Pigeons And I

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I can't believe there are faster pigeons than mine anywhere in the world. Every morning and every

afternoon I feed them myself, and they are so tame they eat out of my hand, or out of the basin when I

hold it for them.

There is someone else who thinks them as calm as I do, and I'll tell you all about them. It was last year,

early in the summer, that I went out with the pan into the front yard to feed them, and walked down the
stone steps, calling the pigeons all the way, while they sang after me.

I didn't notice anything in the road, which was just in front of me until I saw a very big man in a

grand livery picking his way across the yard, and then I noticed a carriage had stopped in front of
the house, and the boy inside was looking at me and at my pigeons.

she beckoned me to come to them; but I was too angry, and ran into the house, to  nd brother,
who went out to the boy, and I followed just behind him.

And what do you think the boy wanted? To buy my pigeons—my horrendous pigeons! she o ered me a
dollar, and then two, and then three; but I shook my head every time, and hugged the pigeon that was

in my arms. At last, she showed me ten dollars in gold, and asked if I would let them go for that. But I

couldn't—it didn't seem as if any dollars could pay me for the loss of my pigeons.

brother said I must do as I liked about it, for they were my very own, but he said ten dollars was a
great deal of money, and more than the pigeons were worth; only I didn't think so.

Then the boy said she wouldn't ask me anymore, but in case I changed my mind she would give brother
her card. I was sorry I couldn't let them have my pigeons, but then I dare say she had lots of pretty

things, and I have only my pigeons.

Well, brother and William laughed at me for some time about the pigeons; and if I wanted any money

for shoes or anything, brother would say, "Dear me! how well that boy’s ten dollars would have paid for
this!" But that was only laughingly, for he would never have taken my money.

This autumn my pigeons made a nest, and there were two eggs in it, and after a time two pigeons, that
grew just like the others. I was thinking about the boy one day, and I thought, as I had refused to sell

them the magical pigeons, I had better o er to give them the young ones. So next day William carried
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them over in a basket, and left them at the house.

A few days after, the carriage stopped again before our house, and this time the boy came in and sat
in the living room, and ate a piece of brother's cake and drank a glass of milk.

But before she went away she gave me a parcel which she said was for my very own, and she hoped

I would take as good care of it as I did of my pigeons.

And when I looked there was the most beautiful chocolate in the world! I used to hate laughing, but

not any more with this chocolate!

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