THE COUNTRY HOME [chapter 



called, looked up into your face with intelligent in- 

 quiry, and immediately lapsed into a picture of sor- 

 row and wretchedness, creeping back to his rest- 

 ing place by the grave. In my own family one of 

 my large cats formed a strong attachment for a 

 young man who spent a few months at my house. 

 After his departure the cat sought him, restlessly, 

 all over the place. Finally, discovering one of his 

 cast-off garments, she made a bed of it, and seemed 

 somewhat comforted. 



Not many months ago I was driving along a val- 

 ley road, when I met a boy astride a Holstein bull, 

 which he was riding to a neighboring brook. This 

 animal seemed to have lost his natural propensi- 

 ties, and was entirely devoted to the will of his mas- 

 ter. A story comes to me from a Massachusetts 

 paper of a boy who has a power over nearly every 

 animal that he approaches. Every stray dog or cat 

 in the neighborhood knows him and loves his com- 

 pany. A vicious horse, which the stable men can- 

 not handle, will stand like a lamb while he har- 

 nesses and unharnesses him. The doves fly all 

 around him, and in the woods the wild birds appar- 

 ently regard him as a friend and ally. 



Jane Layng tells us of a fine lad, in Southern 



[332] 



