done a great deal of good. There is a meeting to-morrow, and I will take
you to it if you like."

It was on Monday that Mrs. Wood had this talk with Miss Laura, and the
next afternoon, after all the work was done, they got ready to go to the
village.

"May Joe go?" asked Miss Laura.

"Certainly," said Mrs. Wood; "he is such a good dog that he won't be any
trouble."

I was very glad to hear this, and trotted along by them down the lane to
the road. The lane was a very cool and pleasant place. There were tall
trees growing on each side, and under them, among the grass, pretty wild
flowers were peeping out to look at us as we went by.

Mrs. Wood and Miss Laura talked all the way about the Band of Mercy.
Miss Laura was much interested, and said that she would like to start
one in Fairport.

"It is a very simple thing," said Mrs. Wood. "All you have to do is to
write the pledge at the top of a piece of paper: 'I will try to be kind
to all harmless living creatures, and try to protect them from cruel
usage,' and get thirty people to sign it. That makes a band.

"I have formed two or three bands by keeping slips of paper ready, and
getting people that come to visit me to sign them. I call them
'Corresponding Bands,' for they are too far apart to meet. I send the
members 'Band of Mercy' papers, and I get such nice letters from them,
telling me of kind things they do for animals.

"A Band of Mercy in a place is a splendid thing. There's the greatest
difference in Riverdale since this one was started. A few years ago,
when a man beat or raced his horse, and any one interfered, he said:
'This horse is mine; I'll do what I like with him.' Most people thought
he was right, but now they're all for the poor horse and there isn't a
man anywhere around who would dare to abuse any animal.

"It's all the children. They're doing a grand work, and I say it's a
good thing for them. Since we've studied this subject, it's enough to
frighten one to read what is sent us about our American boys and girls.
Do you know, Laura, that with all our brag about our schools and
colleges, that really are wonderful, we're turning out more criminals
than any other civilized country in the world, except Spain and Italy?
The cause of it is said to be lack of proper training for the youth of
our land. Immigration has something to do with it, too. We're thinking
too much about educating the mind, and forgetting about the heart and
soul. So I say now