Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1893-01-12
ONE TEST OF A GENTLEMAN.
He VIII BE Known by the Way in Which
He Treats Dumb Animals

He VIII BE Known by the Way in Which
He Treats Dumb Animals.
Did it ever occur to any Of the boys
who read this paper TO think of the
small things that help to make the
character of a gentleman? witnessed
scene from my window the other
day, which taught me that one of these
things is kindness to inferior animals.
do not like the word brute" / have
seen many brutal boys and men, and |
have known many animals who were
not brutal. The gentleman whose cot
tage adjoins mine was about to take
his wife for a drive, when the horse
started with alright at some sound or
sight was shocked and surprised TO
see this man Of culture of refinement,
}ist the animal severely. Only the
even ug before, at social gathering,
! had heard a lady say Of this man:
He is perfectly lovely, and most
thorough gentleman in every way"
Not according to my standards" I
said 10 myself, after had seen his man
ner Of treating his horse, and hope all
the boys who read this win agree with
me. If you are not quite sure about a
new boy at your school, or in your
neighborhood, just notice how he treats
his dog, or horse, or the cows ne drives
TO pasture, or his fathers servant. or
hired man. If he has noble nature,
he will be kind to all interiors, whether
they be animals, or interiors by birth,
or age; If he has a mean nature he will
show it in his treatment OF them The
influence Of cruelty on the dumb beast
IS only less pernicious than il is on
yourself, for while it is true that no
vicious animal was ever made better by
abuse, it is also true that the very abuse
which you heap upon the creature in
your power reacts upon yourself in cor
rupting your better nature.
The sight Of n wild bird In a cage is
almost as pitiful TO me as it would be
10 see a slave toiling in his chains. A
celebrated tenor singer was once pass
ing through a market where hundreds
of feathered songsters were exposed for
SALE confined in tiny cages. He looked
about him sadly for few moments,
then bought every bird and ordered
their cages to be taken to the public
square and opened AS the songs of ioy
and thankfulness poured from the null
titude of tiny threats, the singer looked
after them with tears in his eyes, say
ing Go my brothers go and be free
| once had a beautiful Jersey cow that
the hired man pronounced most
vicious kicker. One day, during his alb
sence, MIXED her myself, but with fear
and trembling, talking to her the while
in a kindly, reassnring voice; much to
my surprise carried ia the pail brim-
ming with milk The next time / de-
termined 10 watch, unseen my mans
mode of procedure when he went to
milk her His first act was to greet her
with kick, and when the poor trem-
bling beast returned il he began 10 be-
labor her with piece Of board
Ask any trainer of animals and he
viii ten you that his elephants, horses,
dogs or mice are taught their clever
tricks by kindness and not through
fear. Just think how II is with your.
selves, boys. how much better you like
kind word than n thrashing, and how
much farther it goes with you. There
fore, treat these "far-away cousins, " as
Won Ruppe calls them, as You would
have others act toward you. American
Agriculturist.