SCENE XVII

One day a man went with his little son to the muséum which belonged to the town in which he lived. While he was looking at

88 Exercises for Composition.

the objects of art, the boy found a knife, and in trying to open it, he eut his hand. When the father heard the child cry, he turned quickly, and accidentally knocked down an old Roman vase.

After tying up the child's hand, he went immediately to the mayor of the town and told him of the accident. When the mayor heard of it, he said that he regretted to say that the man must give up ail hope of having himself received as a member of the academy. Anyone who could even accidentally break the fragments of another âge, was not worthy of succeeding to such an honour. When the gentleman begged the maj'or to consider his décision, the latter said that this was his only answer. The man at once hastened home to tell the bad news to his wife.