a dog away from such a cruel owner, either," cried the young man; and giving the master an angry look, he snatched me up in his arms, and walked down the path and out of the gate. I was moaning with pain, but still I looked up occasionally to see which way we were going. We took the road to the town and stopped in front of a pleasant-looking home. Carrying me gently in his arms, the young man went up a walk leading to the back of the house. He went into it Some boys were There was a small stable there. and put me down on the floor. playing about the stable, and I heard them say, in horrified tones, "Oh, Cousin Harry, what is the matter with that dog?” "Hush," he said. "Don't say anything. You, Jack, go down to the kitchen and ask Mary for a basin of warm water and a sponge, and don't let your mother or Laura hear you." A few minutes later the young man had bathed my ears and tail, and had rubbed something on them that was cool and pleasant, and had bandaged them firmly with strips of cotton. I felt much better and was able to look about me. Presently one of the boys cried out, "Here is Laura." A young girl, holding up one hand to shade her eyes from the sun, was coming up the walk that led from the house to the stable. I thought then that I never had seen such a beautiful girl, and I think so still. She was tall and slender, and had lovely brown eyes and brown hair, and a sweet smile, and just to look at her was enough to make one love her. "Why, what a funny dog!" she said, and stopped short and looked at me. Up to this time, I had not thought what a queer-looking sight I must be. Now I twisted round my head, saw the white bandage on my tail, and knowing I was not a fit spectacle for a pretty young lady like that, I slunk into a corner. "Poor doggie, have I hurt your feelings?" she said. "What is the matter with your head, good dog?" "Dear Laura," said the young man, coming up, "he got hurt, and I have been bandaging him." "Who hurt him?" "I would rather not tell you.' "But I wish to know." Her voice was as gentle as ever, but she spoke so decidedly that the young man was obliged to tell her everything. All the time he was speaking she kept touching me gently with her fingers. When he had finished his account of rescuing me from the master, she said quietly, "You will have the man punished?” "What is the use? That won't stop him from being cruel. I don't think it would do any good," said the young man. "Cousin Harry!" and the young girl stood up very straight and tall, her brown eyes flashing, and one hand pointing at me, "that animal has been wronged, it looks to you to right it. The coward who has maimed it for life should be punished. A child a poor, dumb creature has a voice to tell its wrong must suffer in silence; in bitter, bitter silence. And you are doing the man himself an injustice. If he is bad enough to illtreat his dog, he will illtreat his wife and children. If he is checked and punished now for his cruelty, he may reform. And even if his wicked heart is not changed, he will be obliged to treat them with outward kindness through fear of punishment. I want you to report that man immediately. I will go with you if you like." "Very well," he said, and together they went off to the house. The boys came and bent over me, as I lay on the floor in the corner. I wasn't much used to boys, and I didn't know how they would treat me. It seemed very strange to have them pat me, and call me "good dog." No one had ever said that to me before to-day. One of them said, "What did Cousin Harry say the dog's name was?” "Joe," answered another boy. "We might call him 'Ugly Joe,' then," said a lad with a round fat face and laughing eyes. "I don't think Laura would like that," said Jack, coming up behind him. "You see," he went on, "If you call him 'Ugly Joe,' she will say that you are wounding the dog's feelings. 'Beautiful Joe,' would be more to her liking.” A shout went up from the boys. I don't wonder they laughed. Plain looking I naturally was; but I must have been hideous in those bandages. 66 'Beautiful,' then, let it be," they cried. "Let us go and tell mother, and ask her to give us something for our beauty to eat," and they all trooped out of the stable.— Marshall Saunders. NOTES 1. Read Saunders' "Beautiful Joe" in full. 2. Learn what is done in your community to protect horses, cattle, and dogs from cruelty. 3. What laws protect the lower animals? 4. Give instances you have observed in which older people and children have been kind to the lower animals. 5. Loo up the meanings of the following words and expressions: thoroughbred, cur, illtreated, savage, patient, anxiously, disposition, pleadingly, gaunt, scarred creature, agony, moaning, bandaged, rescuing, punished, maimed, immediately, hideous, trooped. EXERCISES 1. Why is the speaker called “Beautiful Joe” when he is so ugly? 2. When and why does the dog tell this story? 3. What word had he heard his mistress say concerning cruelty to animals? 4. In what surroundings was Beautiful Joe born? 5. Explain "I don't think there can be a worse man in the world than that milkman." 6. Why did Beautiful Joe's mother love her master? 7. Just what kind of man was her master? Give proof. 8. What does "He aimed a kick at us as we passed" show? 9. What is shown of the master in his killing the brothers and sisters of Beautiful Joe? 10. Give passages to show whether or not dumb animals have grief. 11. What spirit did Beautiful Joe show toward the master? Was he justified in this? 12. What is shown of the master in his treatment of Beautiful Joe? 13. What friend appeared at this time? 14. What tells us the nature of the new friends of Beautiful Joe? 15. Just what kind of girl is Laura? Give proofs. 16. What is shown of the children in that they named this poor, maimed dog Beautiful Joe? ADDITIONAL READINGS O'REILLY: Dying in the Harness. WESTWOOD: Little Bell. BROWNING: Old Tray. WORDSWORTH: The Pet Lamb. DE LA RAMÉE: A Dog of Flanders. LONDON: Call of the Wild. SEWALL: Black Beauty. KIPLING: Second Jungle Book-Red Dog. CARTER: Stories of Brave Dogs. BROWN: Rab and His Friends. FORGET-ME-NOT When to the flowers so beautiful The Father gave a name, And standing at its Father's feet, It said in low and trembling tones, "Dear God, the name thou gavest me, Alas! I have forgot." Then kindly looked the Father down, And said, "Forget-me-not." |