y keep comfortable through the winter.
Poor thing! she was forced to creep close into the chimney-corner, and
eyed Ben with a very rueful physiognomy. But Ben considered it more
necessary that he should have paint-brushes, than that Puss should be
warm.

About this period, Friend West received a visit from Mr. Pennington, a
merchant of Philadelphia, who was likewise a member of the Society of
Friends. The visitor, on entering the parlor, was surprised to see it
ornamented with drawings of Indian chiefs, and of birds with beautiful
plumage, and of the wild flowers of the forest. Nothing of the kind was
ever seen before in the habitation of a Quaker farmer.

"Why, Friend West," exclaimed the Philadelphia merchant, "what has
possessed thee to cover thy walls with all these pictures? Where on earth
didst thou get them?"

Then Friend West explained, that all these pictures were painted by little
Ben, with no better materials than red and yellow ochre and a piece of
indigo, and with brushes made of the black cat's fur.

"Verily," said Mr. Pennington, "the boy hath a wonderful faculty. Some of
our friends might look upon these matters as vanity; but little Benjamin
appears to have been born a painter; and Providence is wiser than we are."

The good merchant patted Benjamin on the head, and evidently considered
him a wonderful boy. When his parents saw how much their son's
performances were admired, they no doubt remembered the prophecy of the
old Quaker preacher, respecting Ben's future eminence. Yet they could not
understand how he was ever to become a very great and useful man, merely
by making pictures.

One evening, shortly after Mr. Pennington's return to Philadelphia, a
package arrived at Springfield, directed to our little friend Ben.

"What can it possibly be?" thought Ben, when it was put into his hands.
"Who can have sent me such a great square package as this!"

On taking off the thick brown paper which enveloped it, behold! there was
a paint-box, with a great many cakes of paint, and brushes of various
sizes. It was the gift of good Mr. Pennington. There were likewise several
squares of canvas, such as artists use for painting pictures upon, and, in
addition to all these treasures, some beautiful engravings of landscapes.
These were the first pictures that Ben had ever seen, except those of his
own drawing.

What a joyful evening was this for the little artist! At bedtime, he put
the paint-box under his p