feeling for the rest of the world as well as +ourselves. ...If you mean to act nobly and seek to know the best things +God has put within reach of men, you must learn to fix your mind on that +end and not on what will happen to you because of it." + +In many places in this country and in Europe the children are uniting to +do what they can to lessen the suffering that is going on around them. +To aid in this work, they are forming little companies that are known as +Bands of Mercy. + +The object of these bands is to encourage brave, generous, and +thoughtful deeds. The members do not pledge themselves not to kill any +creature, for sometimes that is the kindest thing that can be done, and +a wounded bird or insect should be put out of its pain at once. + +This is the resolution which the children make:-- + +"I WILL TRY TO BE KIND TO ALL LIVING CREATURES, AND WILL TRY TO PROTECT +THEM FROM CRUEL USAGE." + +No fee is needed to belong to such a band. The children should sign the +pledge, choose a name, and elect a president and secretary. It is well +that the teacher should be president. The meetings may be made very +interesting and helpful. Reading, recitations, and anecdotes will give +all the children a chance to share in the exercises. Each child should +be encouraged to tell the kindly actions he has witnessed, and to +suggest ways in which children can help each other and the animals about +them. + +There are now several hundred thousand children in the United States and +in Canada who have pledged themselves to this good work. If these +children are faithful to the pledge which they have signed, an immense +amount of good will be done. Children who are taught to be kind to +animals and to each other make good citizens. + + + + +TO THE TEACHER. + +BANDS OF MERCY. + + +So much of childish, cruelty is thoughtless that the help to be obtained +from Bands of Mercy is apparent. To make a boy understand the misery +that his air-gun and his fishhook may cause, to show the cowardly +cruelty in throwing stones and in hurting innocent and defenseless +creatures--this is what the Band of Mercy may accomplish. There is +abundant testimony from teachers who have introduced humane teaching +into their schools, to the effect that the children are not only kinder +to the lower animals, but also more thoughtful and considerate towards +each other. + +We want our boys and girls to be strong and brave, but in no way can +their strength and bravery be made more certain than in protecting the +weak and helpless. + +When young people learn to respect the rights of animals and to think +about the causes of pain and suffering, they will apply these thoughts +to their everyday life. They will learn to respect each other's rights, +and crime of all kinds will be diminished. + +Upon teachers and parents a great responsibility rests. They are forming +the minds and the habits of the coming generation. Upon their +instruction may depend future peace or war, good citizenship or a low +standard of patriotism and morals. + +With the best intention of implanting the humane idea, teachers +sometimes indirectly teach what is not really humane. For example, +physiology lessons are sometimes illustrated by parts of dead animals, +which must be obtained from a butcher's shop or a slaughterhouse. + +This is not directly cruel, because the animals are already dead, but it +is not refining to the sensibilities. + +Sometimes the teacher enlarges on the special use of animals for food. +It is unnecessary to lay emphasis on the use of animal food, when we +remember that the number of people who live without it is constantly +increasing, and that these people maintain at least as high a standard +of health as those who make use of it; indeed, it is claimed that their +health is better and that they are more likely to be free from certain +diseases to which meat eaters are subject. + +The Bands of Mercy are valuable in teaching young people the highest +ideals of life, and in showing them that the universal law of love is +the only law which will bring what we all desire, "Peace on earth, and +good will to all." + + + +SUGGESTIONS FOR SUBJECTS FOR COMPOSITIONS. + +In connection with school work, compositions may be written on some of +the subjects suggested below:-- + +The Rights of Animals and the Protection that we should give them. + +Transportation of Cattle; or, A Journey from the Western Plains to the +Market. + +How does Cruelty to Animals affect Meat, Milk, and Fish? + +Influence of Humane Education. + +Importance of Early Lessons in Kindness. + +Some Account of the Humane Work done by Henry Bergh. + +Some Account of the Humane Work done by George T. Angell. + +Cruelty to Horses. Checkrein, Blinders, Docking. + +Various Ways in which the Tight Checkrein affects the Horse. + +What are the Principal Lessons taught by "Black Beauty"? + +Acts of Kindness which I have observed. + +The Rights of Cats. + +The Cruelty of Abandoning Cats when moving from One House to Another. + +Good Work done by Frogs and Toads. + +The Value of Bird Life. + +How shall we protect the Birds? + +Cruelty of Caging Birds and Squirrels. + +Egret Plumes and how they are obtained. + +Valuable leaflets on the care