Page:Saunders - Beautiful Joe, 1893.djvu/71

66 lady," she said, in a cracked whisper, "give Bella a kiss."

The boys were so pleased with this, and set up such a shout, that their mother came into the room and said they had better take the parrot out to the stable. Bella seemed to enjoy the fun. "Come on, boys," she screamed as Henry Smith lifted her on his finger. "Ha, ha, ha—come on, let's have some fun. Where's the guinea pig? Where's Davy the rat? Where's Pussy? Pussy, pussy come here. Pussy, pussy, dear, pretty puss."

Her voice was shrill and distinct, and very like the voice of an old woman who came to the house for rags and bones. I followed her out to the stable, and stayed there until she noticed me and screamed out, "Ha, Joe, Beautiful Joe! Where's your tail? Who cut your ears off?"

I don't think it was kind in the cabin boy to teach her this, and I think she knew it teased me, for she said it over and over again, and laughed and chuckled with delight. I left her, and did not see her till the next day, when the boys had got a fine, large cage for her.

The place for her cage was by one of the hall windows; but everybody in the house got so fond of her that she was moved about from one room to another.

She hated her cage, and used to put her head close to the bars and plead, "Let Bella out; Bella will be a good girl. Bella won't run away."

After a time, the Morrises did let her out, and she kept her word and never tried to get away. Jack put a little handle on her cage door so that she could open and shut it herself, and it was very amusing to hear her say in the morning, "Clear the track, children! Bella's going to take a walk," and see her turn the handle with her claw and