warm I turn around so my tail hangs over my new mother was very ill and had to 



the outside. When my new mother comes send for a strange physician, who knew 



in I open my eyes, make a bow, and, if nothing about me. When I heard him 



not too sleepy, come down and sit on her coming upstairs I hid behind the curtain 



hand. I never chirp or peep, and when and watched him fix a white powder in a 



I hide and hear "Dewey," Dewey," I do paper. When he laid it on the table I 



not answer but fly down on my new moth- swoopeld down, grabbed it and took it 



er's head, shoulder or hand. Taffy gets into my cage. After that I was kept busy, 



so angry at me. I know he often feels as my grandmother was ill for many 



like killing me. I wake up early morn- weeks. I would carry off all the sleeping 



ings, and take my exercise by flying back powders ; one day I put them behind the 



and forth from a picture on one side of bed, for I thought they would not taste 



the room to the head of the bed. When so badly, and do just as much good. 



Taffy is on the foot of the bed I fly very It did not take more than a minute to 



low, almost touching him with my wings, get down there when I heard the doctor 



and say, "You lazy cat, why don't you come in, for I had to see that the medicine 



wake up and hear the little birds sing to was mixed all right. It was great fun 



God Almighty ; why don't you wake up ?" peering into the tiny little bottles in his 



I soon hear words that are not used in case. I would stand on the ends of my 



polite society, and next see the end of his toes and crane my neck to watch him 



tail disappearing around the corner of the drop the medicine into the tumblers. The 



door. Before I go to sleep at night I ex- other day some Christmas roses were 



ercise again. One afternoon Taffy was brought in. They looked so tempting I 



trying to take a nap in a chair in the back took several bites, and the next day took 



parlor. I kept flying over him, making a some more. I felt a little queer, and kept 



whizzing sound with my wings. When opening my bill. My new mother thought 



he could endure it no longer he went into I had something in my throat and gave 



the writing-room and sat down by his me some water. The next afternoon she 



mother. I went in to take a luncheon on found me on the floor panting, took me to 



the table. Taffy stood up on his hind legs, an open window, gave me wine and the 



reached out a velvet paw, and gave me attack seemed to pass. We went up to 



such a slap I fell upon the floor. I was our room, and apparently I was as well 



not hurt in the least, flew up on a picture as ever when she went down to dinner, 



and shook with laughter at the punish- After she had gone another attack came 



ment and scolding Mr. Taffy was getting, on and I am too weak to write any more, 



He said very naughty words, scratched and can only warn little birds never to 



and bit, but he was conquered at last, and taste of a Christmas rose, as they are said 



has behaved like a gentleman ever since, to be deadly poison. 

 The first time I saw the snow I was wild 



with delight, flew to the window and tried When I went to my room late in the 



to catch the pretty white flakes. But evening no little birdie peeped over the 



when I heard the sleigh bells they struck curtain to greet me. I looked on the 



terror to my heart, for I thought a whole floor, and there lay my darling Dewey, 



army of cats was coming, as all I knew stiff and cold, 



about bells are Taffy's. Not long ago Caroline Crowninshield Bascom. 



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