--_E. S. Phelps-Ward._
Closing the volume, Polly laid it in her lap.
"That was a good story," observed Miss Kathy, as the child paused. The
little girl did not immediately reply, but leaned forward and looked
wistfully in her companion's face for a moment.
"Do you think it is so very wicked to keep--that is, to--to deprive a
bird of its liberty?" she asked timidly.
"Oh, I don't know that it could be called wicked. A canary bird, born
in a cage, that never knew any other home, would be apt to die if it
were turned loose to shift for itself and get its own living. It
possibly could not stand the exposure to the weather," replied Miss
Katharine.
"But supposing it wasn't a canary," said Polly hesitatingly; "supposing
it might be a redbird, or a wren, or--or----"
"Or a bobolink?" Miss Kathy smiled as she supplied the word.
"Well--yes, a bobolink, for instance." And Polly glanced toward me.
"Any captured bird certainly feels very bad to be shut up in a cage all
its life, though I have seen robins in captivity that grew to be as
tame as canaries. My aunt had one that lived twelve years in a cage.
It would peck her cheek, and pretend to kiss her, and do all sorts of
sweet little tricks. His cage door stood open, and he went in and out
as it suited him, but he never thought of flying away.
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