A SURPRISE. 
259 
bis paw is! Oh, you needn’t be afraid: he’s 
as dead as a critter can be.” 
Thus encouraged, Daisy ventured to 
stroke the bead of the panther, and finally 
to examine bis claws, and admire the size 
of bis strong paws, which she could hardly 
span with her little fingers. 
“Poor pussy!” she said, pitifully, as the 
boys were eagerly asking all the particulars 
of the hunt. “ How lonely his poor mate 
will be ! I wish things did not have to be 
killed, Erastus.” 
The old man smiled and stroked her head. 
“ Sometimes I’ve wished so too, Dolly; but 
there don’t seem to be any help for it. If 
we didn’t kill the wild critters they would 
kill us, you know. It seems to be a kind of 
law of natur’; and I suppose it must be all 
right, or it wouldn’t be so. Such little 
Dollies as you are the best off, that don’t 
need to hurt any thing, hut have friends to 
take care of them and teach them to he 
steady and useful folks. What a nice little 
house you have got here!” he continued, 
looking around: “ all as neat as a new pin. 
I expect you are going to be a first-rate 
housekeeper, Annie.” 
