have given both sides and both kinds, the shadows and lights, the
savagery as well as the gentleness of the wilderness creatures.

It were pleasanter, to be sure, especially when you have been
deeply touched by some exquisite bit of animal devotion, to let
it go at that, and to carry with you henceforth an ideal
creature.

But the whole truth is better--better for you, better for
children--else personality becomes confused with mere animal
individuality, and love turns to instinct, and sentiment
vaporizes into sentimentality.

This mother fox or fish-hawk here, this strong mother loon or
lynx that to-day brings the quick moisture to your eyes by her
utter devotion to the little helpless things which great Mother
Nature gave her to care for, will to-morrow, when they are grown,
drive those same little ones with savage treatment into the world
to face its dangers alone, and will turn away from their
sufferings thereafter with astounding indifference.

It is well to remember this, and to give proper weight to the
word, when we speak of the _love_ of animals for their little
ones.

I met a bear once--but this foolish thing is not to be
imitated--with two small cubs following at her heels. The mother
fled into the brush; the cubs took to a tree. After some timorous
watching I climbed after the cubs, and shook them off, and put
them into a bag, and carried them to my canoe, squealing and