IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT.3) k A {./ ^ .'^. /. V 1.0 1.1 u,m Jim 140 12.0 Ui IL25 M 1.4 1.6 PhotDgraphkj Sciences Corporalion •<^ <^' <^ y i:: WIST MAIN STRUT WIUTH.N.Y. MSM (716)«7a-4S03 ^^1 ^V^ > i CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHIVI/ICMH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions / Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiques ■i Technical and Bibliographic Notas/Notaa tachniquat at bibliographiquaa Tha toti The institute has attempted to obtain tha beat original copy available for filming. Features of thia copy which may be bibliographically unique, which may alter any of the imegea in the reproduction, or which may significantly change the usual method of filming, are checked below. n Coloured covers/ Couverture de couleur I I Covers damaged/ D D D □ Couverture endommagie Covers restored and/or laminated/ Couverture restauria et/ou pelliculAe I I Cover title missing/ Le titre de couverture manque Coloured maps/ Cartes g^ographiquas en couleur Coloured ink (i.e. other than blue or black)/ Encre de couleur (i.e. autre que bleue ou noire) Coloured plates and/or illustrations/ Planches et/ou illustrations en couleur n Bound with other meterial/ Relii avec "r^'autres documents Tight binding may cause shadows or distortion along interior margin/ La reiiure serrde paut causer de I'ombre ou de la distortion le long de la marge intArieure Blank leaves added during restoration may appear within the text. Whenever possible, these have been omitted from filming/ II se peut que certaines pagea blanches ajoutAas lors dune restauration apparaissent dans le texte. mais, lorsque cela Atait possible, ces pages n'ont pas 6t^ fiimias. Additional comments:/ Commentaires suppiamentairas; L'inatitut a microf llmA le meilleur exempleire qu'il lui a «t« possible de se procurer. Les details de cet exempleire qui sont peut-Atre uniques du point de vue bibliographique. qui peuvent modifier une image reproduite. ou qui peuvent exigor une modification dans la mithoda normale de filmage sont indiquAs ci-dessous. I I Coloured pages/ Pages de couleur Pages damaged/ Pages endommagies Pages restored and/oi Pages resvaur^as et/ou pelliculAes Pages discoloured, stained or foxe« Pages dAcoiories, tachaties ou piquies Pages detached/ Pages dAtachies Showthrough/ Transparence Quality of prir Quality inAgale de I'impression Includes supplementary materii Comprend du materiel supplimentaire Only edition available/ Seule Edition disponible r~~\ Pages damaged/ I I Pages restored and/or laminated/ I I Pages discoloured, stained or foxed/ I I Pages detached/ r~T\ Showthrough/ I I Quality of print varies/ I I Includes supplementary material/ I I Only edition available/ The po* oft film Ori| beg the aion othi firal aior or II Tha ahal TINI whi Maf diffi anti bagi righ raqi mat Fyj Pages wholly or partially obscured by errata UlJ slips, tissues, etc., have been refilmed to ensure the best possible image/ Les pages totalement ou partiellement obscurcies par un feuillet d'errata. une pelure, etc., ont At* filmAes A nouveau de fe^on A obtenir la meilleure image possible. This item is filmed at the reduction ratio checked below/ Ce document est film* au taux de reduction indlqu* ci-deaaous. 10X 14X 18X 22X J 12X 16X 20X 26X 30X a4X 28X 32X Th« copy filmMl h»n hM lM«n r«prodvc«d thanks to tho gonorosfty of: Univariity of British Columbia Library L'oxomplairo filmA ffut roproduit grAco A la gAnAroaiti do: University of British Columbia Library Tho imagaa appoaring haro ara tha bast quality posslblo consldaring tha condition and laglbility of tha original copy and in kaaping with tha filming contract spaciflcatlons. Original copias in printad papar covers ara fllmad baginning with tha front covar and anding on tha last paga with a printad or illustratad impras- sion, or tha back covar whan appropriata. All othar original copias ara fllmad baginnin'^ on tha first paga with a printad or illustratad knpras- sion. and anding on tha laat paga with a printad or illustratad imprassion. Tha last racordad frama on aach microficha shall contain tha symbol ^^ (moaning "CON- TINUED"), or tha symbol V (maaning "END"), whichavar applias. Maps, platas. charts, ate . may ba filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right end top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les Images sulvantes ont AtA reproduites avac la plus grand soin. compta tenu de la condition at da la nettet* de rexempleire filmA. et en conformity avac les conditions du contrat de filmage. Les exemplaires originaux dont la couverture en papier est imprimAe sont fiimAs en commenpant par la premier plat et en terminant soit par la dernlAre pege qui comporte une empreinte d'Impression ou d'illustration. soit par la second plot, selon le cas. Tous les autres exemplaires originaux sont filmis en commenpant par la pramlAre page qui comporte une empreinte d'Impression ou d'illustration et en terminant par la darniAre pege qui comporte une telle empreinte. Un des symboles suivants apparattra sur la darnlAre image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: la symbols -^ signifie "A SUIVRE ', le symbols V signifie "FIN". Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent Atre filmAs A des teux de rAduction diffArents. Lorsque le document est trop grsnd pour Atre reproduit en un seui clichA. il est filmA A partir de I'engle supArieur geuche. de gauche A droite, et de haut en bes. sn prenant le nombre d'images nAcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mAthoda. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 8 6 ^"^mm I Charles and « * * -• * ^ •" HIS Lamb Wrllteri for th-* i.ittk Ones •.>» the House'iokl n\ Mar<'h.m.i Saunders 4;:ihi>r of " Ufiauuliil joe" •^;-. ^^--.' ) Phitadelpiiia CHARl.LS H HANHS i8u-, rs rmmmm r 1; 1^ Charles and ^ .< ^ "*•*•* -^ HIS Lamb Written for the Little Ones of the Household BY Marshall Saunders Author of " Beautiful Joe " 1: Philadelphia CHARLES H BANES 1895 "T", w^jia Copyright 1895 hy Ghorge H. Buchanan & Company Prefatory Note George T. Angell. when requested to define the object of the Bands of Mercy, replied, "To teach and lead every child and older person to seize every opportunity to say a kind word, or do a kind act that will make sonrie other human being or some dumb creature happier." The engaging, interesting life of a little child, its infantile reasonings, its imaginative world filled with tiny but wonderful mental pictures, are too soon obscured by f< coming years of the maturing life. Truly the Apostle said : IV/wii I wax j child I spake as j child, ! felt ^\ a child, I thought as a child : now that I am become a man, I have put away childish things. The utterance of the Apostle is especially in- tended to illustrate and confast human knowledge in its infancy with the wider range and enlarged development of after years. There are influences of childhood that never grow less. The kingly law of love can manifest its benign sway over the life of the little prattler and enlarge its control through the gentle leading of the mother, thus continuing its dominion in the mind until habits are formed that inspire the life in its contact with humanity. This is manifest to every thoughtful observer of child-life. In the biography of "Beautiful Joe." Miss Saunders has emphasized this truth, and demon- strated in her happy way, that children may be trained by home influence to be gentle and tender to others, and merciful to dumb creatures. In "Charles and his Lamb," Miss Saunders has presented for little folks, sketches and scenes in the real life of a baby boy, and the story of the influences of a little child whose kindness of heart and love for animals is prettily shown. His innocent, artless life, so full of love, imparts its healthy in- fluence to his childish associates and playmates, becoming a living spring of perennial beauty. It is to be hoped that this glimpse of child-life, with its setting of love, may awaken in the hearts of the children for whom it has been written a desire to manifest those " Little deeds of kindness, little words of love " that "Make our earth an Eden like the heaven above." CHARLES H. BANES s=^^ CONTENTS CHAPTER I f ntrodudiifl tbc Xamb u CHAPTER II ^be 3Qnb^ and t)id |>et0 17 CHAPTER III ^be Quarrelsome (Sueet 29 CHAPTER IV B IDiett to tbe l^oo 39 CHAPTER