THE MANDARIN DUCK. 



A Letter from China. 



Quack! Quack! I got in just 

 in time. 



I came as fast as I could, as I 

 was afraid of being whipped. 

 You see I live in a boat with 

 a great many other ducks. 



My master and his family live 

 in the boat too. Isn't that a 

 funny place to live in? 



We stay in all night. Waking 

 up early in the morning, we cry 

 Quack! Quack! until we wake 

 the master. 



He gets up and opens the gate 

 for us and out we tumble into 

 the water. We are in such a 

 hurry that we fall over each 

 other. We swim about awhile 

 and then we go to shore for 

 breakfast. 



There are wet places near the 

 shove where we find worms, 

 grubs, and roots. When even 

 ing comes the master blows a 

 whistle. Then we know it is 

 time to come home. 



We start as soon as we hear 

 it, and hurry, because the last 

 duck in gets a whipping. It 



does not hurt much but we do 

 not like it, so we all try to get 

 home first; 



I have web feet, but I perch 

 like other birds on the branches 

 of the trees near the river. 



My feathers are beautiful in 

 the sunlight. My wife always 

 sits near me. Her dress is not 

 like mine. It is brown and 

 grey. 



From May to August I lose 

 my bright feathers, then I put 

 on a dress like my wife's. 



My master's family are Chi 

 nese, and they are very queer. 

 They would not sell me for 

 anything, as they would not 

 like to have me leave China. 



Sometimes a pair of us are 

 put in a gay cage and carried to 

 a wedding. After the wedding 

 we are given to the bride and 

 groom. 



I hear the master's whistle 

 again. He wants me to come in 

 and go to bed. Quack! Quack! 

 Good bye! 



