One brilliant Christmas day, two little girls were walking towards a
neighboring village, when they observed a little creature walking about
the road. "Surely," said Mary, "it is a large mouse;" and it did not
seem to be afraid, so they thought from its tameness, it must be hungry.
"Poor little thing," said Agnes, "I wish I had something to give you."
She took a few almonds from her pocket and went gently along towards the
mouse and put it close by its side. The mouse began to nibble, and soon
finished it. Agnes then put down two or three more, and left the mouse
to eat its Christmas dinner. I think you would have enjoyed seeing the
mouse eating the almonds. I hope you will always be kind to poor dumb
animals. I have seen children who were cruel to dumb animals. This is
very wrong, and such children will never be respected, nor can they
expect to be befriended.