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Show A LESSON OF MERCY. (By Alice Cary. A boy named Peter Found once in the road, -All harmless and helpless, A poor little toad. -1 . t And ran to his playmate, And all out of breath Cried, "John, come and help, And we'll stone him to death." And picking up stones, They went on the run, Saying one to the other, "Oh, won't we have fun!" Thus primed and all ready, They'd hardly got back, When a donkey came dragging ' A cart on the track. Now the cart was fes much As the donkey could draw, And he came with his head Hanging down; so he saw, All harmless and helpless. The poor little toad A-taking his morning nap Right in the road., He shivered at first. Then he drew back his leg, And set up his ears. Never moving a peg. Then he gave the poor toad With his warm nose a bump, And he woke and got oft With a hop and a jump. And then with an eye Turned on Peter and John, And hanging his homely head Down, he went on. "We can't kill him now, John," Said Peter, "that's flat, In the face of an eye And action like that!!' "For my part, I haven't The heart to," said John; "But the load is too heavy That donkey has on." 'Let's help him!" so both lads Set off with a will, And came up to the cart 1 At the foot of the hill. And when each a shoulder Had Dut to the wheel. They helped the poor donkey A wonderful deal. When they got to the top Back again they both run, Agreeing they never Had better fun. |