Nina Smith--you know Nina,
Joe, the girl that has black eyes and wears blue ribbons, and lives
around the corner--stepped up to the piano, and banged out a fine loud
march. The doors at the side of the platform opened, and out came the
animals, two by two, just like Noah's ark. There was a pony with a
monkey walking beside it and holding on to its mane, another monkey on a
pony's back, two monkeys hand in hand, a dog with a parrot on his back,
a goat harnessed to a little carriage, another goat carrying a birdcage
in its mouth with two canaries inside, different kinds of cats, some
doves and pigeons, half a dozen white rats with red harness, and
dragging a little chariot with a monkey in it, and a common white gander
that came in last of all, and did nothing but follow one of the ponies
about.
"The Italian spoke of the gander, and said it was a stupid creature, and
could learn no tricks, and he only kept it on account of its affection
for the pony. He had got them both on a Vermont farm, when he was
looking for show animals. The pony's master had made a pet of him, and
had taught him to come whenever he whistled for him.
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