g of her in 1872, during the Commune troubles
in France. She is an anarchist, and she used to wear a uniform, and
shoulder a rifle, and help to build barricades. She was arrested and
sent as a convict to one of the French penal colonies. She has a most
wonderful love for animals in her heart, and when she went home she took
four cats with her. She was put into prison again in France and took the
cats with her. Rats came about her cell and she petted them and taught
her cats to be kind to them. Before she got the cats thoroughly drilled
one of them bit a rat's paw. Louise nursed the rat till it got well,
then let it down by a string from her window. It went back to its sewer,
and, I suppose, told the other rats how kind Louise had been to it, for
after that they came to her cell without fear. Mother rats brought their
young ones and placed them at her feet, as if to ask her protection for
them. The most remarkable thing about them was their affection for each
other. Young rats would chew the crusts thrown to old toothless rats,
so that they might more easily eat them, and if a young rat dared help
itself before an old one, the others punished it."

"That sounds very interesting, auntie," said Miss Laura. "Where did you
read it?"

"I have just got the magazine," said Mrs. Wood; "you shall have it as
soon as you come into the house."

"I love to be with you, dear auntie," said Miss Laura, putting her arm
affectionately around her, as they stood in the doorway; "because you
understand me when I talk about animals. I can't explain it," went on my
dear young mistress, laying her hand on her heart, "the feeling I have
here for them. I just love a dumb creature, and I want to stop and talk
to every one I see. Sometimes I worry poor Bessie Drury, and I'm so
sorry, but I can't help it. She says, 'What makes you so silly, Laura?'"

Miss Laura was standing just where the sunlight shone through her
light-brown hair, and made her face all in a glow. I thought she looked
more beautiful than I had ever seen her before, and I think Mrs. Wood
thought the same. She turned around and put both hands on Miss Laura's
shoulders. "Laura," she said, earnestly, "there are enough cold hearts
in the world. Don't you ever stifle a warm or tender feeling toward a
dumb creature. That is your chief attraction, my child: your love for
everything that breathes and moves. Tear out the selfishness from your
heart, if there is any there, but let the love