284 The Squirrel. [Sess. 
killed was a trifle, since the two young squirrels were secured. 
I am ashamed to confess that in the exuberance of our delight 
we forgot to return the farmer’s ladder, but it came to his ears 
who had taken it, and for a long time after we gave him a 
wide berth. 
After such a long vista of years I would not care to state 
exactly the size of the pets, but it is safe to say that they were 
about half grown. In our ignorance of squirrel life I fear they 
did not receive the treatment due to such tiny creatures. 
We took one each, and I hurried home with my prize. My 
companion’s died the following day, probably having been 
injured by falling from the nest. I had mine confined in a 
box among some hay, and fed him with small pieces of bread 
soaked in milk. He soon became very tame, and allowed me 
to handle him, and would run up my sleeve, come out at my 
breast, and nestle on my shoulder. For a time he seemed to 
thrive, and I became much attached to such an interesting 
pet. I got hazel nuts, but always had to crack them for him. I 
am now under the impression that it was lack of his mother’s 
milk and nursing that wrecked his health, as he succumbed ~ 
before he was even full grown. I should therefore advise any 
one attempting to rear a squirrel to try and get it as young as 
possible and have it suckled by a domestic cat. I have had setter 
puppies reared by a cat, and have seen a kitten, a rabbit, and 
a squirrel, all suckled by puss at the same time. At present 
I could show you a white kitten nursed by a Scotch terrier. 
Never can I forget the death-scene of my pet squirrel. — 
For a day or two he had refused all food, and before leaving © 
for school in the morning I saw by the rapid heaving of his 
breast that something serious was the matter. On my return — 
in the afternoon he was still alive, but very prostrate. I 
lifted him out of his box and held him in my hands near the 
fire. Once with his large, black, intelligent eyes he looked 
right into mine as if imploring for something, but what of 
course I could not understand. He seemed pleased to lie in 
my hands, but he scarcely ever moved, and within half an 
hour I felt his heart cease to beat. Though I was at the 
time, I am not now, ashamed to confess that I ran into a- 
spruce wood and cried as if my heart would break. No act, 
however, could restore to life this gentle creature that had 
