THE YOUTHS CABINET.

his round, he started home again; and
when he came trotting up with his
empty bottles, all safe and sound, it was
a joyful meeting. His old mistress patted
him, and called him kind names ; and he
nestled his head on her shoulder, and
seemed to try to say, “ Am I not a good
boy of a donkey ?”

True Duncan and the Cat.

noe there was a little boy named
Duncan. The boys used to call
him True Duncan, because he
never would tell a lic. One day,
he was playing with an axe in the yard
of the school, and while he was chopping
a stick, the teacher’s cat, Tabby, came
along. Duncan let the axe fall right on
poor Tabby’s head, and killed her.
What to do he did not know. She was
a pet of the master’s, and used to sit on
a cushion at his side, while he was hear-
ing the lessons. Duncan stood and look-
ed at the dead creature. His face grew
red, and the tears stood in his eyes. All
the boys came running up, and every
one had something tosay. One of them
whispered to the others, and said,

“Now, fellows, we shall see whether
Duncan can make up a fib, as well as the
rest of us.” |

“Not he. Duncan, I'll warrant you,
will be as true as gold.”

Big Jones stepped up, and taking the
cat by the tail, said, “ Here, boys, I'll
just fling her into the alley, and we can
tell Mr. Cole that the butcher’s dog kill-
ed her; you know he worried her last
week,”

113

i eel

Several of them thought this would do
very well. But Duncan looked quite an-
gry. His face swelled, and his cheeks
grew redder than before.

“No!” said he, “no, Do youthink I
would Jie for such a creature as that?
It would be a lie, a ie, arre!” And
every time he said the word, his voice
grew louder and louder. ‘Then he pick-
ed up the poor thing in his arms, and
casried it into the school-room, and the
boys followed to see what would hap-
pen. ‘The master looked up, and said,

«What is this? My faithful mouser
dead! Who could have done me such an
injury 2”

All were silent for alittle while. As
soon as Duncan could get his voice, he
said,

“Mr. Cole, I am very sorry—but here
is the truth. I can’t lie, sir; I killed
Tabby. But I am very sorry for it. 1
ought to have been more careful, for I
saw her continually rubbing her sides
against the log. gl am very sorry indeed,
sir.”

Every one expected Mr. Cole to take
down his long rattan. On the contrary,.
he put on a pleasant smile, and said,

“Duncan, you are a brave boy! I
saw and heard all that passed, from my
window above. I would rather lose a
hundred cats, than miss such an example
of truth and honor in my school. Your
best reward is what you now feel in
your own conscience; but I beg you to
accept this handsome penknife, as a token
of my approbation.”

Duncan took out his little handker-
chief, and wiped his eyes. The boys
could no longer restrain themselves ; and
when Tom Pooley cried, “Three cheers

| for True Duncan!” all joined ina hearty