The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1916-02-03
The Treatment of Animals.
Then and Now.

IL. Z. Evans in the Piscataquis Observer.
| received letter not long since from
my boyhood friend, Ora Oak of Corona,
Cal, in which he spoke of my article in
the Observer on "Vanished Pleasures.
In enumerating his boyhood sports he
said: Another exciting but cruel sport
that l INDUCED in was freeing ground
squirrels. They would run up the trunk
about five or six feet and then try to run
down, and we would sock it to 'em' with
club; also red squirrels on fence were
a standing challenge to school boys. AS
you remember, got my nose smashed
by rock aimed at squire, and stopped
by my nose.
This squirrel sport was INDUCED in by
the boys generally and am almost GER
tain that the girls were interested spec
tators. And the boys came by their love
of slaughter naturally, for their fathers
and older brothers INDUCED in shooting
matches, when sides were chosen and the
side that was defeated had to furnish a
supper for all hands.
A price was put on every wild thing
that walked or flew. The humble chip
munk had a price, the red squirrel had
one a little higher, the gray squirrel a
still higher one, and so on through the
list. nothing that can recall escaping.
| On one occasion when there was a
match on in Garland an agent from one
side came to Dover and Foxcrott and Sc
cured the game killed in match Just
closed here and naturally, his side won.
but slaughter of hunters nearly resulted
when the fraud was discovered.
| Not long after Mr.. Oaks letter was
received l noticed the following item in
an exchange:
Billy" the red squirrel which for several
years has lived in little house in tree on
Lincoln park, Portland, opposite the police
headquarters, and is known by hundreds of
children as we'll as older people, had narrow
escape in the big storm. The wind was blowing
its hardest and numerous persons were con-
cerned for "Billy's" safety and doubly SO when
| they the branch which his home is
fastened twisted off above his house by the
| terrific force of the gale. Billy" however,
weathered the storm and Monday was seen as
usual about his home. though showing effects
OF his trying experience.
The item led me to moraize on the
change towards animals that has taken
place within fifty years and the cause of
it. | do not know of more kind heart
ed man than my friend Oak, and | do not
think people who are familiar with the
horse | drive, or have seen me carrying
fresh cod home to my cat, will call me
cruel, and yet We took delight in killing
harmless animals, and the adults, as
nave shown, were just the same.
| attribute the change to two things
public sentiment and teaching school
children to be kind to birds and animals.
A great many animals are protected by
law part of the year and some, the
gray squirrel, in cities and compact built
up parts of villages, for instance, all the
year.
Public sentiment no longer counte-
nances tying tin can to dogs tail and
sending him through the streets, and
even the sensibility of creased pig is
being recognized; thus the ''fun" of one
generation has become cruelty in the
next.
have had an excellent illustration of
the changed attitude of school children
towards animals in my cats. got one
when she was small kitten and although
she was on or near the sidewalk great
many times during the four years of her
life, and good number of school children
went back and forth, she was never even
frightened by one and frequently saw
them stop and caress her. And the same
has been true of her son and successor;
he has received nothing but the kindest
treatment from the school children.
The children are taught today to see
more in birds and animals than mere
targets for stone or club. The teach
ers of SO years ago witnessed the cruelty
of their pupils but So far az know made
no attempt to teach them better things,
for they themselves had not been taught.
Who can say that the world is not really
growing better? When animal life is
respected, human life will certainly be,
even If Europe seems to have lost sight
of its value for the moment.