THE POULTRY-YARD.

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ROM the pasture, as the green meadow where cows feed is
called, we went to the poultry-yard, which Mary said she liked

4 great deal better than the meadow, and, indeed, it was very amusing.
There was an old turkey-cock, which strutted about as if he were
king of the yard, and gobbled, and tried to frighten me. But
George had told me that the old fellow was not really as brave
as the cock, so I did not run away, but drove him off I said to
Cousin George, that I thought poultry must be very much like us in
some things ; for I have noticed that boys who are bullies are gene-
rally cowards, like the turkey-cock; while really brave boys are
almost always kind and gentle, as the cock seemed to be to the
hens and chickens. The geese and ducks, too, were handsome birds,
George says a goose ought not to be called stupid; it is a very
sensible creature. One of their geese is quite tame, and follows him
about like a dog; whenever he speaks to it, it answers “ quack,
quack!” I told him what I had read about the geese which saved
the Capitol of Rome from being taken by the Gauls, and he liked

the story. He says he knows more about animals than books.

3