bewildered for a moment; but he was not to be baffled so. He ran off,
and brought back the card with the figure on it. Was not that clever?

He has photographs of famous persons, all of which he knows by name, and
will bring any one of them when told to. He can spell too; for when a
French lady in the company wrote the word "_esprit_," and handed it to
him, he first looked at it very hard, and then brought the letters, one
by one, and placed them in the right order.

When Minos was born, he was very sickly and feeble; and his mother would
not take care of him, and even tried to kill him. But little Marie
Slager, daughter of the lady who has him now, took him and brought him
up herself.

[Illustration]

From that time he was her doll, her playfellow, her baby. She treated
him so much like a child, that he really seemed to understand all that
was said to him. She even taught him to play a little tune on the piano.

Almost all performing animals are treated so cruelly while they are
being trained, and go through with their tricks in so much fear, that it
is quite sad to see them. But the best thing about Minos's wonderful
performances is, that they were all taught him by love and gentleness.

Remember this, boys, when you are trying to teach Dash or Carlo to fetch
and carry, or draw your wagon: there is no teacher so good as love.

ELIZABETH SILL.

[Illustration]

GRANDMA'S GARDEN.

This is the way; here is the gate,
This little creaking wicket;
Here robin calls his truant mate
From out the lilac-thicket.
The walks are bordered all with box,--
Oh! come this way a minute;
The snowball-bush, beyond the phlox,
Has chippy's nest hid in it.
Look at this mound of blooming pinks,
This balm, these mountain daisies;
And can you guess what grandma thinks
The sweetest thing she raises?
You're wrong, it's not the violet,
Nor yet this pure white lily:
It is this straggling mignonette,--
I know you think it silly,--
But hear my story; then, perhaps,
You'll freely grant me pardon.
(See how the spiders set their traps
All over grandma's garden.)
Long since I had a little friend,
Dear as your darling sister,
And she from over sea, did send
This token, ere Death kissed her:
'Twas in a box, a tiny slip,
With word just how to set it:
And now I kiss its fragrant tip,--
You see I can't forget it.

[Illustration]

Well