The good woman, at the request of Mrs. Mills, conducted them into an adjacent meadow, to view a brood of beautiful ducklings. Clara admired the delicacy of their plumagè, and, as she saw the little creatures enjoying the coolness of the running stream that watered the meadow', expressed her surprise that their feathers did not appear wet.

"Providence'," observed Mrs. Mills', who embraced every opportunity of informing the minds of her young friends', "has furnished birds, and especially water-fowl', at the extremity of the body, with a little bag containing a kind of oil with which they anoint and dress their feathers, to render them impenetrable to wet. You must certainly have observed how frequently all kinds of birds draw the bill over their feathers: it is a very necessary employment', for without it, their flight would be obstructed by every shower of rain', as the feathers, by imbibing the water', would become heavy and unfit for use. It is observed that poultry, which live under a covert, are provided with a less quantity of this oil than those birds which inhabit the open air."

From hence Mrs. Goodman took them to her granaryher dairy', which was neatness itself-her hay-ricks -nor did she forget her pig-sties', which were perfectly clean, and littered with straw', wishing her guests to observe a fine fat sow', which lay basking in one of them', with a litter of pigs scarcely a fortnight old. She next conducted them to the poultry-yard', where, taking a basket, she scattered some corn', and called the feathered tribe about her. At the well known sound, they came trooping from all parts'; but scarcely had they arrived', when a candidate of a different kind put them to flight. This was no other than a tortoise-shell cat', which made way for a fine white hen' that followed her. The hen, without ceremony, fell upon the grain', and puss, like a faithful guard', stood by to keep off intruders', until she had eaten her fill': after which, she walked off in triumph with her charge', leaving the coast clear to the rest of the poultry', which immediately succeeded. This scene was not more new to the young people than to Mrs. Mills. That an animal should discover such affectionate solicitude for a creature which it was its nature to destroy', surprised her; and her surprise was not lessened by the account which the farmer's wife gave of this

EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCE.*

and the little I was so surand my hus

"You must know, madam'," said she', "that our puss has been the nurse to that fowl. When first hatched it was a poor, little, puny thing. I took it from the hen, seeing it did not thrivé, wrapt it in a bit of flannel', and kept it in a basket by the firé, hoping the warmth would revive it. I took a world of trouble; but it grew worse and worsè, until at last its poor eyes closed', and I really thought it dying. I was so vexed to think of the time which I had spent upon it to no purpose', that I threw it, in a pet, to the cat' which lay asleep by the fire, in my husband's arm-chair. I thought, to be sure, that she would have snapt it up', and put it out of its pain in a moment'; but, would you believe it, madam'? she lifted up her paw, and received it as though it had been her kitten! Yes', madam', she purred over it', creature seemed to revive by her warmth. prised that I could scarcely believe my eyes'; band was not less so, when he came home from work', to see the cat nursing the chicken with as much tenderness as if it had been her kitten. You may be sure, madam', we did not take it from her', except to feed it', which was a part of the business puss could not perform. In short, she seemed to receive it in the place of a litter of kittens we had just before drowned', and to grow fonder and fonder of it every day. You see, madam', the chicken is now grown to a fine hen: puss still continues her attention'; you have just seen a proof of it. She no sooner hears me call the poultry' than she appears with her chargè, which attends to her voice as it would to the cluck of the hen', and will not suffer one of the other fowls to touch a grain until her favorite hen is satisfied'; then she walks off, and leaves the rest in quiet possession of what remains."

"Well," said William', "I am much amazed; I could not have believed a cat' capable of such tenderness'; I always thought them malicious and revengeful', and at school have played them many a wicked prank."

"I have been told'," said Mrs. Mills', "that cats furnish much cruel diversion to school-boys'; but surely not to my William'! he cannot tyrannize over a poor animal, merely because it has no power to defend itself', and delight in tortures at which every heart, not callous to the feelings of humanity', must recoil."

* Which is really a fact.

"I cannot deny'," replied William, "that I have joined our boys in many a wicked prank which they played', and especially in hunting of cats'; but indeed, aunt', I never reflected on what the poor animals must have suffered. I thought only of my own amusement'; but, I assure you, I will never again join in such cruel sports."

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Remember, my dear boy'," said Mrs. Mills', "that God commands you to be merciful to all creatures', and that he hears the cry of the weakest animal'; then reflect on the happiness which results from communicating pleasure', and I am sure you will not seek it in inflicting pain."

