Adventures of a Squirrel, Supposed to be Related by Himself, Page 4

  _CHAPTER IV._

  _She distinguished me._]

  After running a great way, I heard a violent noise, which alarmedme very much. I could not think what it was, but approachingnearer and nearer, it proved to be a company of gipsies, makingmerry as they were travelling. I took great care to avoid them, asI knew, if I had once got into their hands, I should not have gotaway very easily; so I climbed a tree and sat very quiet. I camedown as soon as they were gone, and ran till I came to the cityof London, which was not above half a mile from where I lived; forMrs. Dixon's house was at Islington, at least very near it. HereI had no very great chance of hiding myself, so resolved to runup one of the houses, and get in at the first window I found open,and trust to the temper of some little boy or girl, rather thanstarve. The house I chanced to ascend belonged to Alderman Bumble.I happened to enter the window of Miss Henrietta Bumble's chamber;so I crept into her cap, which was lying in a chair, and lay tillshe wanted to put it on. I chanced to lay in such a manner, thatshe distinguished me as she lay in bed; and bouncing out, shetook me up and ran down stairs undressed. The alderman and hislady were waiting breakfast for her. As soon as she entered, thealderman started up and said, "Bless me, Henny, what can you wanthere in such a figure;" "O Papa," said she, "here is the prettiestsquirrel (but I should have told you I had found means to wash offthe ink I had received in my last abode,) and where do you think Ifound him--lying in my cap, as snug as it was possible." "Well, mylove," said the alderman, "run up and dress yourself, and thencome and tell us about your squirrel." Henny then ran up stairs,tied me to the bed-post, and began to dress. When she had done,she untied me, and carried me down stairs. "Now," said thealderman, "you look something more like a human creature: let ushear your story." "Well then," said Henrietta, "this is the case:I was just going to get up, when I saw this pretty squirrel in mycap; and how it came there, I am sure I cannot tell. He neveroffered to stir, but lay very quiet till I took him out. Do letme have a cage for him." "Well, my dear," replied her mamma, "youshall have a cage for him, and a very nice one too." "Look'ye,"said the alderman, "she shall not have a cage: it would bethrowing money away." "I say she shall have a cage," said thelady, "as sure as my name is Sukey Bumble, while I have a crown inmy pocket." "Well," said the alderman, "I see _I_ must yield: so Iam to get you money to spend in cages. Henny, my love, (continuedhe,) let me look at it." Henny, however, kept it in her hand, inwhich she was seconded by her mother, who said, "That's right, mygirl, do not part with it." Henrietta was standing so near thealderman, he thought, with a little effort he might snatch it fromher; but being very bad with the gout, he overbalanced himself,and down he came. Mrs. Bumble with great difficulty raised him,which, as soon as she had done, he hobbled up to Henrietta, tookme from her by force, and barbarously cut off near half an inchof my tail with a pair scissars. Henrietta burst into tears,Mrs. Bumble began scolding him, when a servant came in, whom shedesired to go to Crooked-lane, and procure one of the very bestcages that could be got. The Alderman stormed; his lady raved; andHenrietta cried. Mrs. Bumble said she would be minded, and givingthe man a guinea, told him, if it came to more, to pay it. "What,"continued she, "would you have an alderman's lady send for asixpenny wicker cage, to keep a squirrel in. No, by no means inthe world; and you ought to be ashamed of yourself to have maimeda poor defenceless creature, only because you fell out of thechair." As there were a great many questions and answers, I thinkit would be best to give them to you in the manner they weredelivered by the parties.

  _Alderman._ Why now, was not the squirrel the cause of my fall.Did I not, in attempting to get the squirrel, fall off my chair?and therefore, was not the squirrel the cause of my fall.

  _Lady._ Suppose it was: but what business had you to try to getthe squirrel, and then to revenge yourself in such a shamefulmanner. I wish to my heart he had bit you.

  _Alderman._ I am much obliged to you, however, for the wish, mydear; but of the two, I would rather he had let it alone.

  _Henrietta._ I am sure it would have served you right.

  _Alderman._ Come here Henrietta, (pinching her ears) so you thinkit would have served me right, do you? I like every body to beserved right, and I think I am now serving you right.

  _Henrietta._ Oh!

  _Alderman._ Pray, Miss, mind what you say another time, or youwill get into disgrace, depend upon it.

  The servant coming in at this instant, put a stop to what Mrs.Bumble was going to say. She had opened her mouth in the greatestrage, but the servant giving her a shilling, as change out ofthe guinea, and giving Henrietta the cage, she was forced toshut it. I had now the sad fortune to be put into a cage, exactlyresembling that in which I lived at Mrs. Howard's. I had no soonerentered my new habitation, than I was set to work, and kept at italmost an hour; at which time the alderman pulled Henrietta awayby force. A coach stopping at the door, hindered any dispute thatmight have arisen from the treatment of the alderman; for outjumped four young ladies, and two young gentlemen, who had beeninvited to spend the evening. Their names were, John and EmilyShepherd, James and Caroline Churchill, Eliza Careful, andFanny Fairchild. The usual compliments being over, the followingconversation ensued.