V C;bc Strae Xamb 47 CHAPTER VI Searcbfnfl for tbe Xost ©ne 6i CHAPTER VII ^OBtul 1?eturn 69 tjHAPTER 1 1Intro^ucino tbc Xamb i Introducing^ the Lamb N the centre of a wide, green lawn at the back of a pretty country house stood a tiny white-frocked child talking to a lamh " Lamb," he said, holding a bit of cake an inch from the snowy creature's nose, " Charles is glad to see you." The lamb looked into the charming baby face so near his own and murmured an apprecia- tive " Ma-a-a." " Lamb," the child went on slowly, " Charles loves you," and with his little heart overflowing with affection toward his new playfellow, he threw both arms round its neck. The lamb was considerably taken aback, yet in the midst of his surprise he recovered himself enough to secure the piece of cake, which he ate with great satisfaction. •' Come," said the child, at the conclusion of 12 INTRODUCING THE LAM'B a somewhat prolonged caress ; *• Charles has something to show you." He srized the rope hanging to the lamb's neck, and, toddling over the grass, led him behind a small and beautifully green arbor. There, under the shade of a tree, lay a big grey cat fast asleep, his head resting confidingly on the fluffy body of a terrier who was snorin«T loudly. A shepherd dog sat near by, his watchful eyes going from the dog and cat to a pair of white rabbits who were munching lettuce leaves and gazing placidly from between the bars of their hutch. " This is Charles' menag'rie," said the child in his sweet clear accents; "Charles loves dogs, and mouses and bunnies and pussy cats." The lamb lowered his head and pressed closer against his new master ; he did not like the way in which the shepherd dog was snififing at his wooll)' sides. ♦• Collie won't hurt you, lambie," said the child ) M INTRODUCING THE LAMB »3 gently, and he passed the rope from his hands into the mouth of the dotr. The intelligent animal understood what his young master meant — the lamb was to be his especial care. He gave a joyful muffled bark, frisked about on the grass, and finally lay down beside his new companion. The cat was not so ready to enlarge the circle of his friends. He sprang up, elevated his back, and, spitting furiously, made terrifying faces at the newcomer. Jennie, the child's nurse, who had been following him drew near, but she was waved back. "Charles will manage," said her small charge, and then he turned loving eyes toward the cat's angry visage. " Don't be cross, Jerry," he said remonstrat- ingly, " you promised to be a good cat ; Charles will have to say verses to you," and sittin"- on the grass he repeated a childish rhj'me which had the effect of drawing the penitent cat to his arms, where he nestled in a pleased and i)urring reverie. i 14 INTRODUCING THE LAMB " Now Charles is happy," said the tiny boy and he tried to rise, still holding the cat firmly to him. He could not keep his balance, his little feet caught in the embroidery of his white skirts, and he rolled over on the grass and lay with his laughing face upturned to the sky, his hands brushing aside the eager noses of the dogs who pressed forward to see if he were hurt. In the midst of his frolic with them he heard a distant whistle. " It is the train," he cried, " Charles' grand- father has come," and, scrambling to his feet, he trotted rapidly across the lawn, followed tumul- tuously by the dogs, the cat and the lamb. \ Chapter II Ube JSabp anO Dis iPets I -5;. The Baby and His Pets jH, grandfather, I'm just cwazy about you — arc you cwazy about me?" and little Charles flun<,r himself into the arms of a tall irentleman who was openin*;- the gate. What a delightful welcome for a tired man who had just come from the hot city ! Colonel Vaughan smiled, and, lifting the child, he carried him up the veranda steps. Everybody on the veranda was laughing at the baby, and, hearing the sound of merry voices, he raised his happy face from his grandfather's breast. " What you laughing at?" he asked uneasily. Colonel Vaughan looked anxiously at the little, sensitive face, then shook his head at the baby's two youthful aunts, who immediately concealed their roguish glances behind palm leaf fans. i8 THli BABY ^ND HIS