at the hall door, which arose from the buttings of the goat when the
food was not forthcoming, and the mother's example was followed by her
two little kids. After a while this grew monotonous, and no attention
was paid to their knocking! but one day the area bell--used by the
delivery men and callers generally, the wire of which passed by the side
of one of the railings--was sounded. The cook answered the bell, but no
one was there save the goat and kids, with their heads bent down towards
the kitchen window. It was at first thought that some mischievous boy
had rung the bell for them, but they were watched, and the old goat was
seen to hook one of her horns into the wire and pull it. This is too
much like reason to be ascribed to mere instinct.

[Illustration: GOATS KNOCKING AT THE DOOR.]




KING LEAR.


Poor old King Lear, who in ancient times reigned in Britain, having in
his old age turned over all his possessions to his two older daughters,
Goneril and Regan, who professed to love him more than did their younger
sister Cordelia, was by them cruelly deprived of his crown and turned
out of his palace. None dared to give him shelter for fear of the anger
of the two wicked queens. And though he had become blind, he was forced
to wander over the land he once ruled, his only guide being an old and
faithful servant. At last, in his misery and despair, he thought he
would go to his youngest daughter, who had become queen of France, and
see if she would take pity on him. So he crossed over to France. When