The Fourth Reader

14. Mr. B. Her act was not one of cruelty, as it would be in you, who are endowed with reason and reflection. Nature has given the cat a propensity' for animal food, which she obeys in the same manner as the sheep and ox when they feed upon grass,

15. T. Why, then, perhaps the cat did not know the cruelty she was guilty of in tearing that poor bird to pieces.

16. Mr. B. It was impossible puss should know the value you set upon your bird, and therefore she had no more intention of offending you than if she had caught a mouse.

17. T. But, if that is the case, should I have another tame bird, she would kill it, as she has killed this poor fellow.

18. Mr. B. That, perhaps, may be prevented. I have heard people that deal in birds affirm there is a way of preventing cats from meddling with them.

19. T. O, dear sir, I should like to try it. Will you not show me how to prevent the cat from killing any more birds?

20. Mr. B. Most willingly. It is certainly better to correct the faults of an animal than to destroy it. Besides, I have a particular affection for this cat, because I found her when she was a kitten, and have bred her up so tame and gentle that she will follow me about like a dog. She comes every morning to my chamber door, and mews till she is let in; and she sits by the table at breakfast and dinner, as grave and polite as a visitor, without offering to touch the meat. Indeed, before she was guilty of this offence, I have often seen you stroke and caress her with great affection; and puss, who is by no means of an ungrateful

temper, would always purr and arch her tail, as if she was sensible of your attention.

1. IN a few days after this conversation, another robin, suffering, like the former, from the inclemency' of the season, flew into the house, and commenced acquaintance with Tommy. But he, recollecting the mournful fate of his former bird, would not encourage it to any familiarity, till he had claimed the promise of Mr. Barlow, in order to preserve it from danger.

2. Mr. Barlow, therefore, enticed the new guest into a small wire cage, and, as soon as he had entered it, shut the door, in order to prevent his escaping. He then took a small gridiron, such as is used to broil

meat upon, and, having heated it almost red hot, placed it erect upon the ground before the cage in which the bird was confined.

3. He then contrived to entice the cat into the room, and observing that she fixed her eye upon the bird, which she destined to become her prey, he withdrew with the two little boys, in order to leave her unrestrained in her operations." They did not retire far, but from the door observed her fix her eyes upon the cage, and begin to approach it in silence, bending her body to the ground, and almost touching it as she crawled along.

4. When she judged herself within a proper distance, she exerted all her agility in a violent spring, which would probably have been fatal to the bird, had not the gridiron, placed before the cage, received the impression of her attack. Nor was this disappointment the only punishment she was destined to undergo.

5. The bars of the machine had been so thoroughly heated that in rushing against them she felt herself burned in several parts of her body, and retired from the field of battle, mewing dreadfully, and full of pain; and such was the impression produced, that from this time she was never again known to attempt to destroy birds.

6. The coldness of the weather still continuing, all the wild animals began to perceive the effects, and, compelled by hunger, approached the habitations of man, and the places they had been accustomed to avoid. A multitude of hares, the most timid of all animals, were frequently seen scudding" about the gar den in search of the scanty vegetables which the sever

ity of the season had spared. In a short time they had devoured all the green herbs which could be found, and, hunger still oppressing them, they began to gnaw the very bark of the trees for food.

7. One day, as Tommy was walking in the garden, he found that even a beloved tree, which he had planted with his own hands, and from which he had promised himself so plentiful a crop of fruit, had not escaped the general depredation," but had been gnawed round at the root and killed.

8. Tommy, who could ill brook" disappointment, was so enraged to see his labors prove abortive," that he ran, with tears in his eyes, to Mr. Barlow, to demand vengeance against the devouring hares.

9. "Indeed," said Mr. Barlow, "I am sorry for what they have done; but it is now too late to prevent it.” Yes," answered Tommy, "but you may have all those mischievous creatures shot, that they may do no further damage."

10. "A little while ago," replied Mr. Barlow, “you wanted to destroy the cat, because she was cruel and preyed upon living animals; and now you would murder all the hares, merely because they are innocent, inoffensive animals, that subsist upon vegetables."

11. Tommy looked a little foolish, but said he did not want to hurt them for living upon vegetables, but for destroying his tree. "But," said Mr. Barlow, "how can you expect the animal to distinguish your trees from any others? You should have fenced them. round in such a manner as to prevent the hares from reaching them. Besides, in such extreme distress as

animals now suffer from want of food, I think they