Page:Story of the robins.djvu/224

208 variety of unfortunate animals, till he went to school; where, having no opportunity of doing so, he gratified his malignant disposition on his schoolfellows, and made it his diversion to pull their hair, and pinch and tease the younger boys; and, by the time he became a man, had so hardened his heart that no kind of distress affected him, nor did he care for any person but himself; consequently he was despised by all with whom he had any intercourse. In this manner he lived for some years; at length, as he was inhumanly beating and spurring a fine horse merely because it did not go a faster pace than it was able to do, the poor creature, in its efforts to evade his blows, threw his barbarous rider, who was killed on the spot. Farmer Wilson's prosperity increased with every succeeding year; and he acquired a plentiful fortune, with which he gave portions to each of his children as opportunities offered for settling them in the world; and he and his wife lived to a good old age, beloved and respected by all who knew them.

Mrs. Addis lost her parrot by the disorder with which it was attacked while Mrs. Benson was visiting at the house; and before she had recovered the shock of this misfortune, as she called it, her grief was renewed by the death of the old lapdog. Not