age, so I said very little
to her. But I told Edward to have in the yard-dog, and practise him in
being happy with the rest of the family pets. Fred, the farm-boy,
promised to look out for an owl. Benjamin, the cat, could have got
mice enough; but he would have eaten them before Edward had had time
to teach him better, so I set a trap. I knew a village-boy with a
magpie, ready tamed.

Bernard, the yard-dog, is a lumbering old fellow, with no tricks. We
have tried. We took him out once, into a snow-drift, with a lantern
round his neck, but he rescued nothing, and lost the lantern--and then
he lost himself, for it was dark.

But he is very handsome and good, and I knew, if I put him in the
middle, he would let anything sit upon him. He would not feel it, or
mind if he did. He takes no notice of Cocky.

Benjamin never quarrels with Cocky, but he dare not forget that Cocky
is there. And Cocky sometimes looks at Benjamin's yellow eyes as if it
were thinking how very easily they would come out. But they are quite
sufficiently happy together for a Happy Family.

The mice gave more trouble than all the rest, so I settled that
Lettice should wind up the mechanical mouse, and run that on as the
curtain rose.

CHAPTER III.

"Memor esto majorum."

OLD MOTTO.

" . . . .

All my fears are laid aside,
If I but remember only
Such as these have lived and died!"

LONGFELLOW.

Do you wish to avoid vexations? Then never have a Happy Family! Mine
were countless.

Fred could not get me an owl. Lettice _did_ want to show off with
Cocky. I had my own way, but she looked sulky and spiteful. I got Tom
Smith's magpie; but I had to have him, too. However, my costume as
Showman was gorgeous, and Edward kept our Happy Family well together.
We arranged that Tom should put Mag on at the left wing, and then run
round behind, and call Mag softly from the right. Then she would hop
across the stage to him, and show off well. Lettice was to let mother
know when the spectators might take their places, and to tell the
gardener when to raise the curtain.

I really think one magpie must be "a sign of sorrow," as nurse says;
but what made Bernard take it into his beautiful foolish head to give
trouble I cannot imagine. He wouldn't lie down, and when he did, it
was with a _grump_ of protest that seemed to forbode failure. However,
he let Cocky scold him and pull his hair, which was a safety-valve f