66 THE STORY-BOOK OF SCIENCE 



those of stockings; but in order to weave these 

 threads, make them cross each other regularly, and 

 convert tlirin into fabric, you must have complicated 

 machines, weaving looms that cannot be had in our 

 houses. These are only found in large factories 

 used for manufacturing woolen goods. " 



"Then these trousers that I have on come from 

 the sheep; this vest; my cravat, stockings too. I 

 am dressed in the spoils of the sheep!" This from 

 Jules. 



"Yes, to defend ourselves from the cold, we take 

 the sheep's wool. The poor beast furnishes its 

 fleece for our clothes, its milk and flesh for our 

 nourishment, its skin for our gloves. We live on 

 the life of our domestic animals. The ox gives us his 

 strength, flesh, hide ; the cow, besides, gives us milk. 

 The donkey, mule, horse, work for us. As soon as 

 they are dead they leave us their skin, of which we 

 make leather for our shoes. The hen gives us eggs, 

 the dog puts his intelligence at our service. And 

 yet there are people who, without any motive, mal- 

 treat these animals without which we should be so 

 poor ; who let them suffer hunger and beat them un- 

 mercifully! Never imitate those heartless ones; it 

 would be an insult to God, who has given us the 

 donkey, ox, sheep, and other animals. When I think 

 that these valuable creatures give us all, even to their 

 very life, I would share my last crust with them." 



And the shears meanwhile continued their era-era- 

 era; and the fleece fell. 



