One usually sees a pretty assortment of pets about the keeper's
cottage, where there are children. The keeper himself is not above a
pet animal, though he may not confess it--and, strange to say, the
keeper's favourite is often a cat. But you may be sure it is a cat
among cats, and without sin--an expert among rats, mice, and sparrows,
yet able to sit for hours on the hole of a rabbit, or alone with a
canary, and not yield to temptation. At one keeper's cottage a dormouse
is to be seen--at this season he is broader than he is long. Here
lives "Billy," a buff bantam cock, who will sit on your knee and take
a mouthful of bread from your lips; here also is "Tommy," a game-cock,
who takes lunch and tea on the inside of the kitchen window-ledge; and
here is "Sally," a goose that will lay more than threescore eggs in the
spring, lives on grass, likes to explore the cottage's interior, and
puts all the dogs to shame as a guard, loudly proclaiming the arrival
of strangers. In a coop on a lawn lives a white rabbit, whose mission
in life is to keep the grass short; this rabbit will not look at a
carrot, but rejoices in bread and milk, and above all in cold chicken.
In the yard is a retriever, who is always careful to offer you her
right paw in greeting, loves blackberries, and is the special friend
of a little terrier. Once there was a pet lamb. On many a little rough
grassy grave the keeper's child places wreaths of wild flowers.
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