The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1901-08-07
Poetic Justice.

"A Jerseyman VINO went out lOr
pleasure drive with his sweetheart not
long ago received q needed though rath-
err severe lesson on the necessity OF being |
humane to animals in this day and gen.
Grafton. 1t was very hot day, and
when the drive was about half over the |
horse became balky. The driver there
upon lost his temper and gave the ami
nal an unmerciful beating. Then the
trouble began. A constable saw him
and promptly arrested him for cruelty
to animals. He was unable to pay the
money, and his companion settled the
business for him. Then she went home
and wrote him a note and this is what
it said:
"When man will so brutally beat
horse and so easily lose his temper, a
woman marrying him would take the
chance of the same treatment" And
In the rest OF the note released him
from the engagement.
Most people will be OF the opinion
that the young lady in question did ex-
actly what was right, and that she was
fortunate in discovering the disposition
of her fance before, instead OF after
marriage. Insensibility to the pain of
another is not trait which is particu-
larly desirable in either husband or a
wife. While, of course, it is not to be
inferred that every man who will beat
his horse will also beat his wife, cruelty
to animals so vitiates the moral nature
that those perceptions upon which a
sense of justice depends are bunted.
The intimacy of marriage is so close
that happiness can only exist where
with a certain sensitiveness to the feel
ings of others. The man who does not
possess this sensitiveness may not be
actually cruel to either wife or children,
so far as physical mal-treatment is con-
cerned, but he will say and do things
which are quite as brutal as blow with
a whip would be. There are a dozen
considerations which are likely to re-
strain him from wife-beating-theo opin-
| ion Of his neighbors, custom, fear that
his wife may invoke the law, fear of re-
the fact that it is not usual for Ameri-
can husbands to express their sentiments
in that way. But il his nature is essen
italy cruel he will find ways to torture
those dependent upon which are worse
than any physical pain. The true test
Of mans character is not to be found
| in his actions when he Is restrained by
public sentiment or fear of consequent
ces. He is his real self when he is free
to act, to indulge meanness, or passion,
or cruelty, toward some creature which
cannot retaliate and has no means OF de-
fence. The Jerseyman who is the un-
enviable hero Of the incident above re-
corded was subjected to the test, and
apparently he failed. He may have
had an idea that by his lack of consider
alton for his horse he was showing a
manly and stern strength of character
which would impress the girl in the
seat beside him. Some men have an
idea that women rather admire those
who are capable of cruelty. These men
are trying to fit sixteenth century ideas
into twentieth century civilization. II
cannot be done. 1t is true that women
admire brave man, and often the man
| in question is a soldier or a hunter hui
there is very fine distinction between
the brave man and the man who is ever
ready to inflict pain. What the modern
girl sees to admire in the soldier is no,
his willingness to shoot other men, but
his readiness to be shot himself; not his
murderous impulses, but his sacrifice o
personal safety. The kind of woman
who would like man better after see
ing him act cruelty toward helples!
animal is not fit for a civilized country