ut, doubtless devoured by the strange
companion. On the following evening, while the lady and her husband
were sitting quietly by the fireside, they were still further
astonished at seeing a mouse (no doubt the same one) climbing nimbly
up the shutter and entering the cage between the wires. Thinking it
might do harm to the bird, they tried to catch the mouse, but it made
its escape as before. The cage was then suspended from a nail, so that
the mouse could not gain access. Strange to say, however, on the
following morning the canary was found asleep on the floor of the room
(the cage door having been left open), and a piece of potato beside
him. Most likely the mouse had spent the whole of the night there.

[Decoration]

THE TWO FRIENDS.

A STORY FOR BOYS.

Many years ago two youths, whom we will call only by their Christian
names,--Walter and Sidney,--were at the same boarding-school, at
Mount's Bay, in Cornwall. They were each the sons of captains in the
merchant service; but though they were equals in station, there was a
great difference in their circumstances, for Walter inherited
considerable property. Sidney's father had not been a prosperous man,
and it was as much as he could do to give his boy a good education.

Among the whole school there were no two lads so closely knit in
friendship as Walter and Sidney; they were within a week of the same
age (thirteen) at the time our narrative begins. It is always a
pleasant sight, and also a good example, when two intelligent,
kind-hearted boys become friends. They show to others what a
disinterested and noble thing true friendship is. Thus, in their
lessons and their sports, these boys were helpful to each other. They
shared together every indulgence that the kindness of friends procured
them, and if any added study were imposed, Sidney, who learned easily,
would, after he had swiftly mastered his own lesson, take upon himself
both the office of teacher and companion, and never rest until Walter
was as well up in the task as he himself was. Most certainly the
punishment of one was ever the punishment of both, for, if they were
sharers in each other's joys, they were not the less so in their
troubles. Perhaps the vigilance which each exercised over the other
was the reason why they were comparatively seldom in any very serious
disgrace, and their characters stood high in the school, both with
masters and pupils.

But while in the little world within th