charges that the pet lion should be well treated. Many years afterwards, the gentleman returned from another voyage to India; and, after seeing his mother, went to the Tower to see his friend. When he came to the large cage in which the lion was confined, the keeper said, "This is our finest and our fiercest lion." "Open the door," said the gentleman. The keeper, not knowing him, objected. The gentleman insisted, and entered. The lion was lying down, and, seeing a man in his cage, for a moment looked angry; in another moment he rose on his hind legs, put his paws around his old master, and showed the greatest delight at seeing him."

"Why, he was almost as good as a dog," said Frank. "But now, Mother, please tell us the story about a bear which you said you heard on your journey last summer."

"I ought rather," said Mrs. Chilton, "to call it the story of a cow, for she was the heroine of the tale. I was travelling with a small party among the White Hills. When we stopped to dine, we saw a number of people assembled around the door of the hotel, and found that they were looking at a black bear that had been just shot. This bear had inspired the neighborhood with some fear, for he was a large one. They had tried a number of times to shoot him; but all in vain. Master Bruin was never off his guard. At last, the poor fellow foolishly left the deep wild wood, where he could easily hide himself, for a little grove. When the villagers saw his mistake, they immediately took steps to surround the grove. The number of the inhabitants was small; so they summoned all the women and children, as well as the men, and so got an unbroken line all around the little wood. As soon as the bear sought any part, in order to escape, he was saluted by the most frightful screams, as well as a shower of stones. He fled to the opposite side, but there met with the same reception. This went on for some time. At last, some one succeeded in shooting him. He measured a little over six feet from the tip of his nose to the tip of his tail, and his teeth were very formidable.

A gentleman who had assisted in the capture of the bear, told me the story I promised to tell you of the cow and the bear. A little girl, about twelve or thirteen years of age, was sent by her mother, one afternoon, to bring home the cows from a neighboring wood, where they were at pasture. There were many fallen trees, as is often the case in our wild woods; and the child amused herself by climbing over the trunks.

Now, one of the black-looking logs was a large bear that was lying asleep, and the little girl jumped right upon his growling majesty. The bear arose, evidently not quite pleased at being made a stepping stone, took the little girl in his great shaggy paws, and gave her an ugly hug, such as only a bear can give. Mr. Bear would have squeezed the breath out of the body of the poor little girl, had not the good old cow seen the danger. The courageous creature, instead of running away, turned back immediately, and began goring the bear with her horns in such a way as to force old Bruin, if he valued a whole hide, to turn round and defend himself. So he let go his hold on the little girl, who, though sadly frightened and bruised, was still strong enough to run towards home. Presently the bear followed her. Immediately the cow attacked him again with her horns, and drove him off. This continued till they got out of the wood, when the bear ran back to his own home. The gentleman who told us this story said he had seen the little girl, and that she had never quite recovered from the effect of the horrid squeeze of the grim old bear, but still suffered in her chest. Still she was thankful that her life was saved, and always considered the good old cow her preserver."

"Why, Mother," said Frank, "I did not think that a cow could be good for any thing but to give milk."

"In Germany, they use cows for draught, and make them work pretty hard. There you see cows every day doing the same work that our oxen do, and giving the poor man his supper at the end of the day besides; and it is said that the labor does not hurt them. The Germans feed the cows well, treat them gently and kindly, but make them, as well as the dogs, work for a living."

"Now I will tell you a story about a pike. We are apt to think fishes very stupid; that they have no feeling. A gentleman in England, a surgeon and a naturalist, told me of what he had himself seen. A pike had struck its head against a tenter hook on a post in the pond where he was swimming. His agony was so great that he darted backward and forward with the greatest rapidity, then buried his head in the mud, then whirled his tail round and round, and threw himself up into the air to the height of two or three feet, and, at last, he threw himself out of the pond upon the grass. Dr. Warwick placed his hand on the fish, examined the injury, and observed that the hook had entered the skull, wrenching up one side of the bone and depressing the other, and that a small part of the brain had escaped. With a toothpick the doctor restored the bones to their proper places. The patient remained perfectly still during the operation, and after-ward was returned to his native element. He seemed restless for a little while, and then lay quiet. Dr. Warwick then made a sort of cradle in which he placed the poor sufferer, who seemed disposed to lie still on one side."

"The next day, very early, Dr. Warwick went to the pond. To his astonishment, he found that the pike knew and remembered him. The fish came to the edge of the pond, placed his jaw upon the toe of the doctor's boot, let himself be taken hold of and caressed, and allowed the wound to be examined. It was much better. When the doctor walked along the side of the pond, the fish followed him. When the doctor returned from his walk, he found his patient watching for him. The pike then swam backward and forward while the doctor remained there. The fish had lost one eye in consequence of the wound from the hook, and, when his blind side was towards the doctor, was always very restless. The poor fellow seemed anxious to keep his surgical friend in sight. The doctor would often whistle when he went to the pond; and the pike always came at the call, and showed pleasure at seeing him. Dr. Warwick introduced his family to his friend and patient, the pike. The grateful fish allowed them to give him food, and put aside much of his native shyness. In truth, he received their attentions very civilly, but he always showed a decided preference for his medical friend. Dr. Warwick was the father of my friend, Mrs. A., in Liverpool. He related all these facts to me himself, and they are all to be perfectly relied upon."

Now I will read you a German story called Caliph Stork.

One pleasant afternoon, the Caliph of Bagdad was sitting comfortably on his sofa: he had slept a little, (for it was a hot day,) and looked quite bright after his nap. He was smoking a long rose-wood pipe, and sipping coffee, which was poured out for him by a slave; and occasionally he stroked his beard with great satisfaction. In short, it was evident that he felt quite pleasantly.

This was the best time of day for speaking with him; for at this hour he was always very good-natured and affable; and, on this account, the Grand Vizier Mansor always visited him at this hour. He came also this afternoon, but looking very thoughtful, quite against his wont. The caliph took the pipe partly away from his mouth, and said, "What makes you look so thoughtful, Grand Vizier?"

The grand vizier crossed his arms over his breast, bowed to his master, and answered, "Sir! whether I look thoughtful or not is more than I know; but certain it is, that there is a pedler down stairs who has such beautiful things, that it vexes me not to have any money to spare."

The caliph was very willing to do his grand vizier a favor; so he sent the black slave to bring the pedler up stairs. The pedler came. He was a little, dumpy man, with a dark complexion, and dressed in ragged garments. He bore a chest in which were