i6o 



down with rocks. " I'll jest keep you in there and 

 maybe I can sell you," said Patrick. 



Sure enough the next day he found a darky 

 who would be glad to buy the opossum from him. 

 The darky was so pleased at the thought of the 

 feast which the 'possum would make, served up at 

 dinner with roasted sweet potatoes and onions, that 

 he grinned like an ogre. 



While Patrick and he were still bargaining, one 

 of the young clerks in the office happened to over- 

 hear them. "An opossum and young ones!" he 

 cried, "Why, I'll buy them, Pat. I've always 

 wanted to see if opossums are really untamable. 

 The natural histories say they are." 



So Mother 'Possum was saved from the pot or 

 oven, for that time, at least. Instead, she and her 

 babies were taken to the young clerk's room and 

 made at home in a fine, big cage. 



But it seemed for a while as though Mother 'Pos- 

 sum meant to starve herself to death. She would 

 not eat anything. Milk, raw eggs, raw meat, and 

 chicken were offered to her, but she would not 

 touch them. 



One morning her master had nothing for her 

 but condensed milk that he had for his coffee. 



