he little cart, and and that we should put some boughs on
it, and place Pecksy on the top of them, and draw him to a quiet part of
the grounds, and that you should dig a grave. We will then put a
tomb-stone, and I will write an epitaph to put on it. I have been
thinking what I should write, and I have made up my mind to put simply,
`Here lies Pecksy, the feathered friend of Fanny Vallery.' If I was to
write when he died, or how he was killed, or anything of that sort, it
might remind me of what I want to forget. Don't you think that will be
very nice."

"Oh yes," answered Norman, "I like your idea. I will dig the grave. I
will go and ask the gardener to lend me a spade or a pickaxe, or a hoe
or some tool to dig with, and we will set out at once."

The children having formed the plan, at once carried it out. Norman ran
off to the gardener and told him what he wanted.

"A spade or a pickaxe is rather too much for you to handle, my laddie,"
he answered, "but you shall have a hoe, which will be big enough to dig
a little birdie's grave."

Norman having obtained the tool hurried back with it to the yard, where
he found Fanny, who had got the cart ready. The gardener understanding
what they wanted cut a number of boughs, which placed across the cart
formed in their opinion a very appropriate hearse.

Fanny then went back and brought out poor little Pecksy, followed by
Norman, who acted as chief mourner. The bird being placed in due form
on its bier, they set forth, Fanny drawing the hearse, and Norman
carrying the hoe over his shoulder. He looked and indeed felt very sad,
while the tears dropped from Fanny's eyes. Still, perhaps, she was not
very unhappy, she could scarcely have been so, with the consciousness
that she had acted in a forgiving loving spirit, sorry as she was,
however, to have lost her little bird.

They soon reached the spot which Fanny had selected for the grave. It
was by her granny's advice somewhat out of the way.

"See, Norman," she observed, "it is better here than in a part of the
garden we have often to pass, because we need not come here except
perhaps by-and-by when we shall have ceased to think so much about poor
little Pecksy."

The trees grew thickly around the spot, but there was an open space of
two or three feet. Here the ground being soft, Norman soon dug a grave.
It was not very deep, nor long, nor wide, but quite large enough for
the purpose.

Having deposited the li