so that if it wished to come
to her it could. She looked at the parrot as if she loved it, and the
queer little thing walked right up and nestled its head against the
lace in the front of her dress. "Pretty 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 seem 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 come out
into the room. She was a very clever bird, and I have never seen any
creature but a human being that could reason as she did. She was so
petted and talked to that she got to know a great many words, and on one
occasion she saved the Morrises from being robbed.

It was in the winter time. The family was having tea in the dining
room at the back of the house, and Billy and I were lying in the hall
watching what was going on. There was no one in the front of the house.
The hall lamp was lighted, and the hall door closed, but not locked.
Some sneak thieves, who had be