Miss. Pray, madam, what was the good boy’s name?
Mrs. Lovechild. Mildmay! he was always a friend to the helpless.
Miss. How cruel it is in a great boy to be a tyrant!
Mrs. Lovechild. Dunces are often cruel.—My young friend redeemed a linnet’s nest from a stupid school-fellow, by helping him in his exercise every day for a fortnight, till the little birds were flown.
Here a servant entered the gallery, and announced company, which put an end to Mrs. Lovechild’s account of the picture.
THE HEDGE-HOG.
Master William Gentle was riding on the back of his dog Cæsar, when his grandfather called to him and invited him to take a walk. They went out together, and as they were walking, they met some boys who had a hedge-hog, which they were going to hunt.—Mr. Gentle ordered them to release it.—The boys pleaded that the hedge-hog would injure the farmers by sucking their cows, and that it therefore ought to be killed.
Mr. Gentle. If it were proper to deprive the animal of life, it would be a duty to do it in as expeditious a manner as possible, and very wicked to torment the poor creature; but the accusation is false, and you are unjust as well as cruel.—Release it this instant!