Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1900-08-16
Pitawitan's Nightmare
By Katherine Yates.


pies VIII cost six times two, Whlch Is
which is-oh, dearl ] always get jus
so far, and then ! can never do th
rest" and a very large frown puck
cred Dorothy's forehead until j
looked like the crinkly pink hbert!
silk on her own Sunday hat. TheI
she tipped back in the big rocking
chair in the bay window, where She
an arithmetic and a tablet had beer
having a sort of wrestle, and, making
fine, large paper wad she threw j
at Pitawitan, the canary. who hung
in a gilt cage in the window
Pitawitan did not even dodge, but
only craned his yellow neck a lit
tie, eying the bit of paper with beady
black eyes, and then began to trilI
pretty little notes and whistles, final
ly breaking into such a volume Of
song as threatened 10 burst bis little
| throat.
Dorothy looked ashamed and turned
back to her arithmetic. If one apple
costs two cents"
Cheap, cheap" called the canary.
Dorothy laughed. "Of course they
are cheap Pitawitan."
"WeI, didn't 1 say SOP" answered
| Pitawitan.
Dorothy pursed mp her lips. "Oh,
you needn't expect me 10 be surprised
TO hear YOU speak, for if Pusskins and
the Guinea pig talk, I suppose that
there is no reason why you should
not. / have been expecting 10 for
some time
Glad it didn't give you a shock"
said Pitawitan, sarcastically.
And it's funny" went on Dorothy
in an aggrieyed tone. that you furry
and feathery folk are so good-natured
until you begin TO talk, and then you
are as cross and snippy and i'll tenn
pered as can be- Here you have been
singing as happy as anything all
morning, and now"
Singing! Who said I was singing?
Who said l was happy?"
why. ! heard you singing my own
self" exclaimed Dorothy, Just as
cheerful and jolly even after threw
that paper wad at you"
Singing" repeated Pitawitan
again disdainfully. Singing! Do
you call that singing, when l was
just sitting here telling you what an
ugly, disagreeable. ill-natured girl
you are to throw things at me, mere
ly because you couldn't get your les
son? You call that singing, do you?'
Dorothy looked disturbed. Were
you really talking to me like that?
Why, I thought that you were always
happy when you were singing"
1T is not singing, I tell you" cried
angrily; ut is just talk
ing, and lot Of good il does to talk
to folk in this house. too"
why" exclaimed Dorothy, indig-
nantly; 81 think that you have a love
ly home I'm sure I'd like TO live just |
the same way; in a beautiful gold |
house hung on spring, so that ii |
sways all the time just like a ham /
mock; no lessons to get, and lovely /
Kings to eat; there's a Big lump of
iugar in Your cage all the time, and
hat is just the same as If I had a
chocolate drop twice as big as my
read 10 nibble whenever I chose.
we seen them as large as that and
lways just longed for enc And then
here is your seed; that's just the
anne as uuts-walnuts and pecans-
nd then there's cutie fish, and that's
ust the same as-as-weu, Wen call
hat bread; and then there's always
resh fruit, and water, and a lovely
lass bathtub, and a swing where you
an swing whenever you wish-oh. I'd
ust love 10 live in a place like that
nd no lessons at all" she added
gain.
Pitawitan looked Disguised as well
S he could, "Oh, yes, a lovely life" !
e exclaimed And how would YOU
EEL if folk sometimes forgot 10 give ]
GU food all day?"
But there's the sugar" said Dor
thy.
We'll, how would you like TO have
othing but chocolate drops to eat for
day at a time, and not drop Of :
resh water, when they made you SO
hirsty that you were fairly cboked? Z
nd then suppose that when YOU be-
an calling for some one TO bring YOU
,od because you were nearly starved. {
'lks would say: DO just listen to
hat dear little bird sing. Isn't he
ute the happiest little fellow that You I
yer saw| And then when YOU grow
and screech so loud that YOU
early split your throat some one says:
Bless his jolly little heart; hasn't he !
he most joyous song? But IL is just a !
life too shrill, Marie. viii You please I
lrow a towel over pitawitan's cage. ]
e is little too noisy Howwould you !
he that Q"
Dorothy looked grave. But. Pita- y
itan. how are We 10 know what You I
e asking for, when we can't under
and what you say2"
Merely by coming 10 see what I ]
Fed. But anyway, how would You
he 10 be shut up in a prison the whole 81
me, even IF IL were a gold one? II
Mt much fun, can tell YOU: and T
link that you must see me free 10 @
DUR room for a few minutes once IL