, while we've got all our future population in our
schools, saints and sinners, good people and bad people, let us try to
slip in something between the geography, and history, and grammar that
will go a little deeper, and touch them so much, that when they are
grown up and go out in the world, they will carry with them lessons of
love and good-will to men.

"A little child is such a tender thing. You can bend it anyway you like.
Speaking of this heart education of children, as set over against mind
education, I see that many school-teachers say that there is nothing
better than to give them lessons on kindness to animals. Children who
are taught to love and protect dumb creatures will be kind to their
fellow-men when they grow up."

I was very much pleased with this talk between Mrs. Wood and Miss Laura,
and kept close to them so that I would not miss a word.

As we went along, houses began to appear here and there, set back from
the road among the trees. Soon they got quite close together, and I saw
some shops.

This was the village of Riverdale, and nearly all the buildings were
along this winding street. The river was away back of the village. We
had already driven there several times.

We passed the school on our way. It was a square, white building,
standing in the middle of a large yard. Boys and girls, with their arms
full of books, were hurrying down the steps and coming into the street.
Two quite big boys came behind us, and Mrs. Wood turned around and spoke
to them, and asked if they were going to the Band of Mercy.

"Oh, yes; ma'am," said the younger one "I've got a recitation, don't you
remember?"

"Yes, yes; excuse me for forgetting," said Mrs. Wood, with her jolly
laugh. "And here are Dolly, and Jennie, and Martha," she went on, as
some little girls came running out of a house that we were passing.

The little girls joined us and looked so hard at my head and stump of a
tail, and my fine collar, that I felt quite shy, and walked with my head
against Miss Laura's dress.

She stooped down and patted me, and then I felt as if I didn't care how
much they stared. Miss Laura never forgot me. No matter how earnestly
she was talking, or playing a game, or doing anything, she always
stopped occasionally to give me a word or look, to show that she knew I
was near.

Mrs. Wood paused in front of a building on the main street. A great many
boys and girls were going in, and we went with them. We found oursel