CHILDREN'S PETS. 193 



which will return her caresses. A mother who has a growing family must do 

 something to keep the little hands and minds busy, and at the same time out 

 of mischief. Perhaps the mother is very busy, or if she gives the matter any 

 'thought, she may dislike animals and consider cats a nuisance, dogs noisy, birds a 

 great carp, rabbits destructive, and white rats dirty. She may wonder why the 

 children do not love their home and how it is they are always teasing to visit 

 that home where the children have pets of various kinds, 'a perfect menagerie,' 

 as she scornfully calls it. Alas! How many mothers and fathers cherish their 

 selfish ease and consult their convenience, without a thought of finding their 

 highest enjoyment in the true development of their children. 



"Our first plea in favor of children owning pets is the desire for personal 

 possession which every child has. The wish for something that shall belong 

 exclusively to himself and be cared for by him. This care, this responsibility, can 

 not fail to make a boy more manly and a girl more womanly. The thought for 

 food and comfort of the little animals tends to develop all that is strong and 

 tender in the child's nature. Show us a boy or a girl that is cruel or brutal to 

 animals and we will show you a child sure to come to some bad end; but the 

 child who early learns kindness and gentleness to the brute creation wMl also 

 manifest the* same spirit toward his fellow creatures. 



"Children are, as a rule, fond of animals, and by no TL ,,ns can kindness be 

 so thoroughly inculcated in them as by the care of pets. 



"People who do not love animals have (Something seriously wrong ;;n their 

 constitution. A great man once said, 'I would not give much for that man's 

 religion whose dog and cat are not the better for it." A man who kicks his dog 

 and beat? his horse will abuse his wife and children. When you encourage a child 

 in the care and gentle treatment of all creatures, you influence him to become 

 a true gentleman or gentlewoman, and you give the world one who will expand 

 in life and become a tender father and worthy citizen. Every child should know 

 at an early age that sincere kindness in all relations of life is highest Christian- 

 ity. * * * Allow the children a pet dog, because dogs are so devoted, so intel- 

 ligent, so faithful that they are ready to sacrifice their lives for those they love. 



"Once kind to animals always kind, and the man or woman whose heart is 

 touched by the dumb look of dependence or unselfish interest in brute nature 

 cannot be wholly bad though public sentiment may make he or she a criminal. 



"All animals are God's creatures with an intelligence a little lower than our 

 own; they are moreover dumb and helpless and should appeal to every noble- 

 hearted person for protection. The curse of the world is heartlessness, selfishness 

 and cruelty. 



"Animals are God'is object-lessons, and the only object-lesson in Nature 

 into which he has breathed the breath of life.' 



Sir Walter Scott's eulogy: "The Almighty, Who gave the dog to be the 

 companion of our pleasures and our toils, hath invested him with a nature noble 

 and incapable of deceit. He forgets neither friend nor foe, remembers with accu- 

 racy both benefit and injury, and hath a share of man's intelligence but no share 

 of man's falsehood." Not only have poets honored and glorified the courage, 

 patience and fidelity of dogs, but the world's greatest artists have portrayed the'ir 

 humility and affection. There is also positive proof that in the Pharaonic age, 

 nearly sixty centuries ago, dogs were the companions and friends of kings, and 

 each had a name of its own, and this at a period when only those whose per- 

 sonality was recognized were ever given a name." 



