“Harry, if you had an orange, and Lily had two, and Ellen had three, and Lily and Ellen gave you their oranges, how many would you have?” Harry answered, “Six.” Mary asked them a number of such questions, for she wished to make them understand what arithmetic was for, before she taught them to do sums on their slates. Harry’s father had shown him the picture of a blind beggar and his dog, at home, and there was a story about it, which Mary had promised to read aloud this afternoon. THE BLIND BEGGAR AND HIS DOG. A blind beggar used to be led about the streets of Rome by a dog of middle size. This dog led his master so as to protect him from all danger, and he learned to distinguish, not only the streets, but the houses where his master was accustomed to receive alms twice or thrice a week. Whenever the animal came to any of these streets, with which he was well acquainted, he would not leave it till a call had been made at every house where his master was usually successful in his petitions. When the beggar began to ask alms, the dog, being wearied, lay down to rest; but the master was no sooner served, or refused, than the dog rose, and without either order or sign, proceeded to the other houses, where the beggar generally received some gratuity. If a halfpenny was thrown from a window, such were the sagacity and attention of this dog, that he went about in quest of it, lifted it from the ground with his mouth, and put it into his master’s hat. Even when bread was thrown down, the animal would not taste it, unless he received a portion of it from the hand of his master. When the beggar was very weary, he would sometimes lean his head on the top of his staff and doze for a moment or two. Then the dog would sit down and watch him, and as soon as his master started, the faithful creature was up in an instant, ready for another march. [Illustration: ~Third Day.~ The Blind Beggar and his dog. p. 46. ] * * * * * Mary’s scholars thought that was a beautiful story, and they were eager to hear something more about dogs. Mary told them, that if they chose to remain in school, instead of going out to play at recess-time, she would read to them another story. So they all agreed to give up the recess-play, for the sake of another story. KITTY GREEN AND THE DOG CAIRO. Kitty Green was a little girl who lived with her uncle and aunt, in the country. Her uncle worked in the fields at harvest time; and Kitty liked to go out into the fields where he was making hay and tumble about in it. Sometimes her uncle would toss her up on the top of the wagon, when it was loaded with the sweet, fresh hay, and allow her to have a ride; and he called her his little harvester.