and kind treatment of animals may be +obtained by addressing The Animal Rescue League, 51 Carver Street, +Boston, Mass. + +"We and Our Friends" and other leaflets may be obtained of Mrs. Mary F. +Lovell, 215 Summit Ave., Jenkintown, Pa. + +Leaflets and pamphlets suitable for use in schools and for distribution +elsewhere, including some with stories of cats, dogs, etc., can be +obtained from The American Humane Education Society, 180 Longwood Ave., +Boston, Mass. + +At the same address may also be obtained other inexpensive publications. +Among them are the following:-- + +"Songs of Happy Life," a fine collection of songs, many of them with +original music by eminent modern composers. This book inculcates a love +of nature and kindness to all living creatures. Many of the songs are +suitable for Peace day, Bird day, and Arbor day exercises. It contains, +besides the music, an outline of Band of Mercy entertainments, +selections for readings, recitations, memory gems, etc., which may be +found very useful for school work as well as suitable for Bands of +Mercy. American Humane Education Society, Boston. Price 50 cents. + +"Voices for the Speechless," a collection of poems from standard +authors, suitable for recitations etc. + +"The Teacher's Helper in Humane Education," by Dr. Rowley. 32 pages. +Price 10 cents. + +NOTE.--As soon as a Band of Mercy numbers thirty members it should be +reported to the American Humane Education Society, 180 Longwood Ave., +Fenway Station, Boston, Mass., which will send Our Dumb Animals free for +one year, with an assortment of valuable leaflets. From this society may +also be obtained interesting books, "Black Beauty" among others. Several +hundred thousand copies of this book have been sold. Its price, paper +bound, is twenty cents, postage paid. + +"Our Gold Mine at Hollyhurst" and "Twelve Lessons on Kindness to +Animals" may also be obtained from the Society. + + + + +INFORMATION CONCERNING THE JACK LONDON CLUB + + +All exhibitions of trained animals should be discouraged, as much +cruelty is involved in teaching them the unnatural tricks. Persons who +have witnessed the training of animals say there is a great deal of +suffering behind the scenes. They not only suffer from cruelty but are +forced to live in unnatural surroundings and suffer from close +confinement. Use your influence to discourage such shows. The Jack +London Club has been formed to stop this kind of cruelty. It is an +organized protest against the cruelties involved in training animals and +exhibiting them on the stage. + +Send your name and address to Our Dumb Animals, 180 Longwood Ave., +Boston, Mass. Sending your name will mean that you are willing to leave +your seat in any place of amusement while performing animals are on the +stage. Even if you won't do this, talk about the cruelties connected +with these performances. Join the Jack London Club now; no dues, no +fees. The Club, in little over three years, secured a membership of over +two hundred thousand and is growing rapidly. Free literature about the +Jack London Club may be obtained. The book by Jack London, "Michael +Brother of Jerry," which deals with this cruelty, is sold at one dollar +per copy. + +Laws have been passed in the following states making humane education +compulsory in the public schools: Maine, Washington, California, +Colorado, North Dakota, South Dakota, Oklahoma, Idaho, Montana, Texas, +Wyoming, Pennsylvania, Utah, New Hampshire, Michigan, Wisconsin, +Illinois, Alabama, Connecticut, Kentucky, and New York. Many +testimonials have been received from school superintendents and teachers +as to the good results obtained since humane education has been made a +part of the regular school work. + +As state after state is passing the law making humane education a part +of the school work, some students may ask why the state is especially +interested in their being taught kindness to all living creatures,--to +the lower animals as well as to human beings. The teacher can mention +the fact that eighty per cent of the criminal class in our jails and +prisons were cruel from childhood, and that it is less expensive for the +state to educate the child in humanity than to support him as a +criminal. The teacher can tell the child that if it is necessary to take +life, it should be done as quickly and painlessly as possible. It is +cruel to inflict needless pain. Tell the child that our hearts warm +toward one who is kind, while we shrink from one who is cruel. + +The child should be taught to remember that no living creature is here +from choice; all comes from the hand of God, and each has its special +work. We must also remember that a child when cruel is morally hurt, and +a moral hurt is greater than a physical one. + + + +"We and the beasts are kin. Man has nothing that the animals have not at +least a vestige of; the animals have nothing that man does not in some +degree share. Since, then, the animals are creatures with wants and +feelings differing in degree only from our own, they surely have their +rights."--ERNEST THOMPSON SETON. + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Friends and Helpers, by Sarah J. 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