MOUSER

A gentleman once owned a hen that was a fine mouser. She was seen
constantly watching close to a corn rick, and the moment a mouse
appeared, she seized it in her beak, and carried it to a meadow near by,
where she would play with it like a young cat for some time, and then
kill it. She has been known to catch four or five mice a day in this
manner.

[Illustration]

XXII

SABINUS AND HIS DOG

After the execution of Sabinus, the Roman general, who was put to death
because of his attachment to the family of Germanicus, his body was left
lying unburied upon the precipice of the Gemoniae, as a warning to all
who should dare to befriend the house of Germanicus. No friend had the
courage to go near the body; one only remained true--his faithful dog.
For three days the animal continued to watch the body, his mournful
howling awakening the sympathy of every heart. Food was brought to him,
and he was kindly coaxed to eat it; but on taking the bread, instead of
eating it himself, he fondly laid it on his master's mouth and renewed
his howling. Days thus passed, but not for a single moment did he leave
the body.

The body was at length thrown into the Tiber, and the loving creature,
still unwilling that it should perish, leaped into the water after it,
and clasping the corpse between its paws, vainly tried to keep it from
sinking.

[Illustration]

XXIII

A JUST RETALIATION

A tame elephant kept by a merchant was allowed to go at large. The
animal used to walk about the streets in as quiet and familiar a manner
as any of the people, and took great pleasure in visiting the shops,
especially those which sold herbs and fruit, where he was well received,
except by a couple of brutal cobblers, who, without any cause, took
offense at the generous creature, and once or twice tried to wound his
trunk with their awls. The noble animal, who knew it was beneath him to
crush them, did not hesitate to punish them by other means. He filled
his large trunk with water, not of the cleanest quality, and advancing
to them, as usual, covered them all at once with the very dirty flood.
The fools were laughed at, and the punishment applauded.

[Illustration: A Just Retaliation.--Page 48]

[Illustration]

XXIV

AN ODD FAMILY

A gentleman travelling through Mecklenburg relates the following curious
incident which happened at an inn at which he was staying. After dinner,
the landlord placed on the flo