Very often, I ran home and flung myself in my mother's arms with a burst of tears, and asked her if nothing could be done to help the poor animals.

With mistaken, motherly kindness, she tried to put the subject out of my thoughts.

I was carefully guarded from seeing or hearing of any instances of cruelty.

But the animals went on suffering just the same, and when I became a woman, I saw my cowardice.

I agitated the matter among my friends, and told them that our whole dumb creation was groaning together in pain, and would continue to groan, unless merciful human beings were willing to help them.