A HERMIT'S WILD FRIENDS 



the mat found the dead bird. He had killed 

 the bird and placed it under him so swiftly 

 that I did not detect the trick when I went 

 to the rescue. For a full hour he simulated 

 sleep while he had the dead bird under him 

 all the time. When I went to the cabin he 

 hid the dead body under the mat. I gave 

 him a severe whipping and placed the dead 

 bird on his mat. The next day I buried the 

 body, so Satan did not profit by his crafty 

 deed. He remembered the whipping, and ever 

 after did not molest the birds. I once saw 

 a young towhee-bunting sit on his hind foot 

 and eat from a cookie that the coon had tried 

 to hide. How it would have fared with the 

 bird, if I had been absent, is a question. 



I don't think Satan had any respect for 

 the Sabbath, but he knew the day, nevertheless. 

 On week-days, I returned from city about 

 nine o'clock A. M. Soon after, I would stake 

 Satan in the dooryard, and he would seem 

 much pleased with the change. I got up 

 every morning at daybreak. My first duty 

 was to feed the birds and Satan, then get 

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