picked him up, but found him as lively 

 as ever. When he did the same thing 

 over again I understood he was taking 

 a sun bath, and now he takes one every 

 morning. One morning it was quite 

 cold when we came in from our walk, 

 and I sat down in front of the fire with 

 Little Billee on my knee. It was 

 amusing to see him put his head on 

 one side, open his bill and drink in the 

 warm air. For six weeks he strongly 

 objected to taking a water bath, and I 

 really suppose he was too young and 

 knew best. I left a little dish for sev- 

 eral days on the floor by the side of his 

 cage, but he was very careful not to go 

 near it. One morning everything was 

 very quiet, I on my bed and Little Bil- 

 lee playing about the room. Soon he 

 went to the dish, looked in all four 

 corners, came back to the first one, pat 

 his bill in just a little way, then went 

 the rounds; did it all over again, put- 

 ting his bill in a little further, and 

 shaking off the water. After debating 

 a long time he got on the edge of the 

 dish, put his head in until it was all wet, 

 then screwed up all his courage and 

 in he went. Such a droll little figure 

 as he cut, standing there with his body 

 and head held as high as he could get 

 them, his wings out just a little, not 

 knowing what to do next. All I could 

 think of was a very timid child going 

 in wading for the first time, with long 

 thin legs, very short frock, and arms 

 akimbo. His fear soon left him, and 

 he was bathing like an old stager. 

 When he finished he got out, gave him- 

 self two or three good shakes, then 

 came over to the bed, and asked me to 

 take him. I did him up in my hand- 

 kerchief, but that did not suit him at 

 all. I could not do anything with him, 

 until I let him get on my bare neck, and 

 covered him with the trimming of my 

 robe de 7iuit. He was soaking wet and 

 shivering like a person having a hard 

 chill. He kept very still until his 

 feathers were dry enough to be dressed. 

 Such shaking, dressing of feathers, and 

 prinking I never ?aw. When his toilet 

 was made to suit him he nestled down 

 under my chin, and we both slept for an 

 hour. Every day we go through the 

 same performance after the bath. One 



( Coutinued 



day I wanted to do something in my 

 dressing-room, so thought Little Billee 

 could take his bath and dry himself. 

 Soon I began to hear very mournful 

 peeps, and I came out to find Little 

 Billee, soaking wet, standing in front of 

 my bed, thinking I was there and teas- 

 ing for me to take him. Of course I 

 could not resist such pleading, so to bed 

 we went. I know I am completely spoil- 

 ing him, but he is such a dear no one 

 could help it. 



Little Billee has taken a great in- 

 terest in this tale, and when 1 write is 

 always on my shoulder, arm or hand. 

 His favorite place to sit is on my left 

 hand between my first finger and thumb, 

 as they hold my portfolio on my lap, 

 and peck at my paper and pen. One 

 day he took the pen full of ink into his 

 bill then threw the ink all over my 

 paper. Little Billee has great fun tak- 

 ing the paper off from the bottom of 

 his cage, and carrying it all afcout the 

 room, and will take it out as fast as I 

 put it in. The other day he went into 

 his cage, took the furthest corner of 

 the paper in his bill, backed out bring- 

 ing the paper over his head until it was 

 all on the floor, then went over to the 

 opposite corner, took that in his bill, 

 backed off the paper until he came to 

 the end, then went around in a circle 

 like the wind, for perhaps a dozen times, 

 with the paper perfectly straight out 

 just like a sail. After a few moments I 

 put the paper back, he took it right out 

 in the same way and did it all over again. 



A number of weeks have passed since 

 I began Little Billee's biography. He 

 grows more wonderful every day, and 

 his devotion to me is simply marvel- 

 ous. Every day he does some new 

 cunning thing and seems to understand 

 everything I say to him. 



The other day he would not come to 

 me when I put down my hand, but ran 

 across the room. After trying for 

 some time to make him mind, I got 

 up and said, " Billee, I am going away 

 and leave you," and started out into 

 the hall. He came chasing after me. 

 and now will always do it when I tell 

 him I am going to leave him. If I go 

 out of my room and tell him he ca7i?iot 

 . go, he will sit on a chair by an open 

 on page 4S. \ 



