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ANIMAL SAGACITY.

HE wonderful anecdotes which have been related from time to time concerning the instinct and sagacity of the animal creation would be almost incredible if their truthfulness were not avouched by undoubted witnesses. In fact, almost if not every instance of faithfulness, devotion, and affection found in mankind may be found in a greater or less degree amongst the dumb creatures of the earth. The following anecdotes respecting cats and dogs we have no doubt will interest our readers; and probably many could add to them other instances equally striking which have come under their personal notice. Who, for instance, has not noticed how jealous one animal often is of any attentions that may be shown to another? We perceive it in the picture we have given, where the favourite dog is evidently jealous at the attention paid by his young mistress to her pet kitten, and does not like a fresh arrival to be caressed and fondled in a way that hitherto had been entirely devoted to him alone.

The following are the anecdotes to which we have already referred :

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A few years ago the old sexton of a parish had a cat, which on one occasion caught a mouse and took it to her little kitten; the kitten, instead of attempting to worry the mouse, made friends with it, and the three animals lived together in the most amicable manner. A great many people visited the house in order to witness so unusual a sight, and at the approach of strangers the mouse used generally to run underneath the old cat for protection.

The following anecdote relates a somewhat similar circumstance:-A dog and a cat lived together on most amicable terms for a considerable time, notwithstanding that there is not supposed to be any affinity between the cat and dog nature. The dog was ten years old, and was seen to be dying of old age. This

was seen by his companion at the hearth -the cat who showed the greatest concern, fondling the dog, and occasionally licking him all over. The dog dying, he was buried in the garden, the cat being a spectator of the interment. Not the least remarkable incident of the story is, that ever since the burial, poor puss has made the grave of her lost friend her almost constant resort. She sits on it, and it is with difficulty she can be got away from the grave at any time.

Here is an instance of a very strange attachment-a cat protecting a bird from another cat -A lady had a tame bird, which she was in the habit of letting out of its cage every day. One morning, as it was picking crumbs of bread off the carpet, her cat, which had always before shown great kindness to the bird, seized it on a sudden, and jumped up with it in her mouth upon the table. The lady was alarmed for the fate of her favourite, but on turning round she instantly saw the cause the door had been left open, and a strange cat had just entered the room. When it was driven out, her own cat came down from her place of safety, and dropped the bird without doing it the least injury.

One more story on this subject, to illustrate the love and attachment an animal can feel towards human beings, and to show that cats are not always attached to places rather than to people: -A man and his wife, living in the northern part of Scotland, near the west coast, had to move to a place on the east coast. In consequence of the expense of taking furniture by land, they travelled by sea, passing round the northern point and landing near their new home. Having been told that cats only cared for localities and not for human beings, they, meaning all kindness, left the animal behind them. They, however, had not been long settled in their new home, when the man, on returning from work, saw a cat sitting on the wall, and

ANIMAL SAGACITY.

found that it was actually his own cat, who, by some mysterious means, had found him out. She was hungry, emaciated, and tired, and had evidently travelled by land to the same spot which they had reached by sea. The power by which she did it may be instinct, or it may be the exercise of a faculty not possessed by man. At any rate, the anecdote shows how great a love the cat must have felt for her master, since she left the home she knew and took a long and wearisome journey to join him in a home which was perfectly unknown to her.

Some years ago there was a dog at Margate which knew the use of money. He used to beg for pence, and take them to a baker's to be exchanged for biscuits at a shop in a narrow, hilly lane which is pleased to assume the title of High Street. One day the baker, wishing to see how the dog would behave if he played the animal a practical joke, took his penny and gave him a burnt biscuit. Next time that the dog had a penny he took it to the baker as usual, showed it to him, and then went off to another baker who lived nearly opposite. This he afterwards did invariably, showing the penny to the baker who had offended him, and then transferring his custom to the rival on the opposite side of the narrow street.

