Year: 1877

ing the grape with him. He would say,
"Will you have it now, or wait until you
can get it2" Maybe he would come back
and maybe he wouldn't.


But the Pink Parrots day came at last
The Grey Boy had watch lately given
him, lovely-O! a little darling of a gold
watch, that would tick, and need to be real
"truly" wound up at night. 1t had a fob
| chain and some charms-anchors and bells
| and bows and arrows, mimic skates and
ball-bats-eYerything, in fact, that would
interest boy, and render his life perfectly
delightful, was attached to the Grey Boys
| fob-cha'n.


The Grey Boy, one morning, the Gath Of
| December, in fact, was to take the half
past nine train, all by himself, to join his
| papa and mamma at his grandpas in the
country. He had been left in town, with
the house keeper, until school should close.
The Grey Boy had had breakfast, and
| was now all ready to go. 1t had been q
| hasty meal, but was there not to be stuffed
turkey and cranberry sauce for dinner
He had bid the housekeeper good morning,
and had gone up stairs for the bunch of hot
| house rosebuds and the Hdrper's Magazine
he was to take to mamma, and to brush his
coat and put on his watch.


lie had left them up there on the sitting
room table, in readiness, altogether, mo-
ment ago. And now, how could he be-
lieve his eyes, that his watch was not on
the table! The Grey Boy was in double dis
may. II was near tfain-time, and then the
| idea that g sneak-thief had been in the
house He ran up to his room, to see ii he
could have left the watch in its case he
ran down, calling aloud to the house-keep-
| er as he went. But she had stepped out
He ran back again, and stood still, looking
blankly at the table.


All at once, high over his head, there was
a shrill cackle of laughter. The Grey Boy
looked up. He gave an angry cry. There,
in the ebony ring which had been attached
to the ceiling for his swing, high out of
reach, swung the Pink Parrot. The gold
watch was between his claws, the chain
glittering as it hung. AS he met the Grey
Boys eyes, he cackled again and laughed
maliciously.


"Wait bit |" "wait bit!" he shrieked.


The Grey Boy danced with rage. While
he was dancing he heard the whistle of the
half-past nine train. He wildly flew down
to the kitchen. The housekeeper had not
returned He flew up stairs again, and,
tears running down his cheeks, he flew out
into the street.


| Ht ~ AN'N ~ hS"t Va "SAS NAhAA wv
can get it?"


This was what the naughty Pink Parrot
shrieked after him, cacking with detisive
laughter until he nearly fell off his ring.


Just sobbing with helpless rage, the Grey
Boy rushed up the walk toward tall msn
in blue with star on bis breast. "Plice
/ say, p'lice"


The policeman was greatly puzzled by
the queer, half-understood request but be
went into the house. And whether the Pink
Parrot had been used to seeing policemen
in the green forests of Australia and knew
him at once, l cannot say; but knew he
started, lodged. and nearly tumbled out of
the ring when they entered, aud carefully
taking the watch in his beak, he carefully
dropped down to the table with it, and
leaving it, scrambled out of the room as
fast as ever he could, squeallng and cack-
ing like an imp.


The Grey Boy had his watch again, un.
hurt but the day was spoiled, his luscious
grape was not brought back. The train
was gone, and he had to stay in town al
through lonely Chris'ma day, and eat 6
commonplace dinner with the housekeeper
And the Pink Parrot laughed Wi1
Andke