The Animals' Friend Supplement. 
5 1 
group of dejected donkeys with dismay, their drooping heads 
and listless indifference touching her tender little heart. With 
the quick discerning eye of childhood she selected one less 
marred, by a shorter life of misery, than his fellows. Jack had 
not quite lost all his pretty ways or intelligence ; nevertheless 
Doreen felt it strange to mount without the customary 
“kissing” and “hand shaking ” at which Dolly was so clever. 
Whack, whack ! went Bob’s thick stick every minute on 
poor Jack’s haunches, until all the sunshine faded out of the 
sky for Doreen, while the bright spirits with which she set out 
that morning melted away in gloom. At last the little rider 
could stand it no longer in silence. 
“ Please do not keep beating your donkey so,” she pleaded ; 
“he is going very well.” 
The youth’s heavy face expanded into a broad grin. 
“ Donkeys is donkeys all the world over, Missie,” he 
answered. “Jack wouldn’t go without I beats him!” 
“ But you don’t wait to see if he would,” argued Doreen. 
“ You don’t give him a chance.” 
“ Never you worry about that, Missie,” responded Bob, 
“donkeys feel nothing, you knows, and I don’t hurts him.” 
Doreen turned her full, bright eyes on the lad’s face, and 
answered promptly : 
“ Then where’s the use of it, if he can’t feel it ? ” 
The question was so sudden, and the eyes so keen, that 
Bob found it impossible to meet either. He hung his sandy 
head in confused silence. 
The constant companionship of her parents made Doreen’s 
mind in advance of her years, and she was now absorbed in a 
mental exercise, which would shortly startle Bob. 
At last she turned in the saddle, and asked : 
“ Does your father ever beat you, boy? 
“ Never, Missie,” replied the boy emphatically. 
“ And why not ? ” enquired his companion. 
“Because I never deserves it,” was the proud answer. 
“ I’ve been to Sunday-school since I was a young ’un, and 
learned to do my dooty.” 
“ And does your father never beat you undeserved ? ” per¬ 
sisted the child. 
“Not he,” replied Bob; “father holds with beating the 
evil ways out of yer, but he don’t beat yer for nuffink, he’s too 
fair and square for that.” 
