Concerning the " Pretty Lady " 



denly to accost him after the manner peculiar to 

 its kind. 



It was funnier, even, to see Mr. McGinty on the 

 morning after his arrival at the farm, as he sallied 

 forth and made acquaintance with other of God's 

 creatures than humans and cats, and the natural 

 enemy of his kind, the dog. In his suburban home 

 he had caught rats and captured on the sly many an 

 English sparrow. When he first investigated his new 

 quarters on the farm, he discovered a beautiful flock 

 of very large birds led by one of truly gorgeous 

 plumage. 



" Ah! " thought Mr. McGinty, "this is a great and 

 glorious country, where I can have such birds as 

 these for the catching. Tame, too. I'll have one 

 for breakfast." 



So he crouched down, tiger-like, and crept care- 

 fully along to a convenient distance and was prepar- 

 ing to spring, when the large and gorgeous bird 

 looked up from his worm and remarked : — 



" Cut-cut-cut, ca-dah-cut ! " and, taking his wives, 

 withdrew toward the barn. 



Mr. McGinty drew back amazed. "This is a 

 queer bird," he seemed to say ; " saucy, too. How- 

 ever, I'll soon have him," and he crept more carefully 

 than before up to springing distance, when again 

 this most gorgeous bird drew up and exclaimed, 

 with a note of annoyance: — 



"Cut-cut-cut, ca-dah-cut! What ails that old cat, 



>9 



