[Footnote 1: A fact.]

You may suppose how happy the poor child was to get it; and while he
was eating it, a grey owl marched from her nest in the wall, and began
picking up the crumbs. This greatly amused little Henry; and, in a few
minutes after, there came a great set of sparrows, and a
robin-redbreast, and two of them began to fight. And this made Henry
laugh; and, on the whole, they so occupied him all day, he was less
unhappy than the day before: and, when night came, he lay down near
the nest of the owl and her young ones, and slept soundly.

Next day, faithful Fidelle again appeared with a piece of boiled beef
in her mouth, which having left at Henry's feet, she scampered off,
and Henry ate heartily, and gave some to the owls. And when he could
forget his mamma, which indeed was not often, these birds used to
amuse his little mind. But, towards evening, getting very thirsty, he
again began to cry, and to call for mamma; and God, who watches over
little infants just the same as if they were grown men, put it into
his little heart to walk outside the abbey, where was a nice stream
running through the grass: and the baby, recollecting he had seen a
boy, the week before, lying on the ground drinking out of a stream
near papa's house, knelt down and took a hearty drink of the clear
water.

[Illustration: ]

And now, near a week passed over, Fidelle constantly
bringing a supply of food, and the owls, and the sparrows, and the
robin, sharing the welcome morsel, and affording Henry's little mind
constant amusement and occupation. At length, the little birds began