How the Story Was Written 85 



gan to write both to my publishers and 

 myself for " further particulars about 

 Scraggles," I felt that I ought to give 

 to others some of the joy and delight 

 and benefit I and mine had in our inter- 

 course with her. 



Dear little Scraggles ! I little thought 

 when I first saw you struggling to get 

 away from me, as if afraid I might de- 

 vour you, that we should so soon be- 

 come such inseparable friends. It was 

 a sudden impulse that led me to pick 

 you up and take you home, and though 

 the loving hearts there welcomed you, 

 they realized better than I did the 

 trouble you would be. But somehow 

 that did not deter us from making you 

 one of us, and you soon recognized the 

 relationship. Our association was short, 



