THE BARN. 



109 



cently been written of by Mr. Jenkin Lloyd Jones, in 

 his "Jess," with such tenderness and affection that no 

 one with any heart, and especially no one who has had 

 the care of animals, can fail, by the reading of it, to be 

 made more humane to these beautiful forms of life, so 

 winsome, so loyal when their service is appreciated, so 

 appreciative themselves, everywhere about us. Burns's 

 poem, "The Auld Farmer's New-Year Morning Salu- 

 tation to his Auld Mare Maggie," expresses this same 

 affection of a man for his horse and of the horse for 

 his master. I think, too, of "Black Beauty." 



I have a sermon that I have much enjoyed, "Christ 

 among the Cattle," by Frederic R. Marvin, which I 

 wish could find a very wide circulation, teaching, as it 

 does, our responsibility for these dependent fellow- 

 beings, and the pleasure that we should have in sharing 

 their lives. 



A man is rewarded in more ways than one for good 

 care of his horses, but it is enough to see them happy 

 and enjoying themselves. There is a poem by Mr. 

 Hamlin Garland, in his "Prairie Songs," entitled 

 "Horses Chawin' Hay," these few stanzas of which 

 give the best expression that I know of to that feeling 

 of genuine satisfaction which a man has in a barn, 

 while hearing his horses crunch out their appreciation 

 of his generosity: 



" I tell yeh whut! The chankin' 



Which the tired horses makes 

 When you 've slipped the harness off 'm 



An' shoved the hay in flakes 

 From the hay-mow overhead, 



Is jest about the equal of any pi-any ; 

 They's nothin' soun's s' cumftabul 



As horses chawin' hay. 