PETS " Is it 'cause I said civazy f whispered the child against Colonel Vaiighan's cheek. " I suppose so, darling." Charles straightened his small figure and turned to his aunts with so curious an expres- sion on his face that liis grandfather, wishing to know what was passing in his mind, said, " Of what is my baby thinking ?" " Charles does not wish to be a baby," said the child distinctly; " he wish to be a man." His Aunt Margaret ran across the veranda and caught him to her. " You sweet thing, I wish I could keep you like this forever, and always hear your precious baby talk." The child's gaze wandered from her up to the blue sky above them. Over his exquisite rose- leaf face passed one strange expression after another. He was struggling with thoughts too deep for utterance. Of the two faces, his for a few minutes wore the more mature look, and his grandfather watched him keenly. Then he became a baby again. " Charles is tired," he said, with a pretty gesture, and he held THE BABY ^ND HIS PETS 19 out his arms to the stron- ones so often a shield and a covert to him in his baby perplexities. " What has my boy been doinir to-day ?" asked Colonel Vaughan, lookin- fondly down at the little, thoughtful face " Charles has played with his animals," said the child slowly. " Uncle Robert is member of the family circle looked grave. " He is the most disagreeable child that I ever saw," went on the young man, " and posi- tively cruel. I once saw hiii) drop a cat from a third-story window." " I am just as sorry as I can be that he is coming," said Aunt Margaret, impulsively ; " but when we asked his mother to visit us, we never dreamed that she would bring Wilfred." *' It will be a chance to see if our theory holds good, that Charles' intercourse with ani- mals teaches him self-control," said Colonel Vaughan. I? THE B/IRY JIND HIS PETS 25 " I believe," chimed in Aunt Maude, " that Charles will do Wilfred nood " " If he doesn't— if Wilfred worries him, he will have to leave," said Aunt Margaret, firmly. Colonel Vaughan gave utterance to his favor- ite exclamation, " We shall see, we shall see!" and, spreading out his evening paper, he divided his attention between it and the sleeping child. '1 ^1! Chapter III Ube diuarrclsome Guest The Quarrelsome Guest |T was a very hot day, and the baby's grandmother, leaving the house, walked slowly across the lawn, and entering the arbor, sank into a rustic arm-chair For a long time there was entire stillness about her, then the sound of voices made her turn her head. Charles was to have his tea on the lawn, and the nurse was bringing out his table and chair. The little child came toddling behind her and after she had put his bread and milk before him, she went back to the house. Mrs. Vaughan parted the wistaria leaves and looked out. What a charming sight ! The baby alone, save for his dumb friends, who sat in a semi-circle on the grass before him — had clasped his pink finger tips and closed his eyes, and was murmuring reverently his grace before meat : 30 THE QU/IRRELSOME GUEST " God is great and God is good, And we thank Him :or our food ; By His hand let all be fed : Give us, Lord, our daily bread. Amen." The verse being said he tied his bib about his neck, and, looking graciouslv on the do^rs the cat and the lamb, who were respectfully watch- ing him, he offered them in turn bits of bread dipped in milk, which they came forward politely to receive. A slight breeze stirred the warm atmosphere and lifted rings of the child's curly auburn hair. At ir.tervals he raised his beautiful black eyes and gazed in placid satisfaction on his surround- ings. He was, indeed, a lovely child, and the woman hidden behind the green leaves felt her heart stirred with thankfulness as she looked at him. Suddenly the harmony of the scene was disturbed. A child two or three years older than Charles, and having a flushed face, dis- ordered hair and a restless manner, came toward the small table, listlessly kicking his toes in the grass as he did so. THE QUARRELSOME GUEST 31 " Baby, baby," he said, teasiiigly, when he caught sio-ht of Charles ; - having your tea by yourself; I eat with the grown folks." This accusation