220' 



TOMMIE, -A PET' PBAIRJE-DOG. 



'" Here, Miss ^ Jean," said the gentleman; "I have brought a little 

 prairie-dog for yo.u to tame and pet." 



I was glad, and thanked my friend very kindly. Tommie's home 

 was a hole in the ground, and there he lived with an owl and a 

 rattlesnake. The gentleman had caught him by pouring water in 

 the hole. Tommie ran out to keep from being drowned. 



I tied him to 

 Carrie d li i m 

 few day 

 stand on 



a little stake in the yard and 

 some bread and water. In a 

 knew me well. He would 

 hind feet and bark whenever 

 I came near. 



He was a very active little 

 fellow, and Avas never still 

 except when asleep, or Avhen 

 I scratched his head. Often 

 when sleepy he would dart 

 up my sleeve, nestle on my 

 shoulder, and sleep there for 

 an hour. When he became 

 very tame I untied the string 

 and let him go Avhere he 

 pleased. The house was on 

 a farm, and sometimes he 

 would wander a quarter of a 

 mile away. I would stand 



on the porch and call •' Tommie," and he would return, jumping 



and barking all the way. 



One day he ate too much squash, and it made him sick. I found 



him standing on his hind feet, with one hand on his fat little 



stomach and the other on his head. He looked like a dejected little 



old gentleman. He never ate squash again. 



When it was cold he w^ould stand by the fire and warm his hands 



like a little boy. When I left my former home I brought him with 



me; but he soon died. I was very sorry, and missed him very 



much. 



