DEATH OF ELISHEBA 171 



he crouched down by her side and watched with deep con- 

 cern to see the result. I laid my hand upon her heart to 

 ascertain if the last hope was gone ; he looked at me, and 

 then placed his own hand by the side of mine, and held it 

 there as if he knew the purport of the act. Of course to him 

 this had no real meaning, but it was an index to the desire 

 which prompted it. He seemed to think that anything that 

 I did would be good for her, and his purpose, doubtless, 

 was to aid me. When I removed my hand, he removed his ; 

 when I returned mine, he did the same ; and to the last he 

 gave evidence of his faith in my friendship and good inten- 

 tions. His ready approval of anything I did showed that 

 he had a vague idea of my purpose. 



At length the breast grew still, and the feeble beating 

 of the heart ceased. The lips were parted, and the dim 

 eyes were halfway closed ; but he sat by as if she were 

 asleep. The sturdy keeper came to remove the body from 

 the cage ; but Aaron clung to it and refused to allow him 

 to touch it. I took the little mourner in my arms, but he 

 watched the keeper jealously and did not want him to 

 remove or disturb the body. It was laid on a bunch of 

 straw in front of the cage, and he was returned to his place ; 

 but he clung to me so firmly that it was difficult to release 

 his hold. He cried in a piteous tone and fretted and wor- 

 ried, as if he fully realized the worst. The body was then 

 removed from view, but poor little Aaron was not consoled. 

 How I pitied him ! How I wished that he was again in his 

 native land, where he might find friends of his own race ! 



After this he grew more attached to me than ever. 

 When I went to visit him he was happy and cheerful in 



