THE MAGPIE. 
335 
from the house, rendered this trick very easy to be practised, and he 
seemed to take great delight in it when successful, and many a hearty 
curse he received from the wearied subject of his practical joke, as soon 
as he had discovered the individual, who had so importunately called 
him back. 
“ He was particularly fond of any shining article, such as spoons 
and trinkets ; these he frequently stole, and we came upon his treasure- 
house in a laughable way. There was an old gentleman, a great friend 
of my father, who resided with us almost continually. He was of a 
peculiarly studious disposition, but from a deformity in his person used 
generally to read standing, with his arms and breast resting on the 
back of a chair, and the book placed on a table before him ; after having- 
read for a while, it was his habit to take off his spectacles, lay them 
beside him, blow his nose, take a pinch of snuff, and after a few mo- 
ments, pondering what he had been reading, resume the spectacles and 
proceed. One very warm day, I lay reading at the end of a room, in 
which there was an open glass door leading to the greenhouse ; in this 
room the old gentleman was most intently pursuing his studies at a 
little distance from me. My attention was soon arrested by seeing the 
magpie perched upon the chair near him, eyeing him most intently and 
with a very arch expression, and at length, in an instant, he had with 
a most active hop touched the table, secured the red leather spectacle- 
case, and was out of the glass door with the most noiseless wing and 
with a very graceful motion. I remained quiet, resolved to see the end 
of the joke ; after a few seconds 5 absence, £ Jack 5 was again at his post, 
eyeing the old gentleman with a most inquisitive and yet business-like 
glance ; it was nearly impossible to resist the ludicrous impression pro- 
duced by the entire scene : at length off came the spectacles, and out 
came the pocket-handkerchief and snuff-box ; quick as thought Jack 
had invaded the table, and was out of the open door with the prize, 
which I have no doubt had from the beginning been the object of his 
covetous admiration, while they were on the nose of the old gentleman. 
This time the magpie did not return, either because he found it more 
difficult to reach his storehouse with the spectacles than with the case, 
or because, having gained the object of his ambition, he conceived his 
presence no longer necessary. At length the period of rumination 
having elapsed, the old gentleman set about replacing the spectacles ; 
as soon as his surprise had abated at not finding them with his hands 
