The object of this book is to teach children to treat all living creatures with considerate kindness and to appreciate the services of man's helpers in the animal world.

In many homes this teaching is entirely neglected, and it is left for the school-teacher to arouse interest in the animals dependent upon us, and to encourage pity and compassion for their suffering.

Sir Arthur Helps says: "The great advancement of the world, throughout all ages, is to be measured by the increase of humanity and the decrease of cruelty."

Cruelty in any form is a species of savagery. Civilization can be brought about only by education. The savage does not know that he is a savage. The child does not realize that he is cruel, until he is shown the ways in which the lower animals suffer and are made miserable.

The thoughtless child makes the selfish man or woman, and selfishness lies at the root of crime.

"Evil is wrought by want of thought
As well as want of heart."

Children have tender hearts and quick sensibilities, but they sometimes lack imagination and sympathy through their ignorance of actual conditions. They are easily influenced by one whom they love and respect, and the teacher's power to make the world better by pointing out the great duty of humanity should find more scope than it has done in our educational systems.

"The humane movement is a broad one, reaching from humane treatment of animals on the one hand to peace with all nations on the other. It implies a step beyond animal's rights. It implies character building. Society first said that needless suffering should be prevented; society now says that children must not be permitted to cause pain because of the effect on the children themselves."

Mr. Frank M. Chapman has kindly written for the book the chapters on
"Our Friends the Birds," "Feathered Travelers," "When the Birds Return,"
"Birds' Homes," and "The Robin."

Through the courtesy of Messrs. Houghton Mifflin Company several poems by Celia Thaxter and others have been used. The publications of the English Humanitarian League, especially the pamphlets by Mrs. Florence H. Suckling and some of the writings of Miss Edith Carrington, have proved helpful and suggestive. The compiler has had the assistance of Mrs. Charles A. Lane in editing and preparing material.

CONTENTS.

PART I.

ROVER AND HIS FRIENDS .. Adapted from an English story
FAMOUS DOGS
HOW TO TAKE CARE OF DOGS .. Anna Harris Smith
STORIES OF DOGS
FORSAKE NOT AN OLD FRIEND .. Plutarch
CATS AND DOGS
FAMOUS CATS
KITTY'S CHRISTMAS
TO MY CAT MUFF .. John Owen
HOW TO TAKE CARE OF CATS
CAT QUESTIONS .. Lucy Larcom
THE CAT FAMILY
THINGS TO REMEMBER
STORIES OF CATS
A BRAVE GIRL .. Harriet Beecher Stowe
AUNT ESTHER'S RULE .. " "
LION STORIES
THE KING OF BEASTS
THE SHIP OF THE DESERT
A HEAVY LOAD
FAMOUS HORSES
HOW TO TREAT HORSES
CATCHING THE COLT .. Marian Douglass
A REMARKABLE HORSE-TRAINER
THE ARAB TO HIS HORSE .. Bayard Taylor
"WAITING FOR MASTER"

PART II.

ROBERT'S DREAM .. Anna Harris Smith
ROBERT ON A FARM .. Anna Harris Smith
APRIL SONG .. Mary E. Wilkins
EARTHWORMS AND SNAKES.
HUMANITY .. T. Gisborne
ANTS, BEES, AND WASPS
A LITTLE BLACK SLAVE .. Adapted from an English story
A BUTTERFLY'S WING
TO A BUTTERFLY .. Jane Taylor
CUNNING BEE .. Anonymous
GRASSHOPPER AND CRICKET .. John Keats
PATIENT WEAVERS
THE WOODMOUSE .. Mary Howitt
A MOUSE'S STORY
WISE RATS
THE SQUIRREL'S STORY .. Anna Harris Smith
FORBEARANCE .. Ralph Waldo Emerson
THE STEEL TRAP .. Adapted from story by Mrs. C. Fairchild Allen
THE RABBIT
DAVID'S STORY
LINES FROM COWPER
SOME READY HELPERS
A TRIUMPH .. Celia Thaxter

PART III.

THE CANARY'S STORY
THE CAGED THRUSH .. R. F. Murray
HOW TO CARE FOR A CANARY
AN INDIAN STORY
HIAWATHA'S BROTHERS .. Henry W. Longfellow
TO THE CUCKOO .. John Logan
OUR FRIENDS THE BIRDS \
FEATHERED TRAVELERS "
WHEN THE BIRDS RETURN > .. Frank M. Chapman
BIRDS' HOMES "
THE ROBIN /
ROBIN REJOICE .. Garrett Newkirk
TO A SKYLARK .. Percy Bysshe Shelley
FRIGHTENED BIRDS
DON'T ROB THE BIRDS, BOYS .. Anonymous
A GOOD SHOT .. Adapted
THE GOLDFINCH
BIRDS' TRADES
THE SPARROW
SPARROWS
CHRISTMAS IN NORWAY .. Celia Thaxter
THE CROW
THE BLUEBIRD .. Emily Huntington Miller
THE FARMER'S FRIEND
THE WOUNDED CURLEW .. Celia Thaxter
THE SANDPIPER .. " "
THE COST OF A HAT
THE HALO .. Rev. W. C. Gannett
THE SNOWY HERON
WINGED FISHERS
WHAT THE LITTLE SEAL THINKS
WHAT THE YOUNG SEABIRD THINKS
WHAT THE BIRDS DO FOR US
THE BRAVEST ARE THE TENDEREREST
LINES TO A SEABIRD .. M. A. Stodart
THE TRUE HERO
LINES BY SUSAN COOLIDGE
SELECTIONS FROM EMILY DICKINSON AND S. T. COLERIDGE
WHAT THE CHILDREN CAN DO
TO THE TEACHER