360 SAD END OF A PET. 



most profound admiration for little me. I was quite heartless, only shrugging my shoulders 

 and turning away. 



" But I do not know exactly how it came about ; in a few weeks I had the painted finch 

 and the Bullfinch quite domesticated in my room, and though I still said I did not love him, 

 yet I talked a great deal to the bird, and as the little fellow grew more and more cheerful and 

 sang louder and oftener each day, and was getting so handsome, I found plenty of reasons for 

 increasing my attention to him, and then abov^e all things he seemed to need my presence quite 

 as much as sunshine, for if I went away, if only to my breakfast, he would utter the most 

 piteous and incessant cries until I returned to him, when in a breath his tones were changed 

 a.nd he sang liis most enchanting airs. He made himself most fascinating by Ms polite adora- 

 tion ; he never considered himself sufficiently well dressed ; he was most devoted in his efforts 

 to enchain me by his melodies. Art and nature both were called to his aid, until, finally, 

 I could no longer refrain from expressing in no measured terms my admiration. He was then 

 satisfied, not to cease his attention, but to take a step further ; he presented me with a straw, 

 and even with increased appearance of adulation. 



" From that time he claimed me wholly ; no one else could approach the cage ; he would 

 fight most desperately if any one dared to :ii)])r()acli, and if they laid a finger on me his fury 

 was unbounded ; he would dash himself against the l)ars of his cage, and bite the wires as if 

 he would obtain liis liberty at all hazards, and thiis be enabled to punish the offender. 



" If I went away now lie would first mourn, then endeavor to win me back by sweet 

 songs. In the morning I was awakened by his cries, and if I but moved m.y hand, his moans 

 were changed to glad greetings. If I sat too quietly at my drawing, he would become weary 

 seemingly, and caU me to him ; if I would not come, he would say in gentle tone, ' Come 

 here ! come here ! ' so distinctly that all my friends recognized the meaning of the accents at 

 once, and then he would sing to me. All the day he would watch me ; if I was cheerful, 

 he sang and was so gay ; if I was sad, he would sit by the hour watching every movement, and 

 if I arose from my seat I was called, ' Come-e-here ; ' and whenever he could manage it, if the 

 wind blew my hair within his cage he would cut it off, calling me to help him, as if he thought 

 I had no right to wear anything else than feathers, and if I would have hair it was only suit- 

 ab\e to nest-building ! If I let him fly about the room with the painted finch, he would follow 

 so close on my footsteps that I was in constant terror that he would be stepped upon or lost in 

 following me from the room. At last he came to the conclusion that I could not build a 

 nest ; I never seemed to understand what to do with the nice materials he gave me, and when 

 I offered to return them, he threw his body to one side and looked at me so drolly from 

 one eye, that I was quite abashed. From that time he seemed to think I must be a very young 

 creature, and more assiduously fed me at stated periods during the day, throwing up from his 

 own stomach the half -digested food for my benefit, precisely in the manner of feeding young 

 birds. 



"But I did not like this sort of relationship very much, and determined to keep it down, 

 and forthwith commenced by coldly refusing to be fed, and as fast as I could bring my 

 hard heart to do it, breaking down all the gentle bonds between us. 



' ' The result was sad enough ; the poor fellow could not bear it. He sat in wondering 

 grief ; he would not eat. At night I tooli him in my hand and held him to my cheek ; 

 he nestled closely and seemed more happy, although his little heart was too full to let 

 him speak. In the morning I scarcely answered his tender low call, 'Come-e-here!' but I 

 sat down to my drawing, thinking if I could be so cold much longer to so gentle and uncom- 

 plaining a creature. 



" I presently arose and went to the cage. Oh, my poor, poor bird ; he lay strviggling on 

 the floor. I took him out, I tried to call him back to life in every way that I knew, but it was 

 useless ; I saw lie was dying, his little frame was even then growing cold within my warm 

 palm. I uttered the call he knew so well ; he threw back his head with its yet nndimmed 

 eye and tried to answer — the effort was made with his last breath. His eye glazed as I gazed, 

 and his attitude was never changed ; his little heart was broken. I can never forgive myself 

 for my cruelty." 



