ld Shetland pony was so much attached to a little boy, his master,
that he would place his fore feet in the hands of the boy, like a dog,
thrust his head under his arm, to court his caresses, and join with him
and a little dog in their noisy rompings. The same animal daily carried
his master to school. He would even walk alone from the stable to the
school-house, to bring the boy home, and sometimes he would wait hours
for him, having come much too early.

But I have occupied the reader's attention long enough with stories of
the horse, interesting and noble as this animal is. I must, however,
before I pass to another subject, recite a touching ballad, from one of
our sweetest bards.

[Illustration: THE OLD HORSE'S ADDRESS TO HIS MASTER, ON BEING SENTENCED
TO DIE.]

And hast thou fixed my doom, kind master, say?
And wilt thou kill thy servant, old and poor?
A little longer let me live, I pray--
A little longer hobble round thy door.

For much it glads me to behold this place,
And house me in this hospitable shed;
It glads me more to see my master's face,
And linger on the spot where I was bred.

For oh! to think of what we have enjoyed,
In my life's prime, ere I was old and poor;
Then, from the jocund morn to eve employed,
My gracious master on my back I bore.

Thrice told ten happy years have danced along,
Since first to thee these wayworn limbs I gave;
Sweet smiling years, when both of us were young--
The kindest master, and the happiest slave!

Ah, years sweet smiling, now forever flown!
Ten years thrice told, alas! are as a day;
Yet, as together we are aged grown,
Together let us wear that age away.

For still the olden times are dear to thought,
And rapture marked each minute as it flew;
Light were our hearts, and every season brought
Pains that were soft, and pleasures that were new.

And hast thou fixed my doom, sweet master, say?
And wilt thou kill thy servant, old and poor?
A little longer let me live, I pray--
A little longer hobble round thy door.

But oh! kind Nature, take thy victim's life!
End thou a servant, feeble, old, and poor!
So shalt thou save me from the uplifted knife,
And gently stretch me at my master's door.

[Illustration: THE LEOPARD AND THE SERPENT.]

The Panther and Leopard.

Leopards and panthers are v