"But aunt', I always thought cats very malicious and revengeful."

Cats, William', like other animals', are sensible of good or bad treatment': if you use them well', they will caress you; if ill', they will endeavor to retaliate."

"But they are certainly less faithful than dogs'," replied William.

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Perhaps so," said Mrs. Mills," but there are many instances which prove them not deficient in point of attachment. I remember reading in a magazine, a few years ago about a cat which discovered so strong an attachment to a dog that, seeing him one day engaged with another before her master's house', she flew into the street', and fell upon the antagonist of her favorite with such fury', that she forced him, in the sight of numerous spectators', to quit the field." "But is there not, in general," said Clara', "an antipathy between cats and dogs' ?"

"It appears so," replied Mrs. Mills'; "but when they are bred together it seems to subsidè; and I have known many instances in which it has given place to cordial affection', and this makes me the more readily give credit to the anecdote which I have just related; but, without forcing nature from her general course', repeated instances prove that cats are capable of very strong attachments."

Well, aunt'," said William', "though you are such an advocate for cats', you must allow, after all, that they are of little use.

"I could tell you," said Mrs. Mills', "of cats that were taught to hunt and destroy serpents'; for so, it is recorded', they did in the island of Cyprus'; but the services which they render us in England are, in my opinion', sufficient to exalt their fame', and entitle them to kind treatment."

"I do not'," said William', "recollect any service which they can do us', except the killing of a few rats and mice." "Do you not think that," said Mrs. Mills', an essential servicé?"

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'Truly', aunt," returned William', "if cats can render us no greater service, I do not think that we have so much reason to value them. What harm can such insignificant creatures as rats and mice do us'? To be suré, they make free with a little of our bacon and cheese-but that is not worth the thinking of."

"Very true, William'," said Clara.

"These insignificant creatures'," said Mrs. Mills', as William calls them', may be more formidable than either of you imagine'; I once knew a gentleman whose house, in Scotland, was undermined', and the foundations shaken by rats."

"Indeed!"

"Yes'; they came from a ship that touched at the port', and infested his house in such numbers, that the foundation of it actually gave way`; and the damage which he sustained from them, in this and other instances', was estimated at upwards of five hundred pounds.”

"Was it possiblé ?" said Clara.

"There was scarcely a chest or a drawer in his house into which they did not penetrate. The linen was gnawed into holes and as to the provisions', sugar-meat-bread' -rice-corn'-nothing escaped the ravages of these merciless spoilers!"

"Well," said William," could one have thought it possible for so small an animal as a rat to do such mischief?" "So it was'," said Mrs. Mills', " and you cannot but confess the utility of the cat', which preserves us from creatures which are capable of being so formidable."

"I seé," said William', "that Mrs. Puss is of more consequence than I thought her."

LESSON XV.

ANECDOTES ABOUT RATS.

"As I have acquainted you'," said Mrs. Mills', "with the plunders of these mischievous rats', I must not forget the ingenuity with which some of their feats are executed. What do you think of their conveying eggs, unbroken', from the top of a house, which was three stories high, to the bottom' ?"

"Why, I think'," said William', "it was absolutely impossible."

"I should myself'," said Mrs. Mills', "have thought so', had I not been told it was a fact by my friend and his lady', upon whose veracity I can place the firmest reliance."

Well," said William', "I think that it could be effected by nothing less than a miracle: do tell us, aunt, how it was." "I am myself'," said Mrs. Mills', "ignorant how the business was performed`: I can only tell you, that at the season of the year when eggs are plenty', my friend, as it is customary in the north, greased a number', and put them into a large stone jar', to preserve them sweet for use. A short time after, she was much surprised to find the eggs, which were in the jar at the top of the house', considerably diminished', though none had been used in the family. It was thought impossible that this could be the work of rats'; but so it proved. On a strict examination, the eggs', in part whole', and in part with the contents sucked out', were found in burrows made by the rats at the bottom of the house."

"How could they possibly carry them, without breaking'?" said Clara.

"That is a mystery, my dear'," said Mrs. Mills'," which I cannot explain: I can only assure you, upon authority which I cannot doubt', that the fact really happened."

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They must have rolled' them down the stairs'," said William.

Nay," said Mrs. Mills', "in that case, they must inevitably have broken."

"Oh," said William', " I have just thought how they managed the business'; I remember hearing my papa tell of a friend of his, who once watched', and saw one of these