THE EDUCATIONAL HUMANE SOCIETY 



21 



pledges, or threats, or ridicule, or de- 

 privation of badges, or laws for the in- 

 fliction of punishment and the angering 

 of the ignorant and the misguided. Not 

 even songs, or poems or recitations are 

 needed, but more definite knowledge of 

 nature and more intimate relations with 

 all her forms. It is possible to be cruel 

 even to the stars and thereby to one's 

 self. Mercy not always "droppeth from 

 heaven," but sometimes goes up, in 

 knowledge and in higher ideals. 



We plead for Chapters for the study 

 of the great book of nature ; we seek 

 your cooperation in promoting the work 

 of The Educational Humane Society of 

 The Agassiz Association. 



It is through knowledge, and the heart 

 development that follows knowledge, 

 that we shall find mercy to be not the 

 best, but rather, in the words of the kind 

 hearted scientist whose name we bear, we 

 shall learn that through more knowledge 

 we may "exhibit the whole animal king- 

 dom as a manifestation of the Supreme 

 intellect," and shall then be "'inspired by a 

 purpose as animating to the general sym- 

 pathy as was the religious zeal which 

 built the Cathedral of Cologne or the 

 Basilica of St. Peter's." It therefore is 

 not "best" to be merciful. But it is best 

 to live morally and restfully without 

 tension, in ever increasing knowledge, 

 and in that realm towards which mercy 

 draws the undeveloped or the savage. 



From the Dog's Point of View 

 (a letter from "jo.") (johx Ander- 

 son.) 

 To My Mistress : 



I am enjoying life in this part of Can- 

 ada very much, and am quite sure that I 

 will never want to leave it. Perhaps you 

 wonder how I spend my days ; but be- 

 fore I enter upon any description, let me 

 tell you about the second big event in my 

 career — my birthday and my presents, 

 etc. Well, first comes yours (and for all 

 I wag my tail), a delicious, very large 

 bone, from the hand of Aunt Helen. 

 It certainly was choice and of a rare 

 shade, exactly suiting my longings and 

 dark complexion and kept me busy for 

 many hours. 



Aunt Fanny's present was some big 

 pieces of cake. Now next to bones I 

 love cake, providing the eggs and the 



other materials of its construction are 

 fresh and well put together. Then all 

 the women folks gave me lots of hugs, 

 possibly kisses as well, but I am never 

 sure that the latter arc being given un- 

 less I am giving them myself. Also 

 there was your letter and one from Aunt 

 Fan addressed to me — "Jo" Stevenson, 

 care of Miss Jack, Wright street. These 

 I carried in my mouth to Aunt Helen 

 for her to read them to me. and 'he men- 



"THE SENDING OF YOUR LOVE MADE MY 

 HEART BEAT WITH A MOTION QUITE 

 DIFFERENT FROM THE ORDINARY." 



tion of bones and cakes made my mouth 

 water while the sending of your love 

 made my heart beat with a motion quite 

 different from the ordinary. I am only 

 a dog. but my love is stronger (I am 

 sure) than lots of humans. 



But what is a birthday unless there is 

 a birthday cake. and. of course, I had 

 one — made and cooked by Aunt Helen 

 and flavored to suit the king's taste. It 

 stood on one of those old pretty china 

 cake dishes, with a lighted wax candle 

 on top, and was decorated with green 

 leaves and cherry-colored blossoms, and 

 with the other china and on the old ma- 

 hogany table looked well and it tasted 

 perhaps better than had it had no fancy 

 fixtures, or than had it been thrown on 

 the floor instead of my catching it in the 

 air in my mouth. 



