River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1899-04-06
DObbin'S Humane Society
BY Mantle L. Hunter


nigh break his spawned old joints. lie
numbered stitfly over to the other side
of his stall, where, pretending to rub
himself against the boards, he man
aged to get one ear over a crack.
This will make jolly playhouse y
said voice. Wen spread some Of mat
old carpet over the floor, hang up our
guns and fishing rods, bring out our
tool chest and bracket saw. and my, oh.
my! what good time Wen have for
the next two weeks. think the coun-
try's jolly, anyway"
Yes" replied voice. with note
Of depreciation in it; but you know
this is city of the third class now,
and we have three paved streets"
1T is?" with surprise wait until
YOU come to Chicago next summer.
then YOU will think this is the country"
Thus the planning for the two weeks
went on between the city and the coun-
try cousins. and SO intent was Dobbin
in trying to catch every word they
said that he did not hear his stall door
open nor the footsteps Of his master
approaching over the strawless boards.
Just then Il persistent big horsefy
bit deep into his bowed tendon. and in
pure self-defense he gave kick. which,
heaven help him! grazed old man
Snaffies' leg.
When Dobbin realized what he had
done he sickened at the thought of
what would come. For moment Jer-
~ SnaffIes was dumb and motionless
with amazement. Never before in the
ten years since he had owned Dobbin
had the old horse as much as limited
that his masters presence was not de
sirahle, At last his wrath, all the
greater for being pent up for mo-
ment burst forth,
kick at me will YOU, YOU old beast %
he yelled, and wrenching off a board
that hung by one nail, he rained blows,
interspersed with oaths, upon the
horse. until with a last blow and kick,
Suaflles left the stable saying:
"Kick at me, will YOU? You'll go
without your supper TO pay for H."
Dobbin happened to fall with his
head close to the crack, and as he lay
quiveriug and half dead he was re
called to his surroundings by the hor-
( Ibl-S' llChtH tones VI 1t NOiNt dShlH9 e
"Bertie. what-what was that noise?
What was it,
That was old man Suaffies whipping
/ his horse. That's nothing; we're used
TO hear his thumpings"
why BERTHE Andrews, it's dread
/ ful thing to whip a horse like that.
Why don't YOU stop him? Let's 90
straight this minute to the humane
agent and report the case"
Il don't know what you mean by hui
name agent and don't know how we
can stop him, He owns the horse, so
suppose he can do what he pleases
with him
Indeed, he can't. If you were a
member OF humane society you could
/ walk in yourself and order him to stop.
and If he didn't obey the law would
take hold of him, Is the horse Vi
cious >"
mo, but the old man is"
There was a pause of a few minutes
when the city boy, who had evidently
/ been thinking. said:
Suppose you and | organize a hui
name society? Every town ought to
/ have one"
How could we? What would we have
| to do?"
Il don't exactly know myself, but let
Us think about it"
Just then there came a call of Come.
boys; supper is ready" and Dobbin was
/ left alone in the double barn.
1 That evening, upon hearing voices,
Dobbin left the whole half-pint of oats
in his feed box such haste was he in TO
| glue his deaf old ear over the crack
in the partition.
I've been thinking" said the visit
/ ing boy "about the humane society
ard I'll tell you how l believe we can
manage it,
How? Father says it would be
| splendid thing for the town"
1--WE will write letter telling what
we hope to do. ask for the constitution
and bylaws of their society. inclose
stamp and address it to the president of
the humane society of Cleveland. which,
believe. is your nearest large city.
Printed with the constitution nearly al
ways are the state laws governing such
I SOtltIlFS. we Will SiiOW IL 10 SIEVE al
business men and charitable women,
ask them to think about il and talk the
matter up; then. through the news
papers. we will call meeting of all who
are interested in humane work. We
must ask some one WHO'S accustomed
to public meetings to preside, and some
one else who is a good talker to make
a speech. and ! believe before the even
ing is over we shall have a society
hatched and more than half-fedged."
Il know just the men who viii do
those things for us if we ask hem"
said Bertie Editor Jones of the Era.
usually presides at our political meet
ings. and some of the ministers or
lawyers will make a speech for US,
am sure. Come on: let US go in and
write the letter"
After that for Dobbin the days
seemed weeks until the society was
formed
The night the meeting was in prog
ress he never slept a wink and he
moved about 80 restlessIy that Mr.
Snatiles came out with lantern and
whip to investigate Dobbin. know
.ng what his rights were, lodged the
blows pretty successfully, but was
wise enough to keep tolerably quiet
the remainder Of the night
The next evening he walked past his
feed box without looking in its direc-
ton. 50 anxious was he TO get his ear
over the crack and hear what the boys
were saying. He could distinguish the
rustic of paper and surmised that they
we're looking over the evening newspa-
per
Here il is exclaimed BERTHE. Just
see the headlines. viii you?" Then he
read detailed account of the pre-
yious evenings proceedings Il told
how the best people in the place had
taker hold of the work. of how presi-
dent had been elected who would act
as humane agent.
Now hope old thumper Snaffios viii
be brought to time" said the cousin
when the reading was finished
He won't, though" replied BERTHE
He is sharper than needles: after he