of being a baby touched Charles in a very tender spot. He stopped eating, blushed violently, and -struck the table with his spoon, " Charles is a big, big boy," he said, angrily. "A big. big baby," said Wilfred, mocking him, Charles' cheeks grew redder still— he was inclined to fly into a passion— then his attention was suddenly distracted, and he stared so intently at Wilfred that the elder boy broke out with a sudden "What are you looking at?" "You are like the dog-faced baboon in Charles' picture-book," said the little one, wist- fully; "can't you ask God to give you anew face?" It was now Wilfred's turn to be angry, and, running rudely against the table, he pushed it to the ground. Charles sat with his spoon uplifted and i 32 THE QUARRELSOME GUEST philosophically surveyed the wreck before him. Curious to see what he would do, Mrs. Vaughan did not come forward to assist him. "Wilfred," he said, rebukingly, "you are always upsetting Charles' little derangements, but nurse says you can't help it," then, slipping from his chair, he hastened to restore the table to its four legs. Wilfred stood by pouting and clasping his hands behind his back. •' Nurse says your heart is quite black," went on Charles, in an awe-struck whisper. " Does it feel funny, Wilfred, to have a black heart?" " My heart isn't black," exclaimed Wilfred^ " Get out of my way, you beast ! " and, stretch- ing out his foot, he kicked at the unoffending lamb, who was standing near him. Charles looked desperately about him. He could pardon an injury to himself, one to his sweet-tempered pets never passed unavenged, yet Wilfred was his guest. Baby that he was, The quarrelsome guest 33 tliis matter had been carefully explained to him, and he fully understood it. " Wilfred," he said, " you hurt the lamb." " I didn't," remarked the other child. Charles, without saying a word, quietly approached his companion and gave him a sudden, well-directed blow between the eyes. "Oh, you hurt," cried Wilfred, springing backward. "No, Charles didn't," observed the small child, seating himself on the grass beside the Iamb ; "if Wilfred didn't hurt the lamb, Charles didn't hurt Wilfred." This logic was unanswerable, and the larger boy was about to appeal to brute force, when the collie, who was a dog of a serious disposi- tion, and who thought that the rough play had gone far enough, seized him by the legs of his little white trousers and pulled him to the ground. Wilfred slapped the dog in the face, but at this he was saluted by so warning a growl that i ;: f 34 THl- QUARRELSOME GUEST Mi ! ,1 ' U he soon controlled himself, and, calmly accepting the situation, was soon enga^^ed in a conversation with Charles. " I had ten do<;.s once," he said looking dis- dainfully at his little friend who had never had more than three. Charles was lost in admiring wonder. " They were blue dogs," continued Wilfred, •• and they had six tails apiece." Charles had never been told what was untrue and had never himself felt the necessity of telling a lie, but at this extraordinary statement he knew that there was something wron^ "In Charles' books are no blue dogs," he said mildly. " Mine were just as blue — as blue as that grass," said Wilfred. "Where are now these dogs ? " asked Charles. " They ran away." " I wish one would come to Charles," said the little boy, to whom the notion of ten six-tailed dogs running ownerless about the world was a fascinating one. THE QU/IRRELSOME GUEST .^5 " Give me one of your clogs," said Wilfred, suddenly. "Charles couldn't, and you would beat them," said the child after a short struggle with himself. " No I wouldn't," and Wilfred fondled not unkindly the silky ears of the collie who was for- givingly licking his hands. The little terrier, fearful of being overlooked, ran up at this instant with a ball which he dropped at Charles' feet. " We will play ball," said the child, and he rolled it over the grass. For half an hour the dogs ran to and fro in wild sport and the children's merry peals of laugh- ter reached the house. " How happily they get on together," said Wilfred's mother. " My boy is not half as fret- ful as usual since we came here. Your baby's sweet ways are