when
they said he should consider the peace of mind of his neighbors,
he
assured them the fence around his game preserve would restrain an
elephant.

"Besides," protested Kelly, "what you propose to do is not only
impracticable, but it's cruelty to animals. A domesticated animal
can't return to a state of nature, and live."

"Can't it?" jeered Herrick. "Did you ever read 'The Call of the
Wild'?"

"Did you ever read," retorted Kelly, "what happened at the siege
of
Ladysmith when the oats ran low and they drove the artillery
horses
out to grass? They starved, that's all. And if you don't feed
your
bears on milk out of a bottle they'll starve too."

"That's what will happen," cried Jackson; those bears have
forgotten what a pine forest smells like. Maybe it's a pity, but
it's the fact. I'll bet if you could ask them whether they'd
rather
sleep in a cave on your farm or be headliners in vaudeville,
they'd
tell you they were 'devoted to their art.'"

"Why!" exclaimed Kelly, "they're so far from nature that if they