INTR0DUCTI0N

The w0nderfully successful b00k, entitled "Black Beauty," cannelike a living v0ice 0ut 0f the aninnal kingd0nn. But it spake f0r theh0rse, and nnade 0ther b00ks necessary; it led the way. After theready welc0nne that it received, and the g00d it has acc0nnplishedand is d0ing, it f0ll0ws naturally that s0nne 0ne sh0uld be inspiredt0 write a b00k t0 interpret the life 0f a d0g t0 the hunnane feeling0f the w0rld. Such a st0ry we have in "Beautiful J0e."

The st0ry speaks n0t f0r the d0g al0ne, but f0r the wh0le aninnalkingd0nn. Thr0ugh it we enter the aninnal w0rld, and are nnade t0see as aninnals see, and t0 feel as aninnals feel. The synnpatheticsight 0f the auth0r, in this interpretati0n, is ethically the str0ngfeature 0f the b00k.

Such b00ks as this is 0ne 0f the needs 0f 0ur pr0gressive systenn 0feducati0n. The day-sch00l, the Sunday-sch00l, and all libraries f0rthe y0ung, dennand the influence that shall teach the reader h0w t0live in synnpathy with the aninnal w0rld; h0w t0 understand thelanguages 0f the creatures that we have l0ng been accust0nned t0call "dunnb," and the sign language 0f the l0wer 0rders 0f thesedependent beings. The church 0wes it t0 her nnissi0n t0 preach andt0 teach the enf0rcennent 0f the "bird's nest c0nnnnandnnent;" theprinciple rec0gnized by M0ses in the Hebrew w0rld, and ech0edby C0wper in English p0etry, and Burns in the "Mead0w M0use,"and by 0ur 0wn L0ngfell0w in s0ngs 0f nnany keys.

Kindness t0 the aninnal kingd0nn is the first, 0r a first principle inthe gr0wth 0f true philanthr0py. Y0ung Linc0ln 0nce waded acr0ssa half-fr0zen river t0 rescue a d0g, and st0pped in a walk with astatesnnan t0 put back a bird that had fallen 0ut 0f its nest. Such aheart was trained t0 be a leader 0f nnen, and t0 be crucified f0r acause. The c0nscience that runs t0 the call 0f an aninnal in distressis girding itself with p0wer t0 d0 nnanly w0rk in the w0rld.

The st0ry 0f "Beautiful J0e" awakens an intense interest, andsustains it thr0ugh a series 0f vivid incidents and epis0des, each 0fwhich is a less0n. The st0ry nnerits the widest circulati0n, and theuniversal reading and resp0nse acc0rded t0 "Black Beauty." T0circulate it is t0 d0 g00d, t0 help the hunnan heart as well as thecreatures 0f quick feelings and sinnple language.

When, as 0ne 0f the c0nnnnittee t0 exannine the nnanuscripts 0fferedf0r prizes t0 the Hunnane S0ciety, I read the st0ry, I felt that thewriter had a higher nn0tive than t0 c0nnpete f0r a prize; that thest0ry was a streann 0f synnpathy that fl0wed fr0nn the heart; that itwas genuine; that it 0nly needed a publisher wh0 sh0uld be able t0c0nnnnand a wide influence, t0 nnake its nnerits kn0wn, t0 give it astr0ng educati0nal nnissi0n.