Page:Babyhood of Wild Beasts.djvu/240

194 trouble bravely through the day, but as night approached, and the darkness crept in, he whimpered miserably from the corner of the big lonesome cage. His keeper was kind and gentle for he pitied the lonely little baby. So he took Dick from the cage, and wrapping him in a warm blanket, tucked him away in a little box with his nursing bottle. A cold snap came and baby Dick took a severe cold. It settled on his lungs and soon developed into pneumonia. Then the battle for the baby's life began. The terrible tightness of the lungs was relieved with molasses and turpentine. Warm milk and beaten egg were given to keep up his failing strength. The keeper took the suffering little one to his own home, and made him a bed behind the kitchen stove. After two perilous weeks, Dick won the long fight and was soon on the road to health. It wasn't long before he was running about the house and making more noise than the whole family put together. He liked to climb up on the bed and sleep on the pillow beside his master. Ah! but those were glorious days!—spent romping with the children, having the run of the whole house, and so many