" said Aunt Electry, who
was ninety years old, lighting her pipe; "only I wish 't some 't 's
sailin' solitary had mates 't 's fit for 'em--how is Vesty?"

"I don't know," I began, afflicted with a sort of lightness of head. I
wanted to take out Uncle Benny's pocket-mirror that I carried with me
now. Was I beautiful, and tall, and fair? What had happened me!

"Lectry 's a great girl for straight-for'ard langwidge," said Miss
Gozeman kindly, pitying my confusion; she was only eighty and did not
smoke.

They led me out more nimbly, almost, than I could follow, to show me
the "stock"--some forlorn, fantastic stumps of trees, long dead, all
whitewashed with tender art! the pet coon, the tame crow, the wicked
goat.

There was another treasure; who, as we came in and sat down to tea,
eyed me from his cage with grudging and disfavor: it was the parrot;
and I presume injunctions were upon him to keep still, but I did not
know.

"Does he talk?" I Inquired kindly.

He snapped viciously at the cage.

"A friend 't had him on shipboard gave him to us long ago," explained
Miss Gozeman, with gentle evasion; "we ain't ever been able to break
him of it." What the habit was of which they had not been able to
break him I sadly inferred.

There was a munificent dish of the green melon and ginger preserves by
my plate. I was chatting with my friends, and at the same time
meditating what to do, when the tame crow, who had slyly entered the
house behind us and stolen Miss Gozeman's spectacles, was now
discovered through the window hastening to hide them in the chip-pile.

My entertainers trotted nimbly out after him. I rose, and, lifting the
cover of the stove, dashed in the contents of my saucer--when I was
startled by a shrill voice and a mocking laugh.

"Oh, I see ye! I'll tell!"

I had forgotten to cover the parrot.

"You are no gentleman if you do!" I retorted, forgetting with whom or
what I was talking.

"Shut up!" said the parrot, and laughed. "I see ye, d--n ye! I'll
tell!"

At all events I turned, with the intention of going out to assist the
ladies in their search for the spectacles, when the scene through the
window held me for a moment spellbound.

The crow, having accomplished his mischievous device, was perched near
by, gravely regarding the search of the two estimable and time-honored
women, who were peering with their faces near the earth, and their
backs turned unconsciously; when the cherished go