So gentle and so kind? His eyes looked through his tangled mane, His long tail swept behind.. II. The kitten played about his heels; Between his patient feet; the doves III. Old Victor was the friend of all; "To see the children nigh. IV. They brought him clover in their hands, They stroked his neck, they combed his mane, V. One day he watched them while they played To pick a flower Jane stooped too near; VI. The whirling eddies drew her in, VII. Old Victor heard, old Victor saw, VIII. The anxious mother heard the cries "Come quick! she'll drown!"—and wild With terror, to the river's brink She ran to save her child. IX. There, drenched and dripping, on the grass The dear old horse-w -was ever horse So gentle and so good? XXXII. THE PANIC; OR, WHAT'S IT ALL ABOUT? HAT'S it all about?" said one of Mrs. "WHA Sell's ducks to her friend as they listened to a splashing noise in the little brook-dam. 2. "I cannot think," quacked Duckie. "Let's go and see;" and they sailed down the brook to the place, and found a great piece of wood which had fallen across the bank, and the water was splashing over it. The rest of the ducks, seeing these two in such a hurry to get to this spot, waddled into the brook, and swam off in the same direction, supposing they should hear some wonderful news. 3. It was difficult for their two companions to make them believe the truth, and they all quacked so loud that a hen who was walking out with her ten little chickens thought she must go and see what had happened. So she told her little family to remain very quiet under the wall, and to mind and not touch the corn that would be thrown down for them till she returned. 4. The quacking of the ducks and the clucking of the hen went over the churchyard into the shepherd's garden, where Drover the dog lay dozing in the sun. He started up, pricked up his ears and bounded across the churchyard. 5. A cow that was grazing in the lane, seeing him scamper at such a rate, thought it wise to follow him; so, having filled her mouth, she walked deliberately round the corner to the place that Drover seemed to make for. In his way he saw the potter's horse standing in the pasture. 6. "Hey, Drover," said the horse, “what's the Latter?" 7. "Who knows?" said Drover. "I'm going Don't you hear the noise?" to see. 8. So the horse went up to the hedge and looked over on to the brook, but, being old and tired, he could n't make up his mind to go any nearer. 9. "Have you heard?" said an old crow. 10. "What?" said the others. 11. "Oh, such a noise!-a fight, I should think. I saw Drover running as if to break his neck, and the old cow and the potter's horse are on the road, and I don't know who besides." 12. "Oh, let's go, by all means," said the crows. So they flew off, and took possession of the willows that hung over the brook. "The crows 13. "What fun!" said a sparrow. have gone to see some grand doings somewhere. Let us go too;" and away went a whole flock of sparrows who had been busy a minute before with the farmer's currant bushes. 14. Very remarkable!" said an old jackdaw. "What it can be about I cannot guess. I propose, my brethren, to call a meeting and consult what it is best to do." And so all the jackdaws might be seen coming out of their holes in the church-tower and ranging themselves solemnly along the ledge near the top, on the side facing the brook. 15. "Is it an invasion of the French?” said one. "Is it a company of masons coming to repair the church?" said another. "That would very much interfere with us and our nests." 16. Now, just as Drover got to the brook, the two ducks having convinced their friends that there was no secret cause for their movement, the whole party were sailing calmly down the stream, and the quacking had completely ceased. 17. "What's it all about?" said Drover to the last of them. |