influencing him for good." IT" Chapter IV H msit to tbe Zoo 1 1 milliillRilMMIHM A Visit to the Zoo [OLONEL VAUGHAN had taken Charles and Wilfred into the city to an exhibition of wild animals. From cage to cage the little party went in a leisurely manner, followed by an ever-increasing number of people whom Colonel Vaughan affected not to notice, though he was several times obliged to put up his hand to stroke his moustache in order to conceal a smile. These people were fairly hanging on the description of the various animals falling in sweet broken sentences from Charles' lips. He had never before seen wild beasts except in his books on natural history, and his delight at finding in bodily presence the animals whose pictures he dearly loved, was so unbounded that he would have entered their cages, could he have done so. " See, Wilfred," he cried; " there is Mr, Lion l¥ I 40 ^ l/ISIT TO THE ZOO from Africa, and this is Mr. Lion from Asia, 'cause he has a smaller mane. Charles is glad to see the King of the Cats." " He isn't a cat," said Wilfred, positively. " Yes he is," said the child ; " and here is a moose deer and a white-tailed deer. D is for deer that runs like the wind — don't you 'member, Wilfred ?" . " Yes," said Wilfred, who was only a trifle less excited than Charles. " And here is a camel," cried Charles, "and he has long, long lashes and strong, strong teeth. Reach me up, grandfather, to pat his nose. >> The ugly-looking animal graciously allowed the child to stroke him and even turned his head to look after him as he passed on his way. " Z is for zebra, so strong and so wild," said Charles, pausing in front of a handsome striped animal. " Grandfather, will you buy Charles a zebra?" Some of the people in their train laughed aloud, and Colonel Vaughan, suppressing a smile, I * < ' ^ yiSIT TO THE ZOO 41 drew his grandchild to the next enclosure, where a pink-faced sacred baboon sat huddling himself miserably under his grey fur tippet. " Poor baboon, so far from home," said Charles with his face close against the bars; "here is an apple for you." The baboon for an instant abandoned his listless attitude, and, stretching out his hand, took the fruit from the child with a caressincr is murmur In the cage next to him were a cock, a goat, and a kangaroo. Charles presented the cock and the kangaroo with bits of biscuit, and then tried to feed the goat, but the latter was slow and clumsy, and the Httle cock flying over and above and around him snapped up everything that was thrown into the cage. Charles clapped his hands in glee and could hardly tear himself away till Wilfred cried, '• Look here, look here !" A trained seal was by turns firing off a toy cannon, pkiying a tambourine, and kissing his 42 ^ I/ISIT ro THE ZOO master whom he surveyed affectionately with velvety brown eyes. With a keen and scrutinizin<,r ^dance, Charles looked from the animal to its keeper. " The seal is happy," he said at last, "and Charles is happy." A terrible g^rowling made them retrace their steps. A tamei ; rone into the cage with the hons, and was snapping a long whip to make them do tricks. ''Bad, bad man, come out," cried Charles, stamping his foot; "lions do not love such things, they will eat you." The tamer laughed and went on with his dangerous sport, and Charles, with his little breast heaving, was hurried away to a less excit- ing part of the exhibition. With the birds and the monkeys he was enraptured, but turned in silent dismay from an evil-faced laughing hyena, whispering to his grandfather an incredulous, " Did God make it ? " " What animal is this, little one?" asked an old gentleman in spectacles, who had pausr d i t// yiSIT TO THE ZOO 43 before a plump animal that looked somewhat like a kangaroo. " Tell me," said Charles ; " I never saw one like it." " It is the brush-tailed bettong," said the old gentleman, " who builds nests of leaves and grass that he rolls up and carries with his tail." " Please tell him to carry that hay across his cage." The bettong would not do as he was asked, and, curling up his tiny forepaws, settled back on his long hind ones and sleepily scanned the people before him. " May be he jumps only at