her the great Dr.
Franklin, who was believed to command the visible heavens, made a
present of a cunning American squirrel.

The girl came to love the pet. It was a truly American squirrel; it
sought liberty. Franklin called it Mungo.

The girl seems to have given the little creature his will, and let him
sometimes go free among the oaks and hedgerows of the fair, green land.
But one day it was caught by a dog or cat, or some other animal, and
killed. His liberty proved his ruin. Poor Mungo!

There was sorrow in the bishop's home over the loss of the pet, and the
poor little girl sought consolation from the philosopher.

But, philosopher that he was, he could not recall to life the little
martyr to liberty. So he did about all that can be done in like cases:
he wrote for her an epitaph for her pet, setting forth its misfortunes,
and giving it a charitable history, which must have been very consoling.
He did not indulge in any frivolous rhymes, but used the stately rhythms
that befit a very solemn event.

There is a perfect picture of the mother heart of Franklin in this
little story. The world has ever asked why this man was so liked. The
answer may be read here: A sympathy, guided by principle, that often
found expression in humor.

As in the case of good old Sam Adams, the children followed him.
Blessed are those whom mothers and children love. It is the heart that
has power. A touch of sympathy outlives tales of achievements of power,
as in the story of Ulysses's dog. It is he who sympathizes the most with
mankind that longest lives in human affections.

A man's character may be known by the poet that the man seeks as his
interpreter. Franklin's favorite poet as he grew old was Cowper. In all
his duties of life he never lost that heart charm, the _grandfather_
charm; it was active now when children still made his old age happy.

How queerly he must have looked in England with his cage of little
squirrels and the children following him in some good bishop's garden!

CHAPTER XXXIII.

OLD MR. CALAMITY AGAIN.

FRANKLIN'S paper, the Pennsylvania Gazette, which appeared in the year
1729, at first published by Franklin and Meredith, and always very
neatly printed, had grown, and its income became large. It did much of
the thinking for the province. But Franklin made it what it was by his
energy, perseverance, and faith. He returned to America, and the paper
voiced his opinions.

In the period of his