Minnie had scarcely alighted from the carriage, when Harry cried out, “Please come and see my lamb.”
The child smilingly followed him to the field, where the little creature was learning to graze in the rich clover. As soon as she heard his voice, she ran toward him, bleating and showing every mark of strong affection. She was a pretty lamb, with long, silky wool, gentle eyes, and a meek, loving expression.
During the day, the two children were scarcely a moment away from Hatty; for Harry’s heart was moved by her cries for him, and he was so fond of her he could not endure a separation. Sometimes they would sit down on the clean, sweet grass, the boy laying his head on Hatty’s neck; but more commonly they were running over the lawn, with the lamb close at their heels, sharing their happiness.
“O, mamma,” he exclaimed, when they went in to dinner, “we have had such a funny time! Hatty knows Minnie now quite well; but she does not love her, of course, as she does me. She cries for me whenever she cannot see me.”
His mother smiled, and then asked, “Have you told Minnie about Una, and what Hatty does while you are learning your lessons?”
“O, no, mamma! I quite forgot to tell her.”
“Will you please tell me about Una?” urged Minnie, with great earnestness.
“Yes, dear. Una was the name of a lamb I once saw. She was not gentle and loving, as Harry’s lamb is; she was more lively, and full of tricks. She had a bad habit of browsing the trees, so that her mistress one day told a servant to tie her to a stake in the orchard, or she would destroy the young plants.
“Una had a little companion that was very quiet and inoffensive, but was sometimes led by her into mischief. The next morning after she had been tied, when the man went with the leather strap and string to lead her to the orchard again, Una was nowhere to be found. All day long she and her companion were off out of sight; but at night they came timidly back, watching to see that the man did not catch them.”
Minnie laughed heartily. “I suppose,” she exclaimed, “that she ran away to escape being tied, as our Leo used to when he wanted to go to church.”