DEATH Of^ AARON AND ELISHEBA 139 



On the morning of her decease, I found him sit- 

 ting by her as usual. At my approach he quietly 

 rose to his feet, and advanced to the front of the 

 cage. Opening the door, I put my arm in and 

 caressed him. He looked into my face, and then 

 at the prostrate form of his mate. The last dim 

 sparks of life were not yet gone out, as the slight 

 motion of the breast betrayed, but the limbs were 

 cold and limp. While I leaned over to examine 

 more closely, he crouched down by her side and 

 watched with deep concern 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 gave evidence of his faith in my friend- 

 ship and good intentions. 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 half-way 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 



