could not gather them so nicely as Caroline did: she used to pull off the heads of the flowers, and would pick the withered ones, and those which were not blown. When they had both got a handful of flowers, they ran together to their mamma, who took hold of a hand of each, and walked on.

They tripped along by her side very merrily, till at last Caroline said: "I have been thinking, mamma, how very much I should like to have a little lamb to bring up as a pet.”

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Oh, so should I, mamma," said Catherine. "Do pray let us have one, dear mamma," said both little girls at once," it would make us so happy."

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If I really thought it would make you happy, my dear girls, I would let you have one; but I do not think that it would in the end, and I am sure it would not make the lamb happy.”

"O yes, mamma, we would make it very happy, indeed; we should be so fond of it-it should eat out of our hands, and drink milk out of our basins, and it should sleep at the foot of our bed;-Oh! I know it would love us very much."

"I dare say it would, my love, and I have no doubt but that you would love it, and would do all in your power to make it happy; but when you had done all you could for it, I do not think it would be half so happy with you, as it would be if it were running about the green fields at liberty, and playing with companions of its own kind. And besides, what is to become of it when it is grown a great sheep? Is it to come and play in the parlour, and sleep on your bed then?"

No, mamma, that would not do, we must let it go into the field when it grows a great one, I suppose."

"But then it would be used to living in the house, and perhaps would not be happy in the fields, and might pine to come home again; and it might grow mischievous too, and then you would be obliged to send it to the butcher, and that would grieve you very much, I am sure."

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"Yes, that it would, mamma, and so it would to see it pining to come into the house again."

"I knew a young lady once, my love, who

had a pet-lamb; she told me its story, and if you like I will tell it you to-morrow, but it is not a very amusing one.”

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Pray do, mamma, we shall like to hear it very much. But could you not tell it to us now?"

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No, my love, we are just at home now, and I am going to read; so you must go into the nursery, and put your flowers in water, then get your supper and go to bed."

Then their mamma kissed her little girls, and they ran up stairs very merrily.

The next day it rained, and they could not go out; so, when they had done their dinners, their mamma sent for them down stairs, and told them, that as they had been good children, she would tell them the story about the lamb. When she had kissed them both, she took Catherine upon her knee, and Caroline brought a little stool, and sat down upon it at her mamma's feet, and said to her:

"Now, mamma, we are quite ready; will you begin your story if you please? I want to hear it very much."

"I will tell it you directly, Caroline; and as you said very good lessons to-day, I will tell you two stories instead of one."

"Are they both about pet-lambs, mamma?" Yes, my love."

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"And will they both be true, mamma?"

"Yes, Caroline, and both true; and when

you have heard them, you shall tell me whether you would still like to have a pet-lamb."

"O, thank you, mamma, it is very kind of you to tell us two stories instead of one. I should like to hear the story about the young lady's lamb first, if you please."

"Then you shall hear it first, and I will call the young lady's name Anna."

THE STORY.

"One very cold afternoon in January, Anna was sitting at work by the fire-side, when her papa came in, and said to her: Anna, I am going into the fields to look at the sheep and lambs; would you like to go with me?'-' O yes, papa, I should like it very much,' said Anna, and ran up stairs to put on her bonnet and

cloak. She was soon ready, and they went out, and walked through several fields, till at last they came to a large meadow where there were a great many sheep: some of them had lambs by their sides, which shivered, and looked very weak, as the cold wind blew upon them. As Anna and her papa were crossing the field, they met the old shepherd carrying a little lamb in his arms. Anna's papa asked him what he

was going to do with it. I am sure I do not know, sir, what I am to do with it,' said the old man, for its mother is dead, and there is not another sheep that can take it. It is a poor little weakly lamb too.'-'What must become of it then, papa?' said Anna. I am afraid it must die,' said her papa, unless some one will take the trouble of bringing it up by hand.'-' I should like to bring it up very much, papa, if you will let me,' said Anna; and I am sure Sally will help me, for she is very fond of lambs.' Her papa told her she might have it for her own. She thanked him very much, and asked the shepherd to carry the lamb to the house for her.

'I