Once Billy and I followed him upstairs without his
knowing it, but as soon as he saw us he sent us down in a great hurry.
One day Bella walked into his room to inspect the canaries. She was
quite a spoiled bird by this time, and I heard Carl telling the family
afterward that it was as good as a play to see Miss Bella strutting in
with her breast stuck out, and her little, conceited air, and hear her
say, shrilly, "Good morning, birds, good morning! How do you do, Carl?
Glad to see you, boy."
"Well, I'm not glad to see you," he said, decidedly, "and don't you ever
come up here again. You'd frighten my canaries to death." And he sent
her flying downstairs.
How cross she was! She came shrieking to Miss Laura. "Bella loves birds.
Bella wouldn't hurt birds. Carl's a bad boy."
Miss Laura petted and soothed her, telling her to go find Davy, and he
would play with her. Bella and the rat were great friends. It was very
funny to see them going about the house together. From the very first
she had liked him, and coaxed him into her cage, where he soon became
quite at home,--so much so that he always slept there.
Pages:
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97