into his den, where he and the puppies lived together. His pets of course
would not eat the cat, so the wicked creature ate up poor pussy himself;
and the gentleman was so angry with the naughty thing that he killed him
and made a cap of his skin, for he was afraid the cunning racoon would
kill his beaver and eat up his tame squirrel."

"The racoon, Lady Mary, in its natural state, has all the wildness and
cunning of the fox and weasel; he will eat flesh, poultry, and sucking
pigs, and is, also very destructive to Indian corn. These creatures abound
in the western states, and are killed in great numbers for their skins.
The Indian hunters eat the flesh, and say it is very tender and good; but
it is not used for food in Canada. The racoon belongs to the same class of
animals as the bear, which it resembles in some points, though, being
small, it is not so dangerous either to man or the larger animals.

"And now, my dear, let me show you some pretty wild flowers a little girl
brought me this morning for you, as she heard that you loved flowers.
There are yellow mocassins, or Ladies'-slippers, the same that I told you
of a little while ago; and white lilies, crane-bills, and these pretty
lilac geraniums; here are scarlet-cups, and blue lupines, they are all in
bloom now, and many others. If we were on the Rice Lake plains, my lady,
we could gather all these and many, many more. In the months of June I and
July those plains are like a garden, and their roses scent the air."

"Nurse, I will ask my dear papa to take me to the Rice Lake plains," said
the little girl, as she gazed with delight on the lovely Canadian flowers.