The National tribune., 1890-10-16

OF this strategy, the cage was brought TO me
"mauana the very next day-aud finally
consented to accept it ct lower but sufficient
price. IN il ] put my special charge, and be-
slowed upon him without any iormality the
not entirely original name of Dick
With goat milk. aud bapanas. and nuts. and
tastes of sugar. aud tastes of almost everything
from NY table, Dick grey fast and slept rs well
as ate. In q short time he got so that the
moment be saw ue near &c few 10 the barred
window Of his &c, or out into the wheel with
which 10 was provided, where he took his cx-
ercise, aud begged hard 10 be taken out
pnshing bis nose through the uuharred spaces
reaching out Tor me with his paws and making
crabs at my hama OF clothing, and keeping up
d peculiar granting sound.
One tropical day, while ! sat trying 10 write
with the perspiTs;iun raining down upon my
desk and paper, except when / intercepted
il with great soft sponge instead OF "A hand
kerchiei, that being cooler aud less Irritating
10 my face, heard all at once terrible squesl-
ing from the back Of the patio. where Dick
y rs In his cage. ! ran out OF my ROOM fearful
that cat had invaded the house ut last, and
heard th, squeal die into little moan. In a
moment ] was at the cage, aud there was my
bright little pet, lying on his Ride scarcely
stirring; aud when he saw me be just Jay still
in q faint alter one feeble grunt. There was
no cat in sight. but tie trouble was soon up-
parent The tip hairs OF Dick s splendid bushy
tail. OF which was nroud, II be was not. had
beea caught bv the pivot Of the wheel Of the
cage Just Is 10 entered the wheel. and so
started IL motion; aud 81 as he sprang from
the pull, the wheel kept turning. with a con-
tiHuaiy increasing twist. until poor Dick s
tail was wTuuE IS no squirrels ever was before,
probably; and the pain had left him seuseless.
A. once ! gently removed the wheel and un-
twisted lhc Involuntary Wrapping off the
pivot; aud then, after restoring the tail 10 its
natural shape as nearly aud with rs much care
a. ] could, during which time Duck scarcely
moved. / took the poor liitlo fellow to the
fountain close al hand aud sprinkled him with
wafer. Ibig ed him at last, and after
letting him lie ia my lap awhile replaced him
IN his cage, bat took care 10 fastcu the wheel,
where he slept away his pain but 10 took him
some davs TO fully recover from the effects OF
that fearful twisting, and out Of sympathy
aiiowed much Of the time 10 be passed n the
freedom OF the house.
rs 10 tie rest OF ibis squirrel family they
became re-established in tie home in the wall
and although with my revolver ! shot throu~h
the head that cat which had persisted iu sitting
Oh the watch above the bush, other cats came,
50 that II was only eat Of = 8 !fcrent color,
bot surely ct. which was 70 be seen appar-
cntl. gently doing in The sunshine. but surely
on the watch. And theirs was limit 70 my
=
pTGIlcr = man 10 uniform aud armed with
something in case a. his side which was
longer tnan caryiuR.luifc aud shorter than ii
sword, had come 10 nay door very promptly,
galltei me very politely, and informed me
very cautiously Of something which knew
by heart before; and that was that IL was not
permitted for one to shoot within the city
Limits. ! SAN that more shooting would not
be wise. il would interfere with protection,
perhaps. 50 had 70 let the old squirrel look
out FOR herself
At leERth She disappeared and left 40 trace
u herself perhaps 10 freedom. possibly by the
ai4 If The iclIu; waii-aIuamcuts. Not having
seen her FOR many days ] again got the ladder
aud pad her home Il visit. No one came 10
the dC0r and ali was silent. But there was a
trace Of the little one, which, without growing
much, had died. The bush grew On IN the
wall; tie cats made 40 more long visits Both
nest aud val! were uniTegucHfcd and desolate
Somehow ! felt "a little sad, aud regretted that
the mountain charcoa! burner had brought me
a pr'sept ~ thing which loved its liberty
and had come % any loss through my accept
aHcc.
had adopted Dick, and had 10 take care
Of bin a. well AS / could. He seemed 20 like
my society 70 well that could not free myself
from him easily, even when nay time was vain.