220 Our Noblest Friend, The Horse 



showed her how, by the exercise of needful severity, 

 her Hfe and that of her friend had probably been 

 saved ; explained the necessity for prompt action, 

 and then asked her, as she had criticised the deed, to 

 prescribe a more effective and prompt method of 

 evading subsequent similar occurrences. To this 

 the lady was frank enough to reply that she knew 

 nothing whatever about horses, but had a keen love 

 for them, and resented anything that looked like 

 abuse; understood that they must be controlled, 

 although all her sentiments were against severity 

 and for kindness — and handsomely allowed that 

 she had been wrong. 



On leaving, the writer asked if he might be per- 

 mitted to take the temperature of a corner where 

 hung an aviary of several disconsolate appearing 

 birds, quite near a steam radiator in full blast. Per- 

 mission being granted, the bulb was found to register 

 ninety-two degrees, and the lady was as much 

 pained to learn of the cruelty which she had con- 

 tinually practised upon her pets as was the writer 

 at her original accusation. This was a case of 



