MEANS OF PREVENTING CRUELTY 261 



and said, "Papa, the cook wants you to please kill 

 the chicken that is in the coop, as she hasn't the 

 time to kill it." The gentleman told the little girl 

 that he was busy also, and that she must go and kill 

 it herself. She begged her papa not to compel her 

 to it, for, said she, " I haven't the heart to kill 

 the poor thing." Her father paid no attention to 

 her reasons but compelled her to go out to commit 

 the bloody work. She was gone but a few mo- 

 ments when she returned, weeping as if her little 

 heart would break, and said, " O, papa, I can't kill 

 the poor thing." The color came to his face, he 

 arose in anger and dragged the little girl after him. 

 I heard him give her several hard blows. Oh 1 

 how my heart ached. I would not have that single 

 sin of trying to crush humanity out of that dear 

 little girl's heart rest upon me, unforgiven, for the 

 wealth of the universe. The enjoyment of my 

 visit was destroyed, and after lingering long 

 enough to kiss the merciful, precious little hand 

 that would not take life, I left with a sad heart. 



When we come in contact with a family that 

 will pet and caress the animals about them, we feel 

 we are in the society of good and kind people. "We 

 like to hear a mother and father speak gently to 



