The morning times., 1896-09-06
DOrOthy'S '''''' = ::
: Hat :
l.: s !: Fund.
Fund

BY KATHARINE NEwBoLD BIRDsALL.
! GRACIOUS, papa, look at that. Did YOU
| ever see such a funny looking Borse?'
Yes, saw one just like him last week."
ii is an excellent scheme for hot weather.
/ hundreds of poor beasts stand out in the
scorchDg heat all day, With the sun beating
on their heads. II they were men they
would be pitied, and some one would give
them bats or umbrellas; but people seem
TO think that horse doesn't object to
heat-and very few of Their owners seem
to care.''
Yes, papa: but doesn't he look funny"
cried Dorothy, laughing until the tears
came into her eyes. See HIN wiggle his
ears through the straw to keep the flies
away. I suppose the driver picked the Old
hat from some ash barrel and put 1t oD his
horse Just for fun, don't youa-
No: think he is fond of his horse and
put 1t there to save him suffering said
Nj Castle; as he put Dorothy on the street
car and jumped on after her
Dorothy Castle did a great deal OF think
ing that morning as she waited in her
fathers office. She had been up in the
mountains. and that afternoon her father
was to take her to the seashore TO spend
the rest of the summer. The image Of that
funny looking horse, his cad Protected from
the SUM by an old bathing hat in which were
cut holes for his ears to pass through. kept
rising before her eyes, and then she would
think of the hundreds of suffering horses
her father had spoken Of
She Thought Of il 81, uch in that
when they boarded the train for the sea-
shore she had made up her mind to be
an s. P. C. A. herself. Of you have never
heard of the s. P. c. A let me tell you
that it is the Society for the Prevention OF
Cruelty to Animals. and does great deal
TO lessen the suffering of the lower animals
and to punish those who maltreat them)
By the time their cottage by the sea was
reached her plan was formed, and the next
morning it was unfolded to the ready ears
Of several girls and boys, all Of whom vol
laateered help. Then there was consuita-
ton with the man who owned the bathing
pavilion. and he agreed to lend a hand "
the project Dorothy's big brother at first
refused TO paint some small placards that
she asked him to do, but was at last per
suaded when She told him that she didn't
see what good going to college had done
him. If he couldn't paint even a simple sign.
The cards. which were carefully tackled
in every bathing house, read something like
this:
Don't throw a way your old la thing hats.
Leave them in the bathing pavilion to tie
used for the S. P. c. A.
or Course everyone was interested to
know what bathing hats had to do with
8. A md hats l,,-
In all stages of wear came pouring in.
There were also donations of money from
those who couldn't contribute hats, with
which the proprietor OF the bathing pa
vilion volunteered to buy a lot Of hats
as he Could get them cheaper than could
Dorothy.
The children packed the piles Of old
hats which were gathered at the pavilion
and expressed them to the city TO Mr..
Castle, who said he would see that they
were distributed among the cart horses
where they Were most needed. And sure
enough he did so, to the great amuse-
ment of everyone who sees the horses.
The horses are thankful enough, though
they cannot express their thanks in words;
they don't mind being ridiculous a bit,
for their heads are shielded from the bum
jug rays of the sun. and they are more
than they have been in years;
and from their conteuted looks as the
bicycles pass them with their bloomered
burdens you can easily see that they would
much rather wear old bathing hats than
boomers. So, n you happen to meet one
of these caparisoned horses, laugh all
you please at him, but don't forget to think
how comfortable he is, thanks TO Doro
thy's s. P. c. A