Kindness to Animals | Page 6

manes, and long tails; but though a great price is
given for them, and they are lodged, and fed, and tended with all the
care possible, they cannot be so happy in a king's palace, as in the tent
or hut of their poor masters at home. The Arab treats his horse like a
child; gives it to eat of his own victuals, to drink of his own bowl of
milk, and lets it sleep in the midst of his family. Of course, the animal
becomes so fond of him, that it serves him for love, carries him through
all dangers, and has often been known to defend him with its life. We
cannot bring up our horses in this way, nor treat them as the wild Arab
does; but knowing what sense, and feeling, and gratitude, and love, this
noble creature can and does show, we ought to be always watching to
avoid giving it unnecessary pain, and to persuade others to be equally
kind.
I cannot tell you how it used to grieve my dumb boy, Jack, when he
saw a horse ill-used; or how very kind he was to one that he had the
care of. He would sooner have wanted food and drink himself, than
have allowed his master's horse to feel hunger or thirst. He was very
tender when rubbing it down, if there was any, sore place; and if the
animal got cross or impatient, he would say to me in signs, "Poor horse
not know: horse tired: soon go sleep, poor horse!" That was a very
strong, spirited animal, and needed a steady hand to rein him in; but I
often saw the dumb boy jump on his back, and with only the halter over
his head, guide him where he chose. I never saw him give that horse a
blow or a kick, in all the two years that he tended him. Jack was

fourteen when he began, and sixteen when he left off being his groom.
He was strong and healthy then; but at nineteen he died; and he told me
that it made him very happy to think that he had never been cruel to
any of God's poor creatures. But I must not say any more now about the
noble horse. There is another animal, the natural companion of man,
the dog, which comes next in value; for though it cannot take us on a
long journey, or convey our goods from place to place, it stands sentry
over us and our property, being not only a good servant, but a most
intelligent, fond, and faithful friend. It does not need to be broke in,
like the horse; it learns the ways and the wishes of those around it; and
the more liberty you give it, the more eager it is to serve and please you.
The dog deserves a chapter to himself, and shall have it.

[Illustration]
CHAPTER III.
THE DOG.
There is a great deal of sorrow in the world: perhaps, through the
goodness of God, you have been kept from suffering much yourselves,
but you must have seen trouble among your friends and neighbours;
sickness and death, perhaps. And it often happens that great distress
comes on people, so as to keep them hungry and cold, for want of what
would buy enough food and fuel. Besides this, how often the bad
conduct of one in a family will make the rest unhappy! A single
drunkard, or thief, or violent person, will bring shame and misery on all
the rest. The world is full of troubles; but I do not think that we often
find, even among those of our own nature, men, women, boys, and girls,
not related to us, a person with so little selfishness as to be always sorry
and sad when we are so, and because we are so. When we meet with
any one so kind-hearted, we love that person, and would do a great deal
to serve or oblige such a feeling friend.
Now, I always observed that a dog, when kindly treated and taken care
of, will show his concern for the troubles of his master or mistress, in a

wonderful way. Indeed, I never, in my life, had a dog that would not do
so; and seeing this has convinced me that it is worse than cruel to treat
a dog ill--it is most ungrateful. It does sometimes happen that a dog has
a bad and violent temper, even from a puppy; and if very careful
treatment does not soon cure this, I should say that such a dog ought to
be destroyed, by a quick and easy death; not making the poor brute
suffer for what it cannot help. But in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred,
a