CHAPTER XXXIV 



ANIMALS AND THEIR CLOTHES 



A DISTRIBUTION of horses' hats, presented to the 

 poorer owners and drivers of horses, recently took 

 place in Vincent Yard, near Vincent Square, West- 

 minster. The hats, of the most approved pattern, 

 were given by the society known as Our Dumb Friends' 

 League ; and the applicants, cabmen, car-drivers, and 

 vanmen, numbered over three hundred. Having re- 

 ceived the sun-bonnets for their horses, they con- 

 tributed very liberally to the box placed for donations, 

 one carman giving two shillings, probably more than 

 he would have paid for a summer hat for himself. 

 They were very well informed as to the different 

 " makes " of sun-bonnets for horses, and expressed 

 their approval of that adopted by the society, which 

 was of the highly practical kind, standing well away 

 from the head so as to allow a current of air to pass 

 through, and not interfering with the natural move- 

 ments of a horse's ears. The men soak this hat in 

 water, which makes it a still better protection in semi- 

 tropical weather. 



Before long all our horses, excellent creatures as 

 they are, will no doubt be provided with hats in hot 

 weather. It is also probable that many who now go 



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