32 Sandford. and Merton.

From that hour did Tom make up his mind that he
would tame some pet. So off he set at once, with a large
slice of bread in his hand, in search of a yorng bird or
beast to pet; and the first thing he met was a young pig,
that lay in the sun to bask. So Tom put on a soft smile,
and said, “ Pig, pig, my dear pig, here is some bread for
you; come to me, come!” But the young pig gave a
squeak and ran off to the old sow. ‘“ You young wretch,”
said Tom, “to run off when I want to feed and pet you.”
So he sprang at the pig and caught it by the leg with his
right hand, and held out the large slice of bread with the
left. But the young pig knew not what to make of it, and
the squeaks it gave soon brought the old sow to the spot.

Tom held the sow in too much fear to keep her young
one, so he let it go, and it ran just in front of Tom, which
threw him down. ‘Then the sow trod on him in her rage.
It was Tom’s turn now to be in a rage, so he took the old
sow by the leg and beat her with all his might. The old
sow led Tom through the midst of a laree flock of geese
that by chance fed near the spot where all this took place;
the old goose, to save her brood, gave Tom a sharp peck
with her bill, which put him to so much pain that his
shrieks brought Mr. Barlow to the spot.

Tom, as soon as he could speak, told Mr. Barlow that it
was all his fault, and that he might trace it to what he had
told him.

‘You said, sir, that to tame a bird or beast I ought to give
him food, and be kind to him, and now all this comes of it.”

Mr. Barlow.— I see you have been in the mud, but 1
hope you are not hurt; now we will come home, that you
may wash off the mud, and we will talk of what you did
with the pigs and the geese by and by.”