The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1901-08-14
POETIC JUSTICE.

4 Jerseyman who went out for
pleasure drive with his sweetheart not
long ago received a needed though
OF being humane to animals in this
day and generation. Itwas very a hot
day, and when the drive was about
half over the horse became balky.
The driver thereupon lost his temper
and gave the animal an unmerciful
beating. Then the trouble began. A
constable saw him and promptly ar
rested 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 note, and this was what it
said:
"When man will SO brutally beat
horse and so easily lose his temper,
woman marrying him would take
the chance of the same treatment. -
And the rest of the note released
him from the engagement.
Most people will be of the opinion
that the young lady in question did
what was exactly right, and that she
was fortunte in discovering the dis
position of her fance before instead
of after marriage. Insensibility to the
pain of another is not trait which
is particularly desirable in either
husband or 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 VIII
ates the moral nature that those per-
ceptions upon which sense of justice
depends are blunted. The intimacy
of marriage is so close that happiness
can only exist where there is mutual
forbearance, together with certain
sensitiveness to the feelings of others.
The man who does not possess this
sensitiveness may not be actually
cruel to either wife or children, so far
as physical maltreatment is concerned,
but he will say and do things which
are quite as brutal as a blow with
whip would be. There are dozen
considerations which are likely to
restrain him from wife-beating-the
opinions of his neighbors, custom,
fear that his wife may invoke the law,
fear of retaliation by her relatives, or
merely the fact that it is not usual for
American husbands to express their
sentiments in that way. But if his
nature is essentially cruel he will find
ways to torture those dependent upon
him which are worse than physical
pain. The true test of mans char
acter is not to be found in his actions
when he is restrained by public senti-.
ment or fear of consequence. 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
defence. The Jerseyman who is the
unenviable hero of the incident above
recorded was subjected to this test,
and apparently he failed. He may
have had an idea that by his lack OF
consideration for mis- horse he was
showing 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 civillza-
tion. It cannot be DONE It Is true
that women admire brave man, and
often the man in question is soldier
or hunter, but there is very fine
distinction between the brave man and
the man who is ever ready to inaict
pain. What the modern girl sees to
admire in the soldier is not his will
ingness to shoot another man, out his
readiness to be shot himself; not his
murderous impulses, but his sacrifice
of personal safety. The kind of wom-
an who would like man after seeing
him act cruelty toward helpess AMI
NAL is not fit for a civilized country.