nly for a time; my father has ordered me to set out
for Russia to visit his forests there, and, my darling
Paulina,--how can I bear the thought!--it will be six months
before I see you again." Paulina covered her face with her
paws and wept bitterly; at last rousing herself, she said,
"Let us not, Marten, spend our last evening thus; come, six
months will soon pass, and then--" Here Paulina's voice
dropped, and Marten threw his arms round her waist and
kissed away the tears.

[Illustration: YOUNG MARTEN BIDDING FAREWELL TO
MISS PAULINA.]

We know of every word that Marten said to Paulina, and of
Paulina's every reply, for we had it all from a young
hedgehog whose curiosity led her to listen to their talk;
but we think that the hedgehog did wrong to listen, and so,
perhaps, did we to listen to the hedgehog, and so we will
not tell their secrets; but this, we may mention, that they
wandered up and down the pathways of the forest, now and
then pouncing on a stray field-mouse or a poor sleeping
bird, until the moon shone brightly through the trees. And
we know that they parted at length by the sign-post at the
edge of the wood, when Paulina shed many tears, and Marten,
laying his paw upon his heart, vowed ever to be constant to
her, and in all his travels and all his adventures to
remember his sweet Pussy. To have seen how the poor kitten
wept when she went to bed that night, would have grieved a
hard-hearted terrier; and to have seen how melancholy she
looked as she wandered about for three weeks afterwards,
would have drawn pity from a ferocious bull-dog.

One morning, about seven months after the events we have
narrated, there was a great commotion in the house where the
kittens dwelt; the bells rang, the flags were hoisted, and
little cannon fired. In the papers of the next morning we
read that Ensign Squeaker of the Household Pigade carried
off the beautiful Miss Rose, and young Marten Sable of the
Forest his fair prize Miss Paulina, both on the same day.

May they all enjoy much felicity, and may the brides catch
plenty of mice!

[Illustration: THE FROGS WHO WOULD A-WOOING GO.]

THE

FROGS WHO WOULD A-WOOING GO.

Two frogs, who were cousins, were hopping about together one
warm summer's evening by the side of a rivulet, when they
began talking--just as the men will talk--about a young
lady-frog who lived in a neighbouring marsh. One extolled
the brightness of her eyes, the other praised