CRUELTY TO BEASTS. 265 



" They should try to make a reasonable distinction in 

 these matters between wanton cruelty and the necessary 

 work that we must get out of a sick animal. I never saw 

 a nobler beast, or one to which I was more thoroughly 

 attached than my bay horse Mohammed; but great as 

 he was and much as I loved him, do you not believe I 

 would have ridden him through fire and tempest till he 

 fell down dead, if it were necessary to save his mistress, 

 who loved him as well as I, a pain or a sorrow ? Should 

 I let her suffer to save a horse from suffering? Does 

 your notion of charity extend so far as that ? mine does 

 not. I might give myself pain to save him pain ; but 

 her ? Never. Mohammed would have said so too if he 

 could have spoken. I know he would. 



" In war this whole subject is understood well, and no 

 one thinks of finding fault with the destruction of the 

 lives of beasts to accomplish the purposes of men ; for in 

 war human life is freely expended to purchase results. 

 Who would blame an officer for using his lame, sick, dy- 

 ing mules and horses to the last moment to accomplish 

 an object in the face of the enemy ? It is then a mere 

 question with beasts and with men, how much must be 

 sacrificed to do the work. Would you require them to 

 let sick mules rest in hospital, if they had no others?" 



" Then you don't approve of stopping cars and omni- 

 busses in New York, and compelling the passengers to 

 dismount and find other conveyances, because the horses 

 are lame ?" 



" Not at all. It is well meant, but it is bad in princi- 

 ple, and injures the society which does it. It would be 

 right and proper to take a note of the horses and their 

 owners and drivers, and make the necessary complaint in 

 the police court, and if the animals were treated with 