An acquaintance of mine once had a cat who had a great fancy to taste the game which was suspended from hooks in the ceiling of her master's larder. The pheasant or other game was out of the cat's reach, but by climbing on the topmost shelf she could just touch it with the extreme end of her paw; so she gave it a gentle pat, which set it swinging a little. Then, next time it came near her, she gave it a stronger push, and so on until she got it to swing within easy reach, when she managed, by dint of her paws and teeth, to secure for herself some portion of the coveted dainty.

Here is a very remarkable instance of a mutual agreement between a cat and a hen to assist each other, which can only be explained on the supposition that

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animals have some sort of language by which they can make known their ideas, not only to their own kind, but even, as in this case, to animals of a different species. I give the exact words of the narrator :"I wish to tell you a little anecdote about the doings of a bantam hen and a cat that I had in the summer of 1876. I put seven eggs under the hen for her to sit upon, and this she did with the help of the cat. When the hen came off to eat and drink in the day-time, the cat would go on the eggs and keep them warm until the hen came in; then the cat would leave for the hen to go on the nest, while she would sit upon the nest-box and watch for the rats and mice that came to disturb the hen. When the chicks were hatched, puss would sit and watch them, so that no harm came to them when they strayed from the hen; and I think, if it had not been for the cat, they would have been taken by the rats. I am happy to say, all the chicks which were brought up by the watchfulness of the cat and the hen are now living, and the cat visits the hencoop up to the present time."

I have just received a letter from a lady giving an instance of a dog understanding human language. She writes: -"The dog to which I referred was in our possession about the year 1849 or 1850. It was a cross between a Mount St. Bernard and a Cuban bloodhound; it was ten months old when we had it, and we kept it five months. It was a good waterdog, and passionately fond of going into the river (Ouse), but it liked to have a stick or something it could fetch out thrown in for it. One day we were walking by the riverside, and, being engaged in conversation, were not much inclined to attend to the dog; and, when he teased to be sent in, jumping before us and running to and fro between us and the water, I said, 'No, "Lion," I can't send you in today, I have got no stick.' Lion stopped jumping, pricked up his ears, and looked earnestly at me with puckered brows for a moment; he then bounded away, and presently returned with a large stick in his

mouth." It is clear that this dog, after a moment's reflection, understood perfectly what his mistress had said.

Another anecdote on the same subject, so remarkable that one would be inclined to doubt it, were it not vouched for by the person who tells it :-"A gentleman of property had a mastiff of great size, very watchful, and altogether a fine intelligent animal. Though often let out to range about, he was in general chained up during the day. On a certain day when he was let out, he was observed to attach himself particularly to his master. When the servant came, as usual, to fasten him up, he clung so determinately to his master's feet, showed such anger when they attempted to force him away, and was altogether so peculiar in his manner, that the gentleman desired him to be left as he was. With him the dog continued the whole day, and when night came on, still he stayed; and on going towards his bedroom, the dog resolutely, and for the first time in his life, went up with him, and, rushing into the room, took refuge under the bed, whence neither blows nor caresses could draw him. In the middle of the night a man burst into the room, and, with dagger in hand, attempted to stab the sleeper. But the dog started at the robber's neck, fastened his fangs in him, and so kept him down that his master had time to call for assistance and secure the ruffian, who turned out to be the coachman. He afterwards confessed that, seeing his master receive a large sum of money, he and the groom had conspired together to rob and murder him, and that they plotted the whole scheme leaning over the roof of the dog's kennel."

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his master's life. that for sense and intelligence?—Animal World.

What do you think of

MY CLASS REGISTER;

OR, WHAT I TOLD MY GIRLS ABOUT THEIR NAMES.-SECOND SERIES.

NO. I. ALICE.

Alice means 66 noble."

WHO are the noble? They who wear A coronet or crown;

Who dazzling earthly splendour share, With riches and renown?

Not always; fame may prove a snare,
And heaven on kings may frown.

