190 The Toad-Boy.

“JT have no home and I have no mamma,” he
said, sadly, ‘‘Oh, dear Lady, don’t you want a little
boy, and won’t you be my mamma ?”’

“Yes,” said the lady, “I will take you gladly,
for I have no bey of my own. Come here, dear.”

The poor little fellow walked to the side of the
carriage, his beautiful golden curls shining in the
light of the lamps. But alas, the light showed
something else, for when he was near enough for
the lady to see him distinctly, she too, like the
others, shrank away.

‘Poor, poor child,” she said.

“What is the matter with me; Lady, why do
you look so sadly at me?” said the Boy, his lip
quivering.

“Look,” said she, giving him a small mirror
which hung at the side of the carriage. In this he
looked, and saw—a boy’s head with beautiful
golden curls, but the face, was the horrid green
face of a toad! He screamed in his fright, and
then he told his story to the lady, who was very
much interested.

“T advise you,” said she, ‘to go back and find