honor, not to say the pleasure, of presenting to this intelligent and distinguished audience a celebrated donkey that has already had the honor of dancing before His Majesty the Emperor and all the principal courts of Europe."
This discourse was received with much laughter and applause, but the cheers redoubled and became a sort of hurricane as Pinocchio appeared in the ring. He was decked out for the occasion. He had a new bridle of shining leather with buckles of polished brass, two white roses were stuck behind his ears, his mane was divided and curled and the curls tied with red ribbon. A wide band of gold and silver was tied around his body, and his tail was braided with velvet ribbons of all colors. In fact he was the most gorgeous donkey ever seen. The director presented him to the public with these words:
"My respected auditors—I will not take up much of your time, but I wish to tell you some of the great difficulties I encountered and overcame in taming and teaching this animal which I found grazing among the
