264 I GO A-FISHING. 



claret appreciatively, and then tossing the full glass down 

 his capacious throat, as if to wash a way out for talk 

 " I am one of the few who once loved angling, but have 

 lost their taste for it. I've been latterly thinking the 

 matter over, and can you justify yourself in it ? Isn't it 

 cruelty to animals? You know these are days in which 

 men are getting to have notions on that subject." 



" I've no objection to their notions, and I have the 

 highest opinion of the society for the prevention of cruel- 

 ty to animals; but we must guard our sympathies that 

 they do not go too far. No man of decency will be guilty 

 of wanton cruelty to a beast. I have a warm love for 

 some beasts. My dogs, my horses, have I not loved 

 them ? But there is much nonsense afloat on the sub- 

 ject. I rate the life of a beast somewhat lower than that 

 of a man, and his comfort in the same ratio. I must often 

 work even when I am sick. Rheumatism bothers me, 

 and I have frequently to walk and even run when I am 

 lame. Yes, perhaps it is gout. We won't discuss that ; 

 but lame or not I must work. Business requires it. I 

 would drive a lame horse for the same reason. A poor 

 carman can not afford to let his horse rest, any more 

 than he can afford to rest himself, on account of a slight 

 ailment. It's an error therefore to suppose it always 

 wrong to get work out of a suffering animal. So, too, I 

 would kill a horse to accomplish a result which I valued 

 at a higher rate than the life of the horse, if I could not 

 accomplish it in any other way. Some philanthropists, 

 good men, but thoughtless, who would never dream of 

 blaming a man for earning his bread and that of his chil- 

 dren when he was sick and suffering, but would rather 

 commend him, would fine and imprison him for working 

 his sick horse with the same necessity impelling him. 



