ather doubtful,
and he partook more than he should of the square frame of a cow, was cut
out of a bit of wood where a knot had been, which caused it to be
streaked in a manner very suitable to the stripes of that animal. The
birds generally were a greater success, for with most of these Fritz was
tolerably familiar. We had certainly all spent a very pleasant summer,
high up in the Alps, with the most delicious clear sky overhead and the
fragrant herbage beneath. It was so calm and clear, that the silence was
broken alone by the far off sheep and goat bells, the faint low of the
drowsy cattle, or the sweet song of distant birds. How often I have
recalled that pleasant early life, which was so very speedily
terminated.

"The toy merchant soon packed up his wares and departed, and we saw and
heard nothing more, until we were unpacked from a huge case of other
toys, and placed in the window of a famous toyshop in St. Paul's
Churchyard. In the window there, for some months, we attracted
numberless groups of delighted little admirers, but our high price
placed us beyond the reach of most people. Our turn came at last; we
were selected by a doating grandpapa for his pet little grand-daughter,
and carefully packed up and taken to the abode of our future owner. The
pretty little child was too young as yet to have such a beautiful and
costly toy in her own charge, so her Mamma undertook the care of us, and
Beatrice was allowed to play with us occasionally.

"She was a queer little mortal, this new mistress of ours, and not
particularly fond of toys in general. She was highly delighted at first,
and twice or thrice when she was allowed to play with us, she arranged
us carefully in pairs on the table. But when Nurse or Mamma tried to
improve her knowledge, and give her a sly object lesson on zoology, Miss
Beatrice grew refractory, and cared for us no more. Unfortunately on one
occasion when her Mamma was seriously ill, the nurse gave us to her to
play with, to keep her quiet, and the whole house being somewhat upset
by the illness, the child was not taken much notice of. Alas, when Nurse
came in the evening to collect my animals and put me away, she found a
most deplorable state of things. Beatrice had been dragging me about as
a carriage for her doll, and had thus damaged my pretty railed gallery
and staircase past all mending. My roof was in three pieces, and the
reckless little savage had first strewn all my beasts over the flo