ance from the societies which give help to poor people,
when some persons, told her to move to the cottage she is in now, and
that they would pay the rent. She did so. When Alice grew older, she
worked hard to support her mother, and she it was who planted all the
flowers and vegetables that you saw in the garden. Father made her a
present of the bee hives. Every body loves her because she has so sweet
a temper."

"And is the old lady still sick?" asked Samuel.

"Yes," said his cousin, "she will never be well again. Yet she is happy
in having a good daughter and kind friends, and loves to see the young
people, who sometimes stop to talk or read to her."

At some distance from the cottage the boys met a bull in the road. It
was standing still when they first saw it; but in a little while it
began to strike the ground with its feet, and toss about its head.
Samuel was afraid to go on; but his cousins told him to follow them,
without attempting to run. As they passed, the bull looked fiercely at
them, and began to roar; but they walked on, keeping their eyes steady
on it, all the while. It continued to make a great noise, but did not
follow them. After they had passed it, Thomas said they could then walk
as fast as they chose, lest the bull might follow them. Samuel asked
him, if bulls had not sometimes killed people.

"Yes," he replied, "bulls are dangerous when any thing makes them angry.
And at such times, if you run from them they are sure to follow. They
often fight with each other; and farmer Smith had a bull killed by
another one last spring. If you meet them in the road, it is best to
face them, without showing any fear. It is not often that they will
attack any one who has courage enough to look straight at them."

[Illustration]

CHAPTER XII.

LOCUSTS.

Mr. Harvey's boys had a very fine fig tree, which had been presented to
them by a friend of their father, and of which they took great care. It
was kept in a large box, so that it might be placed in the house during
the winter. The boys expected it would bear fruit next year. One day
John burst into the room where Thomas, Samuel, and his father were
sitting, and exclaimed with a doleful voice:

"Oh, father, it is dead--eaten by the locusts--I found a dozen on it."

"What's the matter, John?" said Mr. Harvey. "What have the locusts
eaten?"

"Our fig tree," replied John. "It is gone past all remedy. Only come
with me, and you'll see it."

The