122 ^tnantn of tJje STreesi 



quietly watching and listening as I picked 

 the strings. 



Hymns and soft low melodies seemed 

 to soothe him, and put him in a quiet 

 mood, but the gayer tunes set his little 

 feet to dancing and his tongue to scold- 

 ing and barking in the liveliest manner. I 

 imagine he thought the banjo was abusing 

 him when the notes fell thick and fast, 

 and so he scolded back, giving full meas- 

 ure for all he received. 



When I stopped picking the strings 

 and drummed on the head, and whistled 

 in imitation of drum and fife he was all 

 attention. He cocked his head on one 

 side and hung intently on the notes, and 

 when the strain was finished, rushed up 

 the tree trunk, chattering gleefully. He 

 was not angry any more, but just happy. 

 There is all the difference in the world 

 between the scolding of a squirrel, and 



