Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1872-12-11

Boys, they say that we are cruel Tn,
say that we cause great deal OF pain, al
that it is fun to US. They say that We ju
loyo to hurt things
Aud this is the way they prove it. Ton
Dick and Harry went down to Tilly,ink
Brook last Saturday, and instead Of couten
ing themselves with picking wild flower
making willow whistles, and cutting osi,
canes, they stole ground sparrow's nest wit
four, tiny, rcd.sknnod, bald-headcd, gapin
young birds in it, Yes, and though the ol
One ilutiered about and cried at the top {
her voice. and told the boys as plainly
could be, that the poor little nestlings wcr
hers, her own, aud all that she had that
would break her heart to lose them tia
they would die, she knew they would, withou
her bfooding and feeding; and tha, anybod
who would take them from her was q robbie
and u murderer, and meaner than hawk
yet those unaccountabe boys carried the mes
away, birds and all, and actually threw stone
at the old sparrow. too. OF course the lttl
chick died, Just as the mother bird rad.
Now Tom declares that he didn't mean an.
harm he only wanted to tame the younj
sparows' Dick says he couldn't tell wha
theald thing was ehattoring about, and llarrl
gues they are not the only boys that plagu'
birds
- a.arrY. you are not fog every dal
afier school, little Ben Topsione goes BY with
his gum elastic sling, shooting pebbles anC
gravel stones in every direction; and woe b,
to the bird that comes within range Of hi,
eatapult Only yesterday he poited away ior
half an hour at the blue birds in the grove
TIL at last one poor bird futtcrod down witt
a broken wing.
Yet we can not so much wonder at Ben
for bis big brother John, now almost mar
grown, goes out with his gun aud Kills bob-o.
links and swallows, and even wrcns and
once he actually shot humming bird just
for practice, he said. Ah John that is a
very bad sort Of practice, and teaches Ben
bad practices, too.
But the birds have not monopoizsd all the
cruelty in the world, by any means. There
are four footed beasts that have wrongs to
complain Of Fortunately for the dogs, the
boys have a wholesome dread Of them, which
has prevented their taking too many liberties
with them, though a small dog has now and
then been seen with skillet or coffee pot
tied to his tail under circumstances that cast
suspicion on the boys Of the neighborhood
As to cats they have a standing account
against the boys, and it is wonder that they
can meet one anywhere aud not scratch his
eyes 0ut The way 10 which their ears and
tails ale pulled, and they ere chased aul
seated d, and stoned, and hunted by dogs, all
though the malice Of boys, is pitifuI enough.
Perhaps malice is too strong a word for most
Of these pranks but it is not half strong
enough for others. For instance, certain
boy--no matter his name, he'll know who is
meant--a certain boy was seen, the other
day, dragging a poor little kitten through the
street by a string tied around her neck What
do you think of that And he dragged it
till it was dead What do you think Of
that
Beasts Of burden are apt to have prciu-
dice against boys, and it is not hard to guess
why. If there is one thing a boy likes to
do, it is to use a whip and he is seldom able
to find an animal that completely agrees with
his notions on the subject. There arc few
oxen, or horses, or oven donkeys, that like to
be whipped--for the same reason that few
boys like to be wbipped-because it hurts
Give yourself few smart blows with the
lash aud you can tell something how it feels
to the animal. Try various whips in this
manner, and if you can find one that is so
made that it feels good 10 be bit with it, then
use L gskly but don't strike an animal with
one 81 thxso whips that hurt
And right here We End the principle that
will guide us in all our treatment of animals
Try to think how you would feel if you were
in their place, and treat them as you would
wish to be treated.
Andthere is another principle, and higher
one, which comes right in here, too. The
same dear Lord that made US, made all the
living creatures about us, and he loves them,
and thinks about them, and cares Tor them
and when they are hurt he is grieyed lie
knows where all the sparrow nests are and
how many birds are in them, and when they
are hungry or cold, and when they are stolen
away. lie knows when the poor horse is
tired and when his skin smarts under the
whip. There is not dog so poor, or kitten
20 wretched that God does not care what be-
zones of it. No, there is not fish in the
iea or a fly in the air, or any tinest thing
anywhere that he does not love- For his sake,
hen, dear boys, and for our own, let us love
Al living things too; and whatever people
say Of us, don't give them reason to say boys
ire cfuel.--National Gazette.