After they had enjoyed themselves in this way for an hour, Mrs. Gray called Margie from the lawn, and told her to invite the children to come in. Then she introduced them into the parlor, where on the table they saw a large pile of cards, nearly half a yard in length, with beautiful pictures on them, representing animals and birds; some of them as large as life.
These, which came in a long box, with a brass handle on the top, were Frankie's birthday present from papa and mamma.
At first the little fellow was so surprised, that he could not speak a word; but then he ran, first to his mother and then to his father, put his arms around their necks, and thanked them over and over again.
His father went to the table and distributed the cards round among the excited, happy group, and for half an hour there was one continued shout of delight in examining them.
"O, see this great elephant!" said one little boy; "he is winding his nose around that baby, and is going to kill him."
"No, indeed!" said mamma, "that baby is the child of his keeper, the man who takes care of him, and feeds him. See, the soldiers are coming up, and the good elephant is afraid they will hurt his little charge; so he takes it very gently in his trunk, or proboscis and puts it over behind him into a safer place."
"I like that elephant," said Frankie; "but I shouldn't think the baby's mamma would leave him to take care of it. I should think she herself would keep it in her arms."
"What is this lion doing?" asked a pretty, blue-eyed girl, named Rosa. "See, it is holding out its paw."
"It is learning to shake hands, I should think," said Willie, laughing aloud.
"There is a very pretty story connected with that," said his father. "There was once a slave who ran away from his master, and hid in a cave. After he had been there a short time he heard a noise, and looking around he saw he was in a lion's den. His heart began to beat faster than ever, for he thought, 'I have run away only to be killed by this lion.' He fixed his eyes upon the beast, expecting every minute that he would jump upon him and tear him to pieces.