34 BUYING THE RABBITS.

time it was in sight. There were so many strange
sights to be seen at the fair that Bertha quite
forgot about the rabbits, and very likely never
would have remembered about them at all, if kind
Nurse Bevan had not taken her to the shop where
they were to be bought. There was a great
number of them; some pure white with red eyes,
and some black and white, and some gray ones.
After due deliberation, Bertha decided to have a
white one and a gray one, and accordingly they
were put into a strong wicker basket with plenty
of parsley and lettuces. He was a very funny
man who sold the rabbits; and he had a great
many bird-cages all round his shop, from the floor
to the very roof, full of canaries, goldfinches, and
other varieties, along with two or three parrots.
He was very much interested to hear Bertha had
just come from India, and he said he once had a
great desire to go to India himself. "I wanted
to see the parrots in the woods," he said, "and
to gather the shells myself. I have a great affec-
tion for beasts and birds."
 "Do you feed all these birds yourself sir ? "
inquired Bertha.
 "Yes, miss, I do," replied the bird-fancier;
 "they are like to break their little hearts if any-