The boys had never seen a hair
trunk, and it seemed to them, at the first glance, more like some kind
of an animal than a trunk.

Before they had a chance to examine it, their mamma called them to come
and kiss their aunt, which they did very politely, as they had been
directed. But her sweet face won their hearts at once; and Bertie
exclaimed, "Oh, you are not a _big_ Patience: you are a _little_ good
Patience, I know; and I am not a bit afraid of you!"

[Illustration]

"Bless your little heart, dear! what has mamma been telling you to make
you afraid of me?" said auntie with a merry laugh.

As soon as they could get away, the boys ran up stairs to see what the
driver had carried to their aunt's room. Fred discovered what it was as
soon as he opened the door; but Bertie, who was not yet four years old,
was greatly puzzled. "What can it be?" said he, keeping a safe distance
away from it.

Now, Fred liked to play tricks upon his little brother sometimes: so he
said, with pretended alarm, "Why, perhaps it is a young lion."

After this startling suggestion, Bertie did not wait an instant. He ran
as fast as his legs would carry him, screaming, "O mamma! there is a
young lion up stairs. O papa! do get your pistol, and shoot him." The
poor child was really in a great fright; and all the family ran at once
to see what could be the matter.

They met naughty Fred, laughing, but looking rather guilty. "Why, it is
only great Patience's trunk," said he. "Bertie thinks it is a lion."
Papa told Fred he did very wrong to frighten the boy so; but they all
had a good laugh at poor Bertie's mistake. Bertie was soon induced to
take a nearer look at his frightful little lion; and, when Aunt Patience
took out from it two or three quarts of chestnuts, it lost all its
terrors. The boys were allowed to play in the room as much as they
pleased; and the innocent hair trunk was made to do duty as a wolf, a
bear, a tiger, and various other wild beasts.

"I wish you would stay here a hundred years!" said little Bertie to his
aunt, one day. "I wish she would stay for ever and ever, and longer
too!" said Fred. "What do you go back to your old school for?" said
Bertie. "My school!" said Aunt Patience. "I have not any school, and
never had any."--"Why," exclaimed the little boy, "my mamma said you
were a lady of the old school!"

Then mamma and auntie had a merry laugh; and the boys were informed that
mamma only meant that Aunt Patience was