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 BENNIE AND THE TIGER. 
 
 LONDON: DEAN & SOX. 
 11, Ludgate Hill. 
 
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BENNIE AND THE TIGER. 
 
 A fair little English boy lay sleeping in 
 the shady verandah of his Indian hon.e. 
 The servant who was left with him was 
 unfaithful to her trust, and, while he slept, 
 wandered away in search of pleasure. 
 A treacherous tiger, prowling in search ot 
 
BENNIE AND THE TIGER. 3 
 
 a pig or a lamb for his supper, finding the 
 village very quiet, ventured in among the 
 dwellings. The English gentlemen were 
 all absent, and most of the natives were 
 at work in the rice swamp or the paddy 
 field ; while the white ladies, exhausted 
 
 with heat, were taking their rest, little 
 dreaming how careless were their nurses. 
 The treacherous tiger crept noiselessly 
 past the deserted homes, until he espied 
 the sweet little sleeper. Then, with one 
 bound, he sprang upon him, grasped the 
 flowing white robe in his teeth, and 
 darted off to his native jungle. Having 
 secured the prize, he laid him down ; 
 and as a kitten plays with the captive 
 mouse, began sporting with him. He 
 
4 BENNIE ANiV 
 
 walked round and round, layed first one 
 paw and then the other on the little 
 plump feet, and looked into his beautiful 
 face as if his ferocious heart was almost 
 melted by its sweetness. 
 
 There was a brave heart in little 
 Bennie, for he seemed not at all alarmed 
 by his strange companion. He was well 
 used to Negro, the large black house 
 dog ; the ponies were his chief favourites ; 
 and he felt inclined to look on the tiger, 
 perhaps, as an addition to his circle of 
 dumb friends, Or, if the glance of these 
 fiery eye 1 falls, and the display of these 
 dreadful teeth, made his heart beat for a 
 moment, he only returned the gaze, 
 saying in baby language: "I'm not 
 afraid of you, for I've got a father ! You 
 can't touch Bennie — Bennie's got a mam- 
 ma !" Oh, how strong this trust in 
 earthly love made that frail boy ! Why 
 will not those who know that God is over 
 all, confide in him in times of danger, and 
 be at rest ! 
 
 All this time the boy's mother slept, 
 nor dreamed of danger to her darling. 
 
THE TIGEft. 
 
 The truant nurse, missing her little charge, 
 flew from house to house in search of him. 
 But the Eye which never sleeps was on 
 
 him. An aged native had heard the low 
 growl of satisfaction, which to his prac- 
 tised ear, told that a tiger had seized his 
 
6 BENNIE AND THE TIGEK. 
 
 prey. Taking his carbine, he followed on 
 his trail, and secreted himself noiselessly 
 behind the bushes. He watched his 
 opportunity to fire, trembling less the 
 charge meant for the tiger might kill the 
 boy. He took his aim and fired. The 
 tiger ran a few steps toward the jungle, 
 then staggered and fell dead within a few 
 yards of the little captive. Do you think 
 that his mother could ever forget the kind 
 old native ? Could she ever forget God, who 
 saved her darling from so terrible a 
 death ? 
 
 There is an enemy more dangerous 
 than any beast of the forest, who seeks to 
 destroy both soul and body — Satan, whom 
 the Scripture calls a <f roaring lion." He 
 has many servants, who watch like the 
 tiger for their prey, ready to spring upon 
 unguarded youth. God has warned us 
 against these spiritual foes, and promised 
 His protection to all that trust in Him. 
 
THE DEAD BROTHER. 
 
 I am all alone in my chamber now, 
 
 And the midnight hour is near ; 
 And the faggot's crack and the clock's dull 
 
 tick 
 Are the only sounds I hear. 
 And o'er my soul, in its solitude, 
 Sweet feelings of sadness glide, 
 For my heart and my eyes are full when 
 I think 
 Of the little boy that died. 
 
THE DEAD BROTHER. 
 
 I went one night to my father's house — 
 
 Went home to the dear ones all — 
 And softly 1 opened the garden gate, 
 
 And softly the door of the hall. 
 My mother came out to meet her son — 
 
 She kissed me, and then she sicrhed, 
 And her head fell on my neck, and she wept 
 
 For the little boy that died. 
 
 I shall miss him when the flowers come, 
 
 In the garden where he played ; 
 I shall miss him more by the fireside, 
 
 When the flowers have all decayed. 
 I shall see his toys and his empty chair, 
 
 And the horse he used to ride ; 
 And they will speak with a silent speech, 
 
 Of the little boy that died. 
 
 We shall go home to our Father's house — 
 
 To our Father's house in the skies, 
 Where the hopes of our souls shall have 
 no blight, 
 
 Or love no broken ties. 
 We shall roam on the banks of the river 
 of peace, 
 
 And bathe in its blissful tide ; 
 And one of our joys of heaven shall be 
 
 The little boy that died,