23 



certain small boy who played "hooky" to rob bird's 



nests and went fishing when his mother sent him to 

 Sunday school. Because this mischievious urchin, 

 some days before, had been observed trying to catch 

 a snapper which he said "lived in the dam and killed 

 the ducks," he was believed to be the aggressor. The 

 boy was watched, and yet the ducks continued to de- 

 crease. One afternoon, when all but two of the flock 

 had been stolen, the blacksmith who was looking at 

 the pair dabbling in the water, was surprised to sec 

 a large snapping turtle seize one and drag it to tin' 

 muddy bottom. This turtle, which weighed about 

 seven or eight pounds, and the dead duck were both 

 fished out of the pool with an iron rake. 



ODD TRAITS OF ANIMAL-CHAKACTER. 



The totally unexpected discovery made l)y the good 

 natnred disciple of Vulcan brought about a great 

 change. The small boy was 'presented with a new fish- 

 ing line, treated to pie and lots of "taffy." He listened 

 with boyish pride and becoming modesty to such soft 

 phrases as "Oh my! what a bright child," "Good boy," 

 "Fine little man," etc. Poor innocent little fellow: 

 he had not disturbed the old hen's brood, yet all the 

 time this "good boy" knew that he had, only the day 

 before, stood on guard, near the door of the old smith 

 shop, while a companion had stolen a dozen hen's eggs 

 and a lot of pigeons from the industrious and frugal 

 blacksmith's barn. However, this gave him no con 

 corn as their rightful owner never learned the facts. 



The slandered and howling setter was given full 

 liberty, and in less than an hour afterward, as if to 

 celebrate the happy event, Mr. Pup killed thre? 

 obickens in a neighbor's garden, and. In an adjoining 



