down to listen to the foreign song. One of them, a good natured, blooming girl, the daughter of the farmer, seeing poor Antonio eyeing the milk-pails wistfully, and observing that he looked pale and wayworn, dipped a bowl into one of them, and presented it brimming with the warm, rich, frothing milk, to the hungry boy. The young women smiled at the eagerness with which he drank off the delicious draught, and at his attempts, in broken English, to express his thanks; and they stood looking after him as he wound his way down the lane out of sight, till recalled to the recollection of their milk-pails and their duties by the farmer's wife, whose sharp voice of reproof was heard from the dairy.

Antonio did not proceed much further that night. He lay down to rest on the sheltered side of a hay-stack, and slept soundly till the dawning light awakened him to continue his journey. But it will not be possible minutely to describe the events of every passing day. Suffice it to say, that at last he arrived safely in London, having managed to support himself on the way by his voice: but this was all he could do, as he found singing a far less lucrative employment than keeping a monkey; at any rate,

such a monkey as his poor Giacco was. To his voice, however, he was obliged to trust for a maintenance for some time longer, as he was not immediately able to meet with any animal to replace his monkey, or with any other more advantageous occupation.

One day, as he was singing in one of the streets of London, he remarked a gentleman who was attentively observing him, and who had stopped either to listen to him, or to look at him. When the song was concluded, Antonio held. out his hat to this gentleman, along with other persons who were standing by. He put his hand in his pocket, and throwing a few halfpence into the hat, made signs to Antonio to follow him. The latter immediately did so, and was conducted by the gentleman, who, it turned out, was an artist of great celebrity, into his painting-room. Upon the easel was a large and very striking historical picture, which the artist was at work upon. The head of Antonio had struck him as being peculiarly suitable for one of his figures; and he now asked the Italian boy, whether he would be willing to sit to him, on condition of receiving some remuneration for his time. Antonio willingly consented; and for some days was a daily visiter to Mr. H

painting-room. The artist had transferred the animated and expressive countenance of our little hero to the canvas with great success; and the head wanted only a few finishing touches, which were to be given the next day, at the last sitting. At the hour appointed in the morning, Antonio set out to fulfil his engagement. He had some distance to go from the place where he lodged, to Mr. H's house. On the way thither, in passing along a crowded street, he suddenly discovered on the pavement before him a large and very handsome gold seal. He stooped and picked it up. The people near him were all hurrying one way or another, about their own affairs. No one observed him, or stopped to enquire what he was going to do with his "treasure trove." He drew to one side of the pavement, and waited a while, thinking that perhaps the owner of the seal would return to seek it; but the crowd flowed past this way and that. No one seemed conscious of a loss, or to be seeking any thing there. Finding it in vain to wait any longer, he resolved to proceed on his way to the artist's, and to take the advice of this gentleman, who had behaved in the kindest manner possible to him, about the best means of discovering the owner of the seal, and

of restoring it. As he continued his way along the busy, crowded streets, temptation began to be busy within him. The thought of what an acquisition to his little store, the value of this seal would be, came vividly into his mind, and for a few minutes the conflict between right and wrong was strong within him; but the right prevailed, and all dark and dishonest thoughts fled away. His heart filled with joy and brightness; he ran on to his friend the artist's; contrived to make intelligible to him the history of his little adventure, and when the sitting was concluded, was made the bearer of an advertisement, which Mr. H had written out for him, to take to a newspaper-office, saying that such a thing had been found, and that it would be restored to the rightful owner, on his giving a description of it, and paying the expences of advertising, with a small reward to the finder, a poor little Italian boy.

Mr. H was aware that the seal was a very valuable one, and must belong to some person both of wealth and taste; for it was a fine antique intaglio, very richly set in gold. Application for it was to be made at his house, at a specified hour. For two or three days Antonio was in waiting there, in readiness to

deliver up the seal, but no one came to ask for it. Mr. Hand he almost began to fear that they should not discover the owner; but on the fourth day he arrived, in the person of Dr. A., one of the most celebrated literary and scientific men of the time, and equally remarkable for the kindness and benevolence of his temper and character.

Mr. H, the artist, to whom he was perfectly well known by reputation, presented the little Italian to him. What was Antonio's delight to hear himself addressed in a kind, encouraging tone, in the sweet accents of his own native tongue! His cheeks flushed, and his eye brightened with pleasure. His whole expression and manner were so intelligent, so animated, so confiding, that the doctor's interest in him was immediately and powerfully excited. He had, for the sake of health, passed much time in Italy, and was deeply attached to that interesting and enchanting country, so that even the lowliest of her sons attracted him; and there was a native nobility in Antonio's dark eye and open countenance, that would have fixed the attention of so penetrating an observer as Dr. A, independently of any attraction to the land of his birth.