mother smile as she gave
him his supper; but, just as he was going to eat, some sudden noise
awoke him.

He was frightened to find it was daylight, and that the sun was high in
the sky. In the doorway stood a kind gentleman looking at him. Pedro
sprang up, and took his fiddle; but the gentleman stopped him as he was
going out, and asked if that pile of shavings was all the bed he had. He
spoke so kindly, that Pedro told him his story.

The gentleman felt so sorry for him, and was so pleased with his sweet,
sad face, that he took him to his own home, and gave him a nice warm
breakfast; and, being in want of an errand-boy, he concluded to let
Pedro have the place.

Pedro has lived happily in his new home ever since; and, though he still
likes to play on his fiddle, he has no wish to return to his old
wandering mode of life.

COUSIN EMILY.

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

THE PARROT'S LAMENT.

Swinging in a gilded cage,
Petted like a baby's doll,
Thus I spend my dull old age,
And you call me "Poll."
But in youth I roved at will
Through the wild woods of Brazil.

When you ask me, "What's o'clock?"
Or repeat some foolish rhyme,
And I try your speech to mock,
I recall the time
When I raised my voice so shrill
In the wild woods of Brazil.

Sporting with my comrades there,
How I flew from bough to bough!
Then I was as free as air:
I'm a captive now.
Oh that I were roaming still
Through the wild woods of Brazil!

JANE OLIVER.

[Illustration]

WHAT THE DOVE LOST.

Uncle Tom was walking slowly down the street, one sunny day, when he saw
a boy put his hand into a paper bag, take out a lemon, and throw it at a
plump gray pigeon that was trying to pick up some crumbs which had been
thrown out.

Poor little pigeon! He had been fluttering, off and on, over the
crumbs,--now scared away by a fast trotting-horse, now flying to a
door-post to get rid of some rapid walker,--and had only just alighted
to pick up his breakfast, when he was struck right in the back by the
bullet-like lemon.

Uncle Tom ran as quickly as he could, and took the panting little thing
up in his hand very gently. Just then the horse-car came along; and
uncle jumped into it, saying to himself, "I'll take this pigeon out to
little Emily. How she will dance and skip when she sees it!"

The car went on and on, ever so far away from Boston, and by and