Page:The red book of animal stories.djvu/159

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‘PRINCESS’
137

unhappy indeed about her. Princess appeared quite to understand, and to enter into all the trouble and anxiety, and went about sad and drooping. The doctor was very anxious that his patient, who was extremely weak, should take plenty of nourishing food; but nothing seemed to tempt her fancy.

One thing after another was tried—soup, jelly, game—all of no use. The invalid declared she could touch none of them, and poor Miss H. felt in despair.

One morning, as she was sitting by her mother’s bedside, and trying to coax her to eat something, the door, which was slightly ajar, was pushed open, and Princess ran in quite gaily. She jumped on the bed, and, with an important air, laid down on her mistress’s coverlet a bird she had caught and brought her.

Both Mrs. and Miss H. declared afterwards that they were sure Princess thought she had found the very thing with which to tempt a sick appetite.