A JEALOUS Hri.LriM-H. 



finch which w*nt the way of most pets, and perhaps a happier way than that which would 

 have Ut-ii ir:n.-Il.-.l in their neglected state : 



" The lorn of our pet, General Bern, was deeply felt There was a sad vacancy in -,ir 

 houseagain which we di<l not soon i-\j..-.-( t.. h:i\.- iill.-l. H.i,.\,. r . one moraing, while I 

 wept for General I {-in, \\ . .. in will , -:..':. .;.,. >;',- i, n I, , ,,u!.,r,.!i , I'.mliim I, 



'See!' said he, 'I hare brought a fin- Hulllin, -h t.. diver you ; be sings very swretly 

 several German airs, and it will till Bem'H place a littl.- for you.' 



"'No, no, I cannot 1> ( liim -i ; ,\ ; no bird can take Bern* a place; I do not want another bird 

 to love ; tuke him away.' 



Poor little Hobby, I f<>uii<l him in the room of a rough fellow who did not care for him. 

 ami who gladly exchanged tlu< sullen bird, as be called him, for some trinket, A little girl I 

 saw there told me how sweetly he sang, and I determined to have him at any rate. Must I 

 take the poor bird awayt He will be BO startled among my clamorers that he will nf 

 MM_' to me.' 



" ' Well, let the fellow stay, though I assure you I cannot love him.' 



" So he hung the bird-cage on a nail in my room, and I tried to turn my back upon him. 

 I could not help observing, however, that he seemed to relish the glow of my wood fire and 

 the warmth of the room greatly, and was commencing to dress his feathers, and to jump about 

 m his little cage with quite a cheerful air. 



" I thought him at oil events a sensible bird, and determined to give him a larger cage 

 iluiiii.- the day. I then discovered that he had been so unfortunate a* to lose three of 

 his toes, perhaps in the struggles he had made when he had lx<en taken prisoner, by means of 

 the deceitful bird-limed twig, so that he was almost incapable of resistance, if one chose 

 to catch him while in the cage, and then he would only crouch in a corner, and with his bright 

 black eye and beseeching chirp pray to be left at peace. 



KOI a week or more I took but little notice of him. only admmng his irrewistible 

 song, for he became so cheerful as to sing to us once or twice during tin- twenty-four hours. 



"One afternoon, however, I caught myself mimickinc the droll whistle with which he 

 would break his song, and which had precisely the sound we expressed by the whew-o-o-o 

 when we make what we know to be some ludicrous mistake. 



" He instantly repeated it more slowly. I tried again and again till he seemed satisfied, 

 and commenced the first bar of a strain of German music, and then paused. I looked up. 

 ' What, do you mean to teach me your song i ' 



" He repeated the notes, and I essayed to reproduce them ; my effort, however, seemed to 

 amuse the young master, for he drew out to its fullest extent his whew-o-o-o-o, but instantly 

 commenced the bar again. By this time I had become thoroughly interested, and not liking 

 to be laughed at, mode a more successful effort. Thii time Bob seem**! more satisfied, 

 and added a few more notes. When I had achieved these, he repeated all ami put me to the 

 test, and so on through his whole song; every few momenta, however,- evidently enjoying 

 the fantastic mistakes which I made, and uttering his whiMl.- in tin- most prove >kin;ly 

 sarcastic tone. I was greatly amused, and related the story with great gusto on my husband's 

 return. 



"The next morning when I came near the cage, the bird came as near me as he could 



and commenced a pleasant chirping, which evidently meant 'Good-morning to you.' This 



nned in tones resembling his as nearly as I could, an-1 it finally ended by my taking the 



young gentleman into my hand and feeding him. He took his seeds from my tine from 



that time even- m< >rning, for two or three weeks. Then we were to leave C- - for some time, 



and I sent him la, k to W , congratulating myself that I was yet heart-whole as far 



as Bobby was concerned. 



" Iii alvoiit n month we returned, and we called to see the birds. What was my surprise 

 when Master Bullfinch instantly descended from his perch to tin- corner of the cage nearest to 

 my face, and after th- first chirp of greeting commenced singing in a sweet undertone, hover- 

 ing and turning, his feathers lifted, his eyes gleaming, and his whole expression one of the 



