Th^ niorniiig following tlie loss of licr husband 

 &s hmsi^ was seen: m 9. mmi ^^fmmi&i^ em' 

 di^ldA I bKKMlittf in ^ecan&t soirri^w, site tcaiiifiixi^ii 

 in atetiretl imvt of tlio aviary, pondering over 

 tlte severe loss she had just f^ustaincd. 



Wliilst she was thus delivering her soul to 

 grief, a gay, prim drake, who had not long before 

 loat Mi wMeh had been ^ideifimlly 



Mlledj, irimint'd lii-^ beautiful feathers, and, ap- 

 pearing quite lKuul>onie, pitying tho forlorn 

 condition of the bereaved, waddled towards 

 her; and, after devoting much of his time 

 and tkE hl» aifaentioxx to the iiiaibftiinate fBmale, 

 he offered h^ |irotection, and made a thou- 

 sand ]^romises to treat her with more kindness 

 and attention than her dear, dear, lost drake ; 

 she, however, refused all his offers, having 

 made, in dudiMe qm0i^ 4 iolemti irow Id lire 

 and die a widow, if har Haate did not return. 

 From the day she met with her loss, she 

 neglected her usual avocations ; lier jjlumage 

 became ragged and dirty j she was regardless of 



im ^ji^pmmm t (omtk bm and 

 4gciB3iie^ of ^dBght^ wheats she loted ^ tmm iidtb 



him, now absent, and to exeite his brave spirit 

 to drive away all the rivals that miglit attempt 

 even to approach them. But those fleeting hours 



