Sturt hastened to run down the ladder; but in his hurry and alarm, missed his step, and put his leg through a hole in the floor of the loft. Before he could extricate himself, the flames were all blazing around him. He called as loud as he could, but all to no purpose. He made, however, towards the outside door—at last he reached it; but he was all of a blaze. He leaped down into the stable-yard, half roasted, and in the fall broke his leg.
As to puss, after the squib exploded, she endeavored to get off; but she could not leave her kittens. First she took one up in her mouth, and then the other; then she tried to take two at once. Oh! if you had seen this poor cat’s affection for her young, how much better you would have thought her, than that wicked boy.
At last, however, poor puss darted off with one of her kittens. She was in a terrible fright, you will believe. She ran up a wooden waterspout, leading in a slanting direction to an adjoining shed, with the kitten in her mouth. She then bore it over the gable end of a house, till she got into a gutter on the other side; along this she travelled, and again mounted another roof; on the top of this she walked, still carrying her kitten in her mouth, till at last she came to a cow-house and hay-stack at the other side of the farm. Into this hay-stack she leaped, bearing her offspring with her in safety.
Poor puss returned for her other kittens; but alas! when she got back, nothing was to be seen but a quantity of red and black rafters, and vast masses of burnt hay. The poor kittens had perished in the flames.
Cornelia.—A lady of Campagnia in Italy, who was very rich, and fond of pomp and show, being on a visit to Cornelia, the illustrious mother of the Gracchi, displayed the diamonds and jewels she possessed, with some ostentation, and then requested Cornelia to permit her to see her jewels. This eminent woman dexterously contrived to turn the conversation to another subject, till her sons returned from one of the public schools; when she introduced them, saying, “these are my jewels!”
A Sliding Party:
A MOTHER’S STORY.
It was one of the finest evenings in January; I can remember it very well. I was then a young girl, and was delighted with such beautiful evenings as the one I am going to tell you about. The moon shone bright, the stars glittered like so many gems in the sky; not a dark cloud was to be seen; there was not a breath of wind, not so much as to shake the tops of the smallest trees. True it was very cold, and the snow laid deep on the ground; and though most of the busy world had retired to their houses, to enjoy a long evening by their wintry fireside, I was tempted to take a stroll out to admire the beautiful prospect. I did not remain out long, as it was the practice of my father to relate stories to amuse us in the evening, while mother and myself sat at work. When I returned home, I found them all seated round the blazing fire, ready; and all seemed happy but my eldest brother John; he was evidently uneasy, and could not sit still long together, and kept looking about and listening, and often going to the window.
At last, he told his father that his playmates were going on the river to slide, and that he should like to go. We all begged him not to think of going out on the ice, and told him it would be better for him to stay at home and hear father’s stories; but all to no purpose; he had made up his mind to go, though he knew how unhappy we should all be while he was away. He promised to be home at nine, and said he would not go near the bridge; for there the current was more rapid, and of course they would not be safe; and his father cautioned him of the openings in the ice, and that he might be liable to fall in and get drowned. John heard all that his father said; but boys love to roam and are fond of adventure; and, I am sorry to say, that, when they set their hearts on anything, it often happens that the advice of parents is of no use to them; and so it was in this case. He had just turned the corner of the house, when he heard the merry shout and laugh of the party; and he waited till they came up, and they all went towards the river. They had a mile to walk, but that was nothing to a set of crazy-headed, self-willed boys; they soon got there, and were busily engaged in their sport.