HEAVIER THAN AIR

ONCE upon a time, two little French children, while being
led through a picture-gallery, suddenly came upon a very
startling painting by the French artist Verlat. In vain
their bonne, or nurse, tried to draw them away. They
either were too much frightened, or too much amused, to
stir from the spot.

“OQ Matilde!” they cried, still gazing at the picture,
“what does it ean ? What is it all about ?”

“Nothing,” said Matilde. “Come away. Those dread-
ful, ugly things will bite you. Come, Henri!”

“Ho!” retorted Henri, stoutly. “How can a picture
bite? Oh! if Mama were only here to tell us how the
poor monkeys got up in the air so high!”

“T know how the blackest one got there,” said the other
child; “the white one pulled him up with his tail.”

Henri laughed at this, but after the sober manner of
one who has a great deal on his mind: “ No, no, Marie, he
did n’t go up that way. J think he’s holding on to that

fellow’s tail now so that he may not fall.”
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