night,— -and sleeps in the day," said Charles, turning away in disappointment. " You have guessed rightly, my small lad," said the old gentleman, patting his head ; " you put some of us older ones to shame." The little boy did not know what he meant; he thought that everyone knew about animals, and he ran after Wilfred to look at the ostriches. If" f 44 A VISIT TO THE ZOO " Oh ! oh ! what elegant birds," cried Wilfred, as two dilapidated-looking ostriches, harnessed to a small cart, were brought into the ring. " Let us have a ride." " Would you like to ?" and Colonel Vaughan bent over his little grandson. Charles critically viewed the enormous birds. " Ostriches like to go fast," he said ; " I do not think they like to draw little boys." "Will you go on the elephant?" inquired Colonel Vaughan. " Yes," said Charles ; " I will." The two children had a long ride, then, fear- ing lest they might fatigue themselves too much, Colonel Vaughan took them home. / Chapter V Ube Strag Xamb w f The Stray Lamb FEW days later Wilfred's mother was talking to Charles' graiid^ mother. " I know that I have spoiled Wilfred," said Mrs. Moore, with tears in her eyes; " but I have always said that if he could come under the influence of a good child he himself would become good." " And you think that Charles has effected this change ?" asked Mrs. Vaughan. " Indeed, I do. Your beautiful boy, with his intensely sympathetic nature, understands my child and has made another being of him. I shall never cease to be thankful that I cam. here." "Charles will miss Wilfred," said Mrs. Vaughan. " This morning," continued Mrs. Moore. " I had the deep pleasure of hearing my boy say of his own free will what he has never said before." 48 THE STT^AY LAMB " And what was that ?" " ' I am ;sorry ' — tliey had quarrelled about a toy, and Charles was showing a sweetness and a restraint far beyond his years. Wilfred sud- denly repented, and throwing his arms around Charles' neck, said, ' I am sorry.' " " It must have been a pretty scene." " It was more than pretty — it was angelic. Next to my own boy I love yours. What do you think he said to comfort Wilfred?" *' I am sure I do not know." ** Such a quaint thing. ' Everybody does bad,' he remarked sagely, ' then they ask God to forgive them, 'cept animals. I guess they don't pray. Little doves steal food and hides it under their wings, and bees get drunk and big monkeys knock little monkeys' heads 'gainst trees when they get tired carrying them,' and he went on with a long list of animals' failings." " Just look at them now," said Mrs. Vaughan, and she pointed to the lawn where the two boys lay face downwards on the grass. What do you suppose they are doing ?" THl- STT^^Y LAMB 49 " Let us go and sec." Together the two ladies went out, and arrived on the spot in time to hear an interesting con- versation about ants that the two small boys were carrying on, as they watched some busy black creatures who were capturing garden-lic'e to shut up in cells in their houses. All day the boys played happily together but toward evening a terrible thing happened. Wilfred, unduly set up by his mother's praise, became so overbearing with Charles that Mrs' Vaughan, who never allowed her grandchild to be imposed upon, took him to her own room. The little visitor had got to love Charles as if he had been his brother. In a furious temper to think that he should see him no more that evenmg, he rushed from the house into the garden. It was fast growing dark. - What could he do to appease his rage-to annoy Charles and his loving grandmother ? " The bleating of the lamb fell upon his ear— the gentle creature that of all the pets was dearest so THIi srT{AY LAMB I totlic heart of the younj^ master. lie would let it out of the stable where it liad been put for tlic night, into the road. What a fright it would give Charles to have his dear lamb lost ! He went into the stable and the dogs ran to meet him. He must fasten them up — it would never do to let Collie and Patty see him. They would immediately drive the lamb home. So he called them into the harness-room, then ran out and shut the door. Carefully looking about to see that the coach- man and