The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-12-30
EVENING CHAT
By RUTH CAMERON.

IT is written Of Robert Louis Stevenson,
that on seeing a dog mistreated, he az
once nterposed, ana when the owner re-
scented his Interference and told him, 1t
not your dog" he cried out, ITS God .
cog and I'm here 70 protect IT.
l have been wondering today II we
that is. you and l. and all the other wo-
men who cannot bear that there shall be
unnecessary suffering in the world, even
among the dumb brutes-cannot do some
thing to protect Gods delivery horses
As sat at my window this mornings
saw at least half dozen delivery
wagons of various kinds go by at "a rat
Ting pace-sometimes a fast trot, some
time pathetically feeble gallop. TWO or
three stopped within my line OF vision
and I watched the horses stand painting,
and sometimes even trembling and shak-
ing, while the boy went into the house
ana saw them lashed into gailop again
as soon as the boy had clambered back
into his seat
Two or three OF the horses were very
old. One was a light carriage horse that
should never have been put into heavy
delivery team at all Now all delivery
horses have a hard enough time with their
long routes and cold stops. even II they
are allowed to go at reasonable pace
but perpetual hurry breaks down a horse
even more quickly than IT does man and
it was evident that these poor bounded
animals We're suffering cruelty from the
continual strain.
Now. surely If YOU are enough interested
in animals to notice them at all you must
have seen similar conditions. "a
You admit it. but YOU don't see any ~ u
sibIe way you could help prevent 81
conditions2
I am not so sure Of that ~
I can think Of one simple way at ona
Some of these boys We're driving the
'-o-~a- ~ ~'scN q wicked sneed. hecaua
they enjoyed II. or because they wereuet
given time enough to cover their round
a reasonable pace But some OF thEn
We're rushing because they had to ~
some hurry order. Madame had forgotten
to give her order until Just before lunc1-
and had urged the grocer when she fine
~ did telephone him to send II IN ia Ht
as quick as possible. please" And II ~
to nullify the effects Of her forEetfulneE
that some poor tired horse was forc@
into "A rallop.
That's one seif-evident way you ca
take care OF Gods delivery horses, isnf
it-by sending in your order at the propeE
time and if you forget, taking the couse-
quences Of your own forgetfulness ana
not asking some poor animal 70 suner
And here's another way Can't VOL
speak to the boy who delivers your gro
ceries. if you see him over-drivins you
horse2 Tell him YOU don't want you 4
groceries brought you by III treated anil
mails. Tell him you spoke to him first 70
give him a fair chance. but II he doesn't
do better you'll speak 20 his employer
a great many times I think the employ
er would be more indignant than anybody
il he knew how his horses were treated.
for good horses are expensive things and
he cant afford to have them wastefuhy
used.
But when you suspect that the fault liee
with the employers shortsghtednesM
and cruelty. can't you have the courage
to speak directly to him and even use
the loss of your trade as a club to club
little decency and humanity into him?
You think he would say that the horses
were his, and that you were interfering
in what none Of your business
Perhaps so. But surely you'd know
what retort to make 90 that.