St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1890-04-03
KINDNESS TO ANIMALS.

Frances Willard said one admiral
bic thing in her recent annual address
before the WOman'S Christian Tenn
perance Union. 1t was to the effect
that she did not Judge the humanity
of men and women from the manner
in which they treated their equals in
strength, but from the care they ac-
corded their cats and dogs. Char
1otte Bronte makes Caroline Hell
stone say of Robert Moore: I'VE
have black cat and an old dog at
the rcctory. | know somebody to
whose knee that black cat loves to
climb against whose shoulder and
check it likes to purr. The old dog
comes out of his kennel and wags
his tail and whines affectionately
when somebody passes And
what does that somebody do? asked
Shirley.
"IIe quietly strokes the cat, and
| lets her sit while he conveniently can.
and when he must disturb her by ris-
| ing, he puts her softly down and
never filings her from him roughly {;
he always whistles to the dog and
gives him a caress."
1t is not strange that she perceived
in this tenderness toward dumb crea-
lures, premOnitions of great tender
ness toward his own flesh and blood.
1t is a strange and incomprehensible
thing that most children are natural
" cruel. 1t may have been this trait
which gave rise to the dogma of to-
| tai depravity. 1t is equally strange
shat parents who are good people,
charitably kind to their equals, are
totally oblivious to this dangerous
tendency i'll their children. The cat
is tcased and tortured III wantOn
mischief without q word of protest
The dog is kicked and beaten and
nothing is said, yet i'll all evil inclina-
tons there is none that is more
dangerous than this. Cruelty to
animals III child develops in after
years into cruelty toward 4 brother,
sister, wife, and children. The brutal
man who beats his horse inhumanlv,
does SO because he began his cruelty
in childhood, and with his hardened
! sensibilitics it would be a compara-
lively trifling thing to commit muir
der, were it not for the penalty which
ne fears, for the cruel are always
towards.
Indifference to suffering is an indi-
cation of hard heart-and for the
thoroughly hardened there is no
hope either in this life or the next
Children that are permitted to be
cruel either through Indifference or
neglect, grow more and more cruel
as they advance in years. Its first
| Indication should be checked, as the
watchful mother checks the first
| lapSes IN truth and morality.
They should be taught to care for
their pets, to handle them gently, to
/ provide them regularly with food
| and drink, and shelter and bedding.
| ThOughtfulncSs for these dumb crea-
| lures will inspire them with a desire
to be helpful and thankful to all
/ about them. If it became necessary
| to Kill an animal, hopelessly sick or
! grown old and helpless, it should be
| done humanity, and even then the
| children should not be permitted to
see it put to death. They should be
taught that life is sweet and precious
| to the smallest creature-to the flv
struggling in the instinct of self
/ preservation in the spiders web, to
the tiny ant hurrying panic-stricken
| to escape the ruthless foot that
would tread upon it. In this way
only can the education in humanity
be carried on; begin with the baby
and lose no opportunity to impress
upon his mind until he is grown that
he shall not wantonly inflict pain or
uselessly destroy any harmless living
creature.-[ Woodstock Standard.