of the room open where the bird was hung The linnet was sitting upon in his cage. up his perch singing, and the cat crouched down. and watched the pretty little bird, till at last she made a great spring upon the cage, and pulled it down to the ground. 8. The poor linnet, panting, and almost dying with fear, flew from side to side of its cage, while the savage creature strove to catch him through the wires with her sharp claws. She had torn some of the feathers out of his wings and tail, and would very soon have killed him, had not Jip just then run into the room. 9. Jip howled, barked, and made so loud a noise, that the servant heard him, and came to see what was the matter. Then the strange cat was soon driven out of doors, and the poor little trembling linnet hung up in his cage again; but for two whole days he did not sing a note. 10. In a short time he forgot his fright, and was as lively and merry as before. Mary praised Jip very much indeed for his kindness. to the little bird. 11. Jip wagged his tail while his little mistress was praising him and patting his head, and looked as if he understood what she was saying. Dogs are always grateful for kindness. XXXIII.-MARY BROWN AND LITTLE JIP. CONCLUDED. 1. ONE fine morning Mary put the cage on a table near the window. The window was open, and so was the door of the cage. Mary sat on the window seat. She thought that if her bird came too near, she would catch him or shut the window in a moment. 2. The linnet sang, and hopped in and out of his cage, and round and round the table. Mary never moved her eyes from him, but at last he spread his wings, and was gone before she could lift a hand to stop him. 3. She ran into the garden. Jip was going to follow. "Go back, you great creature!" cried Mary; "you will frighten my darling." Jip hung down his head, and went back. 4. The linnet had perched on a tree. He looked at Mary, he sang to Mary, but all her coaxing and her tears could not bring him back to her and his cage. 1 Pronounced brâwt. 2 Pronounced e-nuƒ'. 5. At last, when she tried to climb up the tree to catch him, he stretched out his wings, and flew over the garden wall, and Mary lost sight of him forever. 6. She cried a long time for the loss of her bird; but when she saw Jip, she said to herself, "It almost serves me right. I have known Jip longer than I did the linnet, and I ought always to have loved him best. 7. "The linnet will be much more happy among the trees, and fields, and hedges than he was in my cage; but Jip would not be so happy any where as he is with me; so I will hear the birds sing out of doors, but my merry Jip shall be my playfellow still. Come to me, my good dog." 8. He came. She patted his sides, and he jumped and frisked about his dear little mistress; but never brought her any more birds, though he did now and then make her a present of a bone or a stone, or some such thing, that was not quite clean enough to lay upon a white frock in the lap of a little girl. 9. Dogs, unlike boys and girls, do not know the difference between what is clean and nice and what is not. |