GALLAHER A STORY OF JIM-THE NORMAL SCHOOL SQUIRREL 253 



moment it was his and his alone. When I wanted it it was 

 sure to be in Jim.'s bed. When I tried to use it, he would run 

 up my arm., grab the comer and pull with his might. When he 

 finally got his treasure he would sit holding it in his paws and 

 licking it, One day he began to lick a piece of velvet in the same 

 way. So I decided it was the softness that he liked. Still when 

 he was given another piece of chamois skin he cared nothing 

 for it. So it is difficult to say what did attract the little creat- 

 ure. 



I never allowed Jim in my desk drawer. For that reason I 

 suppose, it was very attractive to him. If he was in another 

 part of the room and I started to open the drawer, he would 

 make a dash for it. Into it he would go, seize a roll of passpar- 

 tout paper or a paint brush. Those two articles seemed most 

 desirable to him. 



One could never imagine a pet more playful then little Jim. 

 He dearly loved to run up and down over one, playing a regular 

 gam.e of tag if one pretended to catch him. Just once I tried 

 writing letters when Jim was around. When he grabbed my 

 pen a few tim.es and my arm a few more times I decided that such 

 an occupation did not meet with his approval. He played with 

 a piece of cloth or carpet in regular kitten fashion but really 

 seemed to enjoy playing with people more. Such fine times 

 as we did have on the bed ! I held a handkerchief by the corners. 

 Jim seized it and then I gave him a toss into the air. Down he 

 would come, turn over two or three summ.ersaults on the bed 

 and then rush back for another toss. When he tired of romping 

 he would stretch him.self out at full length, all of his paws and 

 his tail extended, and rest a short tim.e. Then back he would 

 come ready to continue the gam.e. Often he would come over 

 to the bed before I was awake in the morning. It was also a 

 favorite trick of his to pull out m.y hair pins and comb. 



Little Jim. never seemed to dislike being petted except when 

 at his meals. Toward the end of the summer he demanded 

 petting. He was especially fond of having his ears and face 

 rubbed. It seemed a pleasiu-e to him. to lick one's liand and often 

 he would rim his mouth over one's face, taking little nii)s witii his 

 lips. These two acts seem.ed to be his expression of affection. 



He was a very friendly little chap, so long as his visitors were 

 of the female sex he showed no fear. But if a man entered tlic 



