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 

 M'ould 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 w r ould rather 

 commend him, would fine and imprison him for working 

 his sick horse with the same necessity impelling him. 



