A Kindergarten Experiment 249 



street, for I had never before assumed such heavy 

 responsibilities, especially of this kind. 



I did not return home until afternoon. The 

 first thing that greeted me upon opening the door 

 was what appeared to be a snow-storm. The en- 

 tire room seemed filled with a cloud of down. It 

 floated up to the ceiling; it covered the carpet. I 

 was amazed. What could it mean ? Of course I 

 looked for the cause, and, I must confess, with a 

 beating heart and sad forebodings. There, upon 

 the table, lay the remains of my canary, headless, 

 and largely plucked. There was something pathetic 

 even in his dying attitude. I looked for the chick- 

 ens ; but the floating cloud of down was all that indi- 

 cated that they had ever existed. However thought- 

 less or heartless I may have been before, I broke 

 down then and groaned aloud. These innocent crea- 

 tures had been sacrificed through my heedlessness 

 and bad management. They were under my care 

 and protection ; I had made myself responsible for 

 their welfare and happiness, and yet I had exposed 

 them to their natural enemy. Voluntarily assuming 

 the office of guardian, I had basely betrayed my 



