seen an elephant? I would not give a farthing to go, if there was
nothing better than an elephant to be seen."

"What _should_ you care so much to see?" inquired Mr. Wilton.

"Why, I would give any thing to see a leopard or a camel."

"A leopard or a camel!" repeated his father in the same tone in which
George had made his rude speech; "I am sure I wouldn't give a farthing
to see either a camel or a leopard."

"No," said George, "because you have seen them both; but _I_ never did."

"Neither has Maria seen an elephant," returned Mr. Wilton; "so what is
the difference?"

George looked a little mortified at the overthrow of his argument. But
still his eagerness for the gratification was not to be repressed.--"I
shouldn't think a _girl_ need to care about going to see a parcel of
wild beasts," he remarked, rather petulantly, as he gave his chair a
push, upon rising from the table.

"O, George, George." expostulated his father, "I did not think you were
either a selfish or a sullen boy."

"No, father, and he is not," said Maria, approaching her father, and
taking his hand; "but he wants to go very much, and I do not care so
_much_ about it; so he may go, and I will stay at home."

"You are a good girl," said her father; "but I shall not consent to any