the stable boy were not near, he put a rope round the neck of the lamb and led it through the gate into the road. Tiiere it stood, the faithful creature, its eyes fixed on him. It would not run away. He gave it a Httle push, then a kick, but still it remained. What was he to do ? The wicked passion that he was in blinded his judgment. He walked along the road leading the lamb till he heard the noise of an approaching cart. Then he lifted up his eyes and saw a rough looking man pulling up THE STT^/tY I./fMB u his horse to say, " Hullo, what are you doing with that lamb ? " " I want to sell it," said Wilfred blushing vividly. " How much do you want for it ? " " Twenty-five cents." " Will you sell it to me, my little man ? " " Yes," said Wilfred. The man, without uttering a word more, sprang down from his seat, and after putting a piece of money in Wilfred's hand, he tied the lamb's legs together and put it in his cart. The pretty animal lifted his head and fixed his eyes piteously on Wilfred, who stood silently in the road. The man threw a piece of canvas over the back of the cart and drove away. " Come back, come back," said Wilfred feebly, for he could not forget the look in the lamb's eyes. The man pretended not to hear him, and, whipping his horse smar*J> , was soon out of sight. 8 52 THE STT{AY l.^MB Wilfred frowned at the twenty-five cent piece in his hand, then, casting it over the hedge, he ran into the house. A very quiet boy. he took his tea and begged to be put to bed. He did not sleep well, but all night long had ugly dreams. The next morning he dreaded to get up, but at last he did so, hop- ing to find that by some means or other the lamb had been brought back. Perhaps the man had repented. Alas, the man had not, and as soon as Wil- fred entered the breakfast-room he saw by the grave faces of the older people that they knew what had happened. No one took much notice of him— they were watching Charles. " The lamb has been stolen," whispered his mother, as she handed his porridge to him. " Is it not sad ? Say nothing about it." Charles, laughing and prattling happily, ate his breakfast, then, waiting politely till the grown people had finished and his grandmother had placed her r.erviette on the table, he said, " Come, THE STT^^Y LAMB 53 Wilfred, let us take nis piece of peach to Charles' dear lamb." '' My darling," said his grandfather, detaining him, " you cannot see the lamb this morning" " Why not, grandfather ? " asked the chikrin astonishment. •' Because some one has taken him away." " No one would take the lamb," said the child, shaking his head; -it would make him sad to leave Charles." " Some one has done it, I fear," said Colonel Vaughan ; " but I have sent men to look for him, who will, I hope, bring him back to you." In incredulous wonder Charles ran out to view the stall. Then, accompanied by his grandfather, he searched the grounds about the house„ The distress of his childish mind, when he at last comprehended the extent of the misfortune that had befallen him. wis pitiful to see. The lamb that had eaten f ,ni his plate and drunk from his cup, that a dozen times a day laid its snowy Ju:ad on his shoulder, was really gone; i i V 54 THE STT^AY LAMB hi\ the most defenseless of his pets had been taken from him. Jerry and the terrier crouched close beside him. They knew well what had happened. The collie had gone with the coachman to seek the lamb. The lessons of the last few weeks were to take effect in Wilfred. He watched Charles with a swelling heart, and at last burst into tears and threw himself upon him. " Charles, Charles, I sent your lamb away." The little boy looked at him aghast. " You senl; Charles' lamb away ! " he repeated. "What does this mean?" asked Colonel Vaughan, and Mrs. Moore, with a cry of dismay, drew her son co her. " I — I was cross and I sold him to a man," sobbed W'.lfred. "I will give you all my toys and my new Noah's ark." All the wooden animals in the world could not fill the place of the departed living one. Charles made a gesture of unutterable distress and turned his back on the weeping boy. THE STT^AY LAMB 55 He was strunr-, and who nosed and pushed and bleated round his \'oun