Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1883-09-14
THE TEASING CHILD.


-Sdsuh Orne JclUctt, in st. Nicholas.
THE TEASING CHILD.
Probably If any boy or girl in the
;chool-room were asked, "What is the
most disagreeable kind of child for a
daily companion" he would say: 1.-The
teasing child" If our dumb friends
could, for once, speak good, plain
English, and were asked the same Ques-
ton, fancy the answer would be the
same. Few persons are cruel contin-
ually, few persons are constantly forget
full of the needs of others; but the
Tease seems never able to meet other
creatures without in some way making
Them uncomfortable, nervous and I'M
happy. Now, children, if you discover
that you are inclined to amuse your
selves by teasing others take my advice,
urn right about and march the other
way. Break yourselves of the habit as
soon as you possibly can, or expect to be
| iisliked by everybody, no matter how
| bright you are.
Did you ever see noisy, mischievous
boy 90 into barn where the cows are
tied in their stallsp Those that are lying
down scramble to their feet in alarm;
those that stand peacefully chewing
heir cud lower their heads with anxious
eyes, and spread apart their feet, as il
making ready to defend themselves from
attack. The creatures recognize their
tormentor by instinct.
can not forget what rude boy once
did in our barn. The COWS locked alto
gether too comfortable. Suddenly he
ran up to one of them and whisked his
hand before her face. He did not touch
her, and he did not mean to. but she
pulled back at her chain, her feet
slipped, and she fell heavily on her side.
The poor creature was terrified and dis
ressed, and beside that she was hurt so
much that it made quite difference in
her value.
The cats in a family tell which of the
children are kind to them. The mo-
ment Teasing Tom appears, Puss hops
down from the chair where she has been
so comfortable and takes refuge behind
the sofa or under the bed. No per-
suasive tones from him will bring her
out. If by any chance he captures her,
how restless she isl How she crouch
es, and half shuts her eyes, and lowers
her ears, and eagerly springs away at
the first opportunity!
Of course she does not like him, nor
do |. He picks her up by the tail. He
steps on it if it lies stretched along the
floor as she LAPS her milk. He strokes
her fur the wrong way, and when he
plays with her he is so rough that she
is obliged to tell him so with teeth and
claws. He says: "'She is cross old
tbing!' But Jamie never calls her so.
jamie does not know from their feeling
that Puss has any teeth and claws.
Whenever he is about she goes to him
| of her own accord, and jumps into his
lap. Then she turns around five or six
times and curls herself up contentedly.
Then she gets up, arches her back, and
rubs her nose against his hand, turns
around and settles herself on his knee
only to get up Immediately if he speaks
in his pleasant voice, and rubs her head
against his face.
When he goes to walk she trots after
him with occasional pauses for gen
eral survey. She will come cantering
over long field to him if he only stands
in the doorway and calls her by name
once or twice. He has never leased her
in his life, and she has perfect conf
dence in him. Isn't it worth while to
make friends of animals by such quiet,
gentle ways, and to win their conf
dence instead of arousing their distrust?
There are children who would not
think of annoying horse or COW, who
yet think it is perfectly fair to tease a
wild animal, or one of kind we do not
want about us. A woodchuck, rat
or mouse, is regarded as an enemy
a hawk, crow or an owl, is only a
creature to get rid of. They say: 1.-The
rascals steal our corn or eat our pies. -
They forget that these creatures do not
know anything of the rights of prop
erty. God gave them the instinct to
seek after their own food. If they do
not find it they starve to death. No
human being looks after their needs.
When they are hungry they seek for
food in any convenient place, and eager
" eat whatever they find to be eatable.
How can they know what we value, and
what we throw away? They have
never been taught the difference We
have no right to call them thieves, and
it is both silly and wicked in us to treat
them in revengeful way. as if they
had knowingly and wilfully tried to
harm us. When they are caught in the
trap or the snare do not increase their
terror by teasing them. Is it not hard
enough that they are so frightened BY
the presence of such terrible-lookino
creatures as we are, and that they must
die SO soon? Do not make the rest Of
their life more miserable than il
must be.
Even more wrong than being crue
to animals, or teasing them yourself, il
to teach animals to tease each other
The boy who allows or teaches his dog
to worry cats, cows or chickens, i:
more guilty than if he does it himself
Cock-hghting is no less barbarous
sport than bull-fghting, and every
child ought to resolve now, at this mo.
ment, to do all in his power TO civilize
human beings sufficiently to look with
scorn on such low and barbarous pas
times.
Every kind deed you do, and every
gentle word you speak, whether to man
or animal, makes you more lovable to
every one.
Never hesitate to interfere, if you
see any one. either child or a grown
person, teasing an animal. Do not
mind what is said to you. You know
that It is not right to tease, and that
you are on the right side if you try to
/ No. I1a afraid 81 L.