picked him up, but found him as lively 
as evel 
a sun bath, and now he takes one every | 
morning. One morning it was quite 
cold when we came in from our walk, 
When he did the same thing | 
over again I understood he was taking | 
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 
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 
one side, open his bill and drink in the | 
warm air. For six weeks he strongly 
objected to taking a water bath, and | 
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. 
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, put 
One morning everything was | 
his bill in just a little way, then went | 
the rounds; did it all over again, put- | 
tine his bill. in.a little turther “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. 
covered him with the trimming of my 
robe de nuit. 
shivering like a person having a hard 
chill. He ,keptvery still-antie his 
feathers were dry enough to be dressed. | 
Such shaking, dressing of feathers, and 
prinking I never saw. 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. 
I could not do anything with him, | 
until I let him get on my bare neck, and | 
He was soaking wet and | 
One | 
we went. I knowl 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 | write is 
always on my shoulder, arm or hand. 
His favorite place to sit is on my left 
hand between my first fingerand 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 about 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. Aftera 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 IJ tell 
him I am going to leave him. If I go 
out of my room and tell him he cannot 
go, he will sit on a chair by an open 
(Continued on page 48.) 
44 
