with the
idea of going to this exhibition. It was something entirely new to him; and
to children, especially, such singular feats as these animals were to
perform, are always entertaining. It may, however, admit of a question,
whether it is right, just for our amusement, to inflict so much pain upon
these poor creatures as is necessary to teach them their several parts. It
seems rather cruel. You know what the frogs once said to the boys,
according to the fable, in the matter of stoning: "Young gentlemen, you do
not consider, that while this is sport to you, it is death to us." These
poor bears, and monkeys, and other animals, while they are going through
their education, might use some such language to their teachers, perhaps,
if they had the same faculty that the fable ascribes to the frogs. But,
however that may be, it was very natural that Julian should be half frantic
at the thought of seeing the show, and quite as natural that Julian's
father and mother should consent to let him go.

Well, some two days before the exhibition was to take place, Julian was
taken sick. There is a class of diseases--such as the measles and the
whooping-cough--which, you know, almost every boy and girl must have some
time or another; and it is not always left with the children to decide
precisely when they shall take their turn. One of these diseases had made
Julian a call, and insisted on staying with him a week or two. It was the
whooping-cough. Julian wanted to be excused for a few days; but the old
fellow told him, in his wheezing way, that he could not think of letting
him off so long. Julian was disappointed, and cried a good deal. It did
seem rather hard that he must be caged up in his chamber just at this time.
He was not so sick as to make it necessary to stay at home; but his mother
thought it would be wrong to allow him to go where there were to be so many
other children, because they would be in danger of taking the disease from
him. So it was decided that he could not see the "show;" and he fretted
and stormed, and made himself very unhappy. He was usually a good-natured
boy, but it must be confessed, that he was now quite out of humor.

"I don't see what I'm sick for, just when I wanted to go to the 'show.' I
declare, it is too bad. And the whooping-cough, too! If it was any thing
else, I could go. What under the sun--"

"There, Julian, that will do, I think," said his mother, kindly.

Julian checked h