inguished ornament of feathers.'

"This delicate compliment softened me a little, I must confess!" said
the Shuttlecock, bridling up with a very dignified air, which, in her
dilapidated state, with her one ragged feather sticking out all awry,
was a very comic affair. Consequently none of the toys could help
laughing; as for the Kite, he was so amused that he waggled about like a
sail in a rough wind. Even the languid, delicate Doll could not forbear
a feeble smile, and the Shuttlecock became so indignant, that she would
have bounced out of the party, had her powers been equal to her spirit.
But, alas, though her cork was still sound, her wings had departed, and
the solitary draggletail feather was not sufficient to waft her above
the rude mirth of her auditors. But she was so deeply offended that it
took the Ball a long time, and a world of trouble, to pacify her. At
last, on his hinting that as time was passing by he should be reduced to
calling upon another member present for a story, she permitted herself
to be pacified, and resumed her narrative, with a more haughty air, and
in finer words than before:--

"My poor autobiography can be concluded in very few words now, for I
have but little more to relate. My feathered connection, for he
certainly made his claim good to a distant relationship, would take no
denial, and told me he had set his heart on taking me with him when he
went; and that he had a plan of his own by which he would be able to
carry out his purpose. I therefore submitted to his decision, and
counted the days, I must honestly own, very eagerly, until the period of
our joint captivity arrived. The evening before, my bird relation
requested a friendly Breeze, with whom he was on friendly terms, to blow
me close to his cage. I was then, I should tell you, possessed still of
several of my plumes, although they were in a dingy condition, and
therefore more able to help myself. A good strong gust then, at the
right moment, and carefully adjusted to the right quarter, sufficed to
take me to the ledge of the bird's food box. From thence he speedily,
though with some amount of hard work, managed to pull and drag me inside
the cage, a friendly wire stretching widely for the purpose. My friend
then carefully pushed me under his seed-box, knowing that as long as I
was pretty well out of sight, his mistress, Mary, would not take much
trouble about it. From former experience and frequent removes, he knew
well she