The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1906-11-08
A Neglected Subject.
Written for the News.

neglected subject-that of k nd
ness to all dumb creatures under
our protection and in our power.
A subject on which the )ublic
thinks too little; a subject in
which every man, woman and
child should he interested; a sub
ject that ought to be taught daily
in our public schools and preach
ed from our pulpits.
1t is quite as easy to train the
heart as the intellect, and more
important. If children were
taught kindness when small, it
would be a blessed habit when
grown. A child can be taught
kindness, or 1t can be tlught
cruelty. Put guns and whips IN
a little boys hands aud you have
planted the first seeds of cruelty.
He will begin by whipping his
hobby horse, hut will soon fud
greater pleasure III striking nv
ing things. A boy can be taught
to 20 into the woods in spring
time and kill the little song birds,
leaving the young to starve IN the
nest; or he may be taught TO feed
the birds and spare the nest. II
is simply a matter of training and
teaching, and our public school
system Is imperfect while such
an important study is neglected
Kindness to everything should
be the first lessons that our
school children receive 1t should
be lnstilled in the minds o! the
little ones at home. A very ss ali
child can be taught to respect the
rights Of even kitten. Because
kitten is tiny and helpless Is 20
reason that baby should have il
cense to pull oul Its iur, squet ze
1t almost to death, or worry 1t
from morning till night. How
often we hear, "Don't hurt the
cat, she will scratch you," in
stead of "Don't hurt the cat, she
will feel the pal. as you would "
The child gets the impression
that the harm is IN getting scratch
ed, not in making poor pussy suf
fer-nothlng is said about the
rights of the animal
]. W. Cottrell, general superln-
tendent OF the Detective Associa
tion of America, says, "Wlth an
experience of twenty-five years
as an officer, know of but very
few criminals who were taught
to love animals; and in searching
for the causes of crime, we find
that the lack of humane educa
tion is the principal one."
The education of children III
matters of mercy cannot begin
too early. If they have pets, their
parents should SEE that they take
proper care of them-feedlng
them regularly and giving plenty
of fresh water to drink. If dog )
are kept tied, they should always
have water within reach. If birds
are kept in cages, never allow any
exciting event to crowd them out
of mind; they cannot speak, and
if forgotten, must suffer IN 81.
leuce.
thanksgiving Will BE here in a
few weeks, how many readers of
the News expact to butcher poul
try for the city market !, and
dress them by the terribly cruel
method of picking alive. Ilnasin
going into dentlst's Office, beng
tied down so you cannot help
yourself, then having the dentist
fly at you like fiend incarnate,
and jerk out every tooth as rough
ly as he can; yet, that is not one
whit worse han plucKing the
feathers out of a live fowl. Often
pieces of flesh tear out with the
feathers. Readers, If you are
going TO dress poultry for the
markets. do it humancly; do 1T as
a civilized being should, and not
like barbarous savage. 1t Is
not necessary that the feathers
be pucked while the bird is alive
only while it is warm. There
Is time enough after life is ex
tinct. Do not let haste make you
brutal. A stunning blow on the
head, rendering the .owl upc N