The White Lily. 28

the bear, and afraid of a great many more of its
brothers and sisters in the animal and child world,
but it had never been afraid of Pearl. ;

It would run in and out among her golden hair and
upon her neck, and eat nuts and grains out of her
- mouth, and sit upon her shoulder with its tiny bright
eyes looking into her face, and ask her all about her
troubles and her fun.

Though the mouse was such a little tiny thing, and
seemed to have the most need of the two of care and
supervision, it never talked of itself, and never asked
for anything for itself; and yet it must have had its
little troubles too, when other larger creatures crushed
its home to pieces with their great feet, or when the
magpies and the weasel stole all its stores of winter
provisions.

But the mouse was very fond of Pear], and though
it had to run up and down a great, great many times
before it got enough to make Pearl a dinner, it was
never tired, because Pearl was its friend. -

Now, the mouse was a friend also of the white lily,