"GENEKAL BEM. " 279 



purpose of throwing Mm off his guard. At last, Bern was 

 on the other side of the room, the thrush had been eyeing 

 a dainty morsel which Bern had dropped about two feet from 

 him. He looked, Bern was too much engaged to notice him, he 

 could easily venture he would he did. Bern, whose keen 

 eye had seen all, darted like lightning, and before the thrush 

 could turn about and seize again the contested treasure, Bern 

 had alighted on the centre of the bed the only place in the 

 room where the thrush would not follow him and there 

 quietly tore the grape to pieces and left it. 



But, alas ! we had to send our brave, sagacious Bern home 

 again. We were to make a long journey to the South, and. 

 he must stay behind. Ah, the poor fellow knew as well as 

 we, that we were bidding him adieu. He pecked our fin- 

 gers in great distress, and bit our lips till the blood came, in 

 the energy of his farewell while he uttered such sad low 

 cries as made us mourn for many a day in the remembrance. 



During our absence we wrote frequently inquiring of Bern, 

 and many an injunction to him, to live and die, if need be, 

 the same brave general we had known him. We never ex- 

 pected to see him again ; but, after a year of wanderings, we 

 did return to our old home. At once we went to see the 

 general, little dreaming that we should be remembered. 

 What was our surprise, then, when we called " Bern ! Bern ! 

 General Bern !" to see our dear friend and pet dart down to 

 us from his hiding-place, and most evidently recognize us 

 his eye sparkling, his scalp feathers raised, his wings droop- 

 ing, and that same low cry which had haunted us so long, 

 greeting us again. Our happiness was real and when we 

 offered him the white paper, he instantly darted upon it, and 

 tore it asunder to get the well-remembered treasure he had 

 always found within. 



Again Bern went home with us this time to fill our 

 hearts with affection by his quaint impish ways and gentle 

 waywardness. Now, he became a privileged character ; my 

 paint-box was his especial admiration he treated it with 



