If there is any form of cruelty that is more reprehensible than another, it is abuse of a faithful horse who has given his whole life to the service of the owner. When a horse is pulling a heavy load with all his might, doing the best he can to move under it, to strike him, spur him, or swear at him is simply barbarous. To kick a dog around, to tie tin cans to his tail, or strike him with sticks, just for the fun of hearing him yelp or seeing him run, is equally barbarous. No high-minded man, no high-minded boy or girl, would do such a thing. We should never forget how helpless, in a large sense, dumb animals are--and how absolutely dependent upon the humanity and kindness of their owners. They are really the slaves of man, having no language by which to express their feelings or needs.
“I would not enter on my list of friends, Though graced with polished manners and fine sense, Yet wanting sensibility, the man Who needlessly sets foot upon a worm.”
Every boy and girl should be willing to pledge himself to be kind to all harmless living creatures, and every boy and girl should strive to protect such creatures from cruel usage on the part of others. It is noble, boys and girls, for us to speak for those that cannot speak for themselves, and it is noble, also, for us to protect those that cannot protect themselves.
The boy marched straight up to the counter.
“Well, my little man,” said the merchant, “what can I do for you?”
“If you please,” said the boy, “I came in to see if you wouldn’t let me work for you.”
The boy was not yet ten years old, and he was small for his age. But there was something in his speech or manner that held the man’s attention.
“Do some work for me, eh?” said the man. “What kind of work could you do? You can hardly look over the counter.”
“Oh, yes; I can,” said the little fellow, as he stood on tiptoe and peeped over the counter.
Out of sheer curiosity the merchant came from behind the counter, so as to get a good look at the boy.
“Oh,” he said, “I see you’ve got copper taps on your shoes; I suppose your mother couldn’t keep you in shoes if they didn’t have taps on them!”
“She can’t keep me in shoes anyway, sir,” and the little boy’s voice hesitated.
“I’m older than I look; folks say that I’m small for my age.”