The National tribune., 1890-10-16

able for work rather than for rest or recrea-
ton. He was dependent upon me for his own
amusement aud for affection he had good
deal of the latter TO return, and demanded
much of the former No kitten could be moro
cunning and playful or show moro apprcCia-
ton of attention.
just after supper was when he was hapPiest
Then he knew | got my great reclining chair
out into the patio before tho fountain, edged
with callas and other water plants, and lit my
pipe. TO enjoy an hour of the cool of tho even
ing" Dick, being released, would scurry few
times around the patio and through the rooms,
and then take n run of few feet straight at
me, alight with flying leap upon my shoulder
If was in tho chair, or climb mo as though
was tree il was standing. Then he would
run all over me- nil my ears and checks with
out ever hurting me. and testify his gladness
in a hundred ways that were pretty and cum
ming When was seated he would roll and play
upon my knees jump up bodily into the air,
mouth my fingers, ovade my attempts to catch
him and then provoke me to try again, until
becoming tired, he would sprawl out rs fiat as
he could make himself upon my knee with
his legs extended sidewisc, and permit me to
smooth his head and back down to the tip of
his tail, with my hand, while he enjoyed it with
shut eyes When ut last he grew tired and
sleepy, and felt il time to rest for the night, he
would get up, find pocket inside my coat or
in my trousers, pull il open with his hand-lke
paws. and creep in. Then turning around and
around, ms if trying to wind himself into ball,
rs he really was, he would reach up paw. draw
the top of the pocket close so rs to exclude the
light, and relapse into quiet. Often, after such
n scene have | cautiously opened the pocket
and peeped carefully in, 10 see Dick fast asleep.
When ! was ready to transfer him TO a place
moro suitable for his nights rest he would
try to nestle closer down, gTowl impatiently,
and sometimes in his half-sleep strike at my
hand quickly with his paw. Putting him at
last in his proper nest, and covering him well,
although in so hot climate he would snuggle
down without half awaking and soon BIO at
whatever there is of squirrel dreams.
One day missed Dick from tho cage and
then from the house. and only found him.
little later, when | saw him running toward
me, out of doors, from a neighbours. He came
in great fright, ran up my body and seated
himself upon my shoulder, and then began
such noise as squirrels make upon trees in the
woods when an intruder is near. Just before
he came so swiftly toward me / had heard a
commotion and scream in my neighbor's
house, and soon learned that Dick had been
the cause of it all. He had escaped from home
through an open door, gone noiseGssly into tho
other house without observation, and up the
stairway 10 the second story. There in a sleep
ing room he found upon the table n sweet trop-
ical fruit entirely TO his taste and sitting down
upon the table, had begun to enjoy his meal
when servant entered
IL may be stated that tho servants usually
negro women, like many Of lighter color, were
afraid OF my pet, and that he was only specially
fond of me- When, therefore, Dick was dis
covered nj his meal, he made some effort TO get
off by the door, which frightened the entering
servant, whose movements and EXPLANATIONS of
surprise in turn frightened him. Attention
was thus attracted from below, and another
. 4 -.
just as Dick was scsmpering down. AS there
was an enemy behind aud before. but an open
door beyond the latter Dick made flying
leap TO the head of the enemy before him and
thence 10 the floor. giving a scratch through
the kinky bair as well as a shock OF surprise on
the way, which accounted for tho scream !
heard, aud only gave voice 10 his own aston
ishmcnt when he was safely upon my shoulder
The incidents of this visit caused much
amusement
After few months, during which ! gave
every night a half hour 10 my pet, and during
which, also, he often sought and generally
found flbert or an English walnut in my
pocket, which he would cling to with paws and
teeth when sometimes tried to take II away
from him. growing aud striking at times with
FIRST one paw and then the othcr-after so long
and constant acquaintance it was hard for me
10 lose the society of little Dick.
/ lost it in this way A young American
couple came 10 the port where lived and
stayed about two weeks. Very naturally. In
foreign city where there were so few Ameri-
cans. we became acquainted; and the lady fell
in love with little Dick aud wished 10 tako
him home with her 10 New York.
As / had not the time to give him tho atten-
ton he required, thought IL better for Dick
and for me to indulge a natural desire 10 please
the lady, and so Dick and his cage were trans
ferrcd 20 her. And It was then that my little
friend got into the most surprising mischief
such perhaps as no other squirrel in all the
world ever got into before or since
Dicks new friends gave him much liberty
in their rooms. because he was so playful, was
not msChievOus with his teeth and leased so
cunningly to be let out Of his cage. One day
when Dick WIS at liberty there was bottle OF
Jamaica rum standing upon "A table with its
cork left ont after a little of IL had been used
for bathing the head. All was still in the room,
for the heat was oppressive, and Dicks new
friends were either doing or reading Finally
a little noise was heard upon the table, and the
lady looked M. There was Dick clear at tho
top Of the bottle. with one arm or fore leg
casped around its neck, dipping the paw of
the other into tho rum, down the neck Of
bottle, and then withdrawing his paw and
licking it. II did not take many of these
experiments To make Mr. Dick giddv, and
the lady watched him with curiosity and
ast0nshment until lie got down with half fall
from the bottle aud staggered away to his cage
There he crawlcd in, covered himself as well
as he could with the cloths OF his nest gruut-
ing angrily al the time. aud went TO sleep, the
FIRST tipsy squirrel ever known.
heard from Dick few weeks later, from
New York whore he arrived safely without
further unsquirrcl-lke adventure, and where
it is quite probable that some Of the readers Of
this biography may have seen him, or formed
his acquaintance.