Mr. Wilton used occasionally to go into the city, a few miles distant,
upon business. He usually went in a chaise, taking one of the children
with him. The excursion was to them a very pleasant one, and all
anticipated, with a great deal of pleasure, their respective turns to
ride with their father. It happened that the day when it fell to Maria's
turn, was to be the close of an exhibition of animals, which had been
for a short time in the city. Maria's eye brightened with pleasure as
her father mentioned this circumstance at the dinner table, and inquired
if she would like to visit the caravan.

"O, father!" exclaimed George, eagerly, as he laid down his knife and
fork; "a caravan!--Mayn't I go?"

"You cannot both go," replied his father; "and I believe it is Maria's
turn to go into town with me."

"Well," said George, "but I don't believe Maria would care any thing
about seeing it;" and his eye glanced eagerly from his father to Maria,
and then from Maria to his father again.

"How is it, Maria?" said Mr. Wilton; "have you no wish to visit the
caravan?"

Maria did not answer directly, while yet her countenance showed very
plainly what her wishes really were. "Is there an _elephant_ there,
father?" she, at length, rather hesitatingly inquired.

"There probably is," replied her father.

"An _elephant_!" repeated George with something of a sneer; "who has not