ut she liked the gooseberries that were accessible, better than the
grapes that were beyond her reach. The price too was just right, so
she gladly took possession of the cage, and hid it under her cloak,
preparatory to carrying it home. Emanuel meanwhile was giving her
directions as to its food, with all the minuteness of one loving his
subject.

"Will it soon get to know any one?" asked she.

"Give him two days only, and you and he'll be as thick as him and me are
now. You've only to open his door, and call him, and he'll follow you
round the room; but he'll first kiss you, and then perch on your head.
He only wants larning, which I've no time to give him, to do many
another accomplishment."

"What's his name? I did not rightly catch it."

"Jupiter,--it's not common; but the town's o'errun with Bobbies and
Dickies, and as my birds are thought a bit out o' the way, I like to
have better names for 'em, so I just picked a few out o' my lad's school
books. It's just as ready, when you're used to it, to say Jupiter as
Dicky."

"I could bring my tongue round to Peter better; would he answer to
Peter?" asked Libbie, now on the point of departing.

"Happen he might; but I think he'd come readier to the three syllables."

On Valentine's day, Jupiter's cage was decked round with ivy leaves,
making quite a pretty wreath on the wicker work; and to one of them was
pinned a slip of paper, with these words, written in Libbie's best round
hand:--

"From your faithful Valentine. Please take notice his name is Peter, and
he'll come if you call him, after a bit."

But little work did Libbie do that afternoon, she was so engaged in
watching for the messenger who was to bear her present to her little
valentine, and run away as soon as he had delivered up the canary, and
explained to whom it was sent.

At last he came; then there was a pause before the woman of the house
was at liberty to take it upstairs. Then Libbie saw the little face
flush up into a bright colour, the feeble hands tremble with delighted
eagerness, the head bent down to try and make out the writing (beyond
his power, poor lad, to read), the rapturous turning round of the cage
in order to see the canary in every point of view, head, tail, wings,
and feet; an intention in which Jupiter, in his uneasiness at being
again among strangers, did not second, for he hopped round so, as
continually to present a full front to the boy. It was a source of never
wearying d