Page:Story of the robins.djvu/227

Rh to animals in general, which he regarded as his enemies, and thought he was avenging his own cause when he treated any with barbarity. Cats and dogs, in particular, he singled out as the objects of his revenge, because he considered them as his mother's greatest favourites; and many a one fell an innocent victim to his mistaken ideas.

The parent redbreasts visited their kind benefactors the next winter; but as they were flying along one day, they saw some crumbs of bread which had been scattered by Lucy Jenkins, who, as I observed before, had adopted the sentiments of her friend in respect to compassion to animals, and resolved to imitate her in every excellence. The redbreasts gratefully picked up the crumbs, and encouraged by the gentle invitation of her looks, determined to repeat their visits; which they accordingly did, and found such an ample supply that they thought it more advisable to go to her with their next brood than to be burthensorne to their old benefactors, who had a great number of pensioners to support: but Frederick and Harriet Benson had frequently the pleasure of seeing them, and knew them from all their species by several peculiarities which so long an acquaintance had given them the opportunity of observing.