They may be noble who are found
In battle's hottest strife,
Accounting "glory" more renowned
And dearer than their life;

Yet blood-stained wreaths their brows surround,

With human anguish rife.

The nobles whom I more admire,

Though almost hid from sight, Are youths and maidens who aspire To do whate'er is right, Undaunted by the fiercest fire Of ridicule or spite.

Yet noblest of them all are they

Who, fired with Jesus' love, His footsteps mark, His will obey, Who left His throne above, And toiled and gave His life away

His matchless grace to prove.

Thus honoured, may you live and die, Washed, sanctified, forgiven,

A daughter of the Lord Most High; And, when earth's ties are riven, Angels shall bear you through the sky, A royal heir of heaven.

HEPHZIBAH.

THE BOY WHO KILLED A WOLF.

THE BOY WHO JAVE you ever been left in charge

of your younger brothers and sisters while nurse was busy, or while your mother was gone out? If so, you have felt quite resolved no harm should happen to them while under your care. But no serious harm was likely to come near them; a fall, or perhaps that far worse thing, a quarrel, might happen. I will tell you, however, of a boy who fought with a wolf rather than it should eat up his sisters, of whom he was taking care.

Jean, for that was his name, lived with his mother in a poor cottage at the foot of the Jura mountains in France. His father was away fighting in the army of the first Emperor Napoleon. Before he went he left in Jean's charge his mother and two young sisters, and, though he was only twelve years old, right well did he fulfil the trust committed to him. Did his mother want water from the spring? Jean was off in a minute to get it for her. Did she want the goats milked? Jean never needed to be told twice, but, snow or sunshine, would bound over the rocks, though he had neither shoes nor stockings, and up the steep mountain paths till he found the goats. It was harder work to get back again with the milk on his head, but he was so careful he very seldom spilled any.

The mountain air had made him hardy in body, and perhaps the sight of the wild. beauty round him had helped to strengthen his mind, for he was thoughtful and inquiring beyond his years. When evening came, and there was nothing more to be done for his mother, he did not go to sleep beside the wood fire, but would set off and walk three miles to the nearest village, where the minister kindly taught him reading, writing, and arithmetic.

Ah! I

wish we were all as anxious to improve ourselves as Jean the mountain boy. What scholars we should be, how wise we should grow, if only we made as much of our great advantages as he did of his small ones!

KILLED A WOLF.

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One day Jean's mother was obliged to go out for all the afternoon, but she was quite easy in leaving the two young girls under Jean's charge. "Was he not," she thought, "the kindest of brothers, as well as the most attentive of sons?" He was always happy in being useful, so she was sure he would not go off to his own book or play, but spend the time trying to amuse his sisters. At last it was necessary for him to go and get the fagots wherewith to prepare his mother's supper. He would have left the girls at home, but they pleaded so earnestly to go with him that he consented, and they all set off very happily together.

It was a lovely afternoon in the early spring; the snow was still upon the mountains, but its wintry reign was over, and the bright patches of green were everywhere peeping through to refresh the sight. In little sunny nooks, too, smiled the first sweet spring flowers, the bird's-eye primrose, the dark-blue gentian, and others, which the mountain children hailed with the same shouts of joy as you would do the violets of our English hedgeThe streams had burst their icy chains, and the birds were making the sweetest music.

rows.

It was two miles to the forest, and when they got there Jean began chopping wood, while his sisters went on gathering nose. gays, or playing at hide-and-seek behind the trees. All at once a frightful scream from both together made Jean look round in alarm, and what he saw was a monstrous wolf in the very act of springing at his sisters! There was no time for thought; to throw himself in front of them was the work of one moment, and to aim a blow at the wolf with his chopper was the act of another. Had it been done by a stronger arm it would have severed its head from its body, so well directed was it; but, as it was, it only enraged the savage beast, and made it fly at the boy like fury. It was a hard conflict; for wolves are very

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