Oldalképek
PDF
ePub

Mr. Vanneck now took out his watch, and showed it to the monkey; it was just three. Jack went and brought a cup of broth to his master, who remarked that the monkey did not know the movements of the watch, but that he knew exactly the position of the hands when they pointed to three, and kept in mind that his master required his luncheon at that time. If the watch were shown to him at any other hour, he did not go to fetch the broth; but if the hour of three went by without the luncheon's being called for, he grew fidgety, and at last ran and brought it. In this case he was always rewarded with some sugar plums.

"You have no notion," said Mr. Vanneck, "how much time and trouble, and especially how much patience, I have bestowed on the training of this animal. Confined to my chair, however, I continued my task methodically. Nothing was more difficult than to accustom Jack to his clothes; but at last he submitted to them. Whenever he walks out he wears a straw hat, but never without making fearful grimaces. He takes a bath every day, and is, on the whole, very cleanly."

"Jack," exclaimed Mr. Vanneck, pointing to me, " this gentleman wants his handkerchief." The monkey drew it from my pocket and handed it to me.

"Now show your room to my guests," continued his master; and Jack opened a door, at which he stopped to let us pass, and then followed himself. Every thing was extremely tidy in the small room. There was a bed with a mattress, a table, some chairs, drawers, and various toys; and a gun was hanging on the wall. The bell was rung; Jack went out and reappeared with his master, wheeling in the chair. Meanwhile, I had taken the gun from the wall; Mr. Vanneck handed it to the monkey, who fetched the powder flask and the shot bag; and in the whole process of loading acquitted himself like a rifleman. I had already seen so much that was astonishing, that I hardly felt surprised at this feat. Jack now placed himself at the open window, took aim, and discharged the gun.

without being in the least startled by the report. He then went through sword exercises with the same skill.

We staid to supper, to which there came more ladies and gentlemen. Jack again exhibited his cleverness in waiting, at which he acquitted himself as well as any man servant.

X.-GENERAL KOSCIUSKO'S HORSE.

THE celebrated General Kosciusko, a native of Poland, who served as an engineer in the American army during the revolutionary war, was as remarkable for his benevolence and charity as for his bravery. He gave to the poor all that his means allowed, and often more. On one occasion he was prevented by unexpected business from visiting in person and relieving a poor family on the day he had been accustomed to do so. He knew that they would expect him, and was unwilling that they should suffer disappointment. He asked one of his neighbors, an honest farmer, to go to the house with the sum, which he could not carry himself. The farmer readily consented; and the general lent him for the errand the horse which he was himself accustomed to ride. *

The farmer executed his commission, but did not return for a considerable time. When he saw General Kosciusko, his first words were, "I will never ride that horse of yours again, unless you give me your purse at the same time." The general, somewhat surprised, asked him what he meant. "Because," replied his friend, "every time a beggar met me in the street, and held out his hat and asked for alms, the horse stood still, and would not budge a foot till I had given him something. Unluckily, I had only two shillings of my own money about me. When this was gone, I could only start your horse by playing a trick upon him, of which I was a little ashamed, by making believe throw a piece of money into the extended hat. Your horse is a very good horse: but he has learned all

your charitable tricks, and will never do for a poor man to ride."

Horses sometimes learn the vices, as well as the virtues, of their masters. In England, a great many years ago, when travellers were often stopped and robbed on the highway, a fine horse was sold to a gentleman at a price which seemed much below his real value. But on taking a little journey with him, the gentleman found that the horse would never pass a stage coach, or a travelling carriage, when on a country road, without stopping short, with his head as near as possible to the door, or side.

The animal had belonged to a noted highwayman, who had been in the habit of robbing carriages by riding up to them, holding a pistol to the heads of the inmates, through the window, and requiring them to give up their purses. The horse had thus learned of his own accord to assist his owner in his unlawful calling. His new master constantly incurred the suspicion of being a highwayman by the conduct of the animal he rode, and was soon compelled to part with his purchase, which was no horse for an honest man to ride, who had no intention of robbing on the highway.

XI. THE DOUBLE PLOT.

THREE hungry travellers found a bag of gold:
One ran into the town where bread was sold.
He thought, "I will poison the bread I buy,
And seize the treasure when my comrades die."
But they too thought when back his feet have hied,
"We will destroy him, and the gold divide."
They killed him, and, partaking of the bread,
In a few moments all were lying dead.

O world! behold what ill thy goods have done:
Thy gold has poisoned two, and murdered one!

[merged small][ocr errors][merged small]

I LOVE it, I love it; and who shall dare

To chide me for loving that old arm chair?

I've treasured it long as a sainted prize,

I've bedewed it with tears, and embalmed it with sighs; "Tis bound by a thousand bands to my heart;

Not a tie will break, not a link will start.

Would ye learn the spell? A mother sat there;
And a sacred thing is that old arm chair.

In childhood's hour I lingered near
The hallowed seat with listening car,

And heeded the words of truth that fell

From the lips of a mother that loved me well;
She told me shame would never betide*
With truth for my creed and God for my guide;
She taught me to lisp my earliest prayer
As I knelt beside that old arm chair.

I sat and watched her many a day,

When her eye grew dim and her locks were gray;
And I almost worshipped her when she smiled,
And turned from her Bible to bless her child.
Years rolled on; but the last one sped
My idol was shattered, my earth star fled;
I learned how much the heart can bear
When I saw her die in that old arm chair.

[ocr errors]

'Tis past! 'tis past! but I gaze on it now
With quivering breath and throbbing brow:
'Twas there she nursed me; 'twas there she died;
And memory flows with lava tide.

*Betide, happen.

Say it is folly, and deem me weak,

While the scalding drops start down my cheek;
But I love it, I love it, and cannot tear
My soul from my mother's old arm chair.

[blocks in formation]

In the year 1794, a poor French emigrant was passing the winter in a small village in Westphalia.* He was obliged to live with the greatest economy, in order not to go beyond his means. One cold morning he had occasion to buy a load of wood. He found a peasant who had one to sell, and asked him what the price was. The peasant, who perceived by his broken German that he was a foreigner, and that his ignorance might be taken advantage of, answered that the price was three louisd'ors.† The Frenchman endeavored to beat him down, but in vain: the peasant would abate nothing of his first demand. The emigrant, finding it useless to waste words with him, and being in immediate and pressing need of the fuel, at last took it and paid the money that was asked for it.

The peasant, delighted to have made so good a bargain, drove with his empty cart to the village inn, which was not far distant, and ordered breakfast. While it was getting ready, he entertained the landlord with an account of the way in which he had cheated the Frenchman, and made him pay three louisd'ors for a load of wood which, at the utmost, was not worth more than two dollars; talking as if he had done a very bright thing.

But the landlord was a good man, and, feeling justly indig

*Westphalia, a part of Germany.

† A louisd'or, (pronounced lu-e-dore',) literally a louis of gold, is a gold coin of the value of about four dollars and a half.

A German dollar is about seventy-five cents of our money.

« ElőzőTovább »