This is the story of the Shanes, a farm family of Indiana in the late nineteenth century. Farmer Shane and his son Tom viciously mistreat the animals in and around their farm. Horses are whipped and overworked cats and dogs are kicked birds and chickens are shot "for practise" all despite the protests from Mrs. Shane and daughter Edith, the animals' last refuge from the farmers' daily abuse. One day the animals convene a meeting under an oak tree and testify to the cruelty of the Shane men. They determine to go on a sit-down strike/sabotage campaign to pressure Farmer Shane and his son to change their behaviour. But what they truly change in Farmer Shane is far deeper than a dark tendency for abuse - it is a transformation no one ever expected. Gene Stratton-Porter's inspiring work was a prize winner in the American Humane Society's contest of 1893. Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. Pierides Press are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.
