GRAN’MA_ GRACIE.

Old Brownsmith sent those rabbits, hutch ard all, as a present for Gran’ma,
one day when John went to the market garden with his barrow to fetch what
he called some “ plarnts ;” and when he came back with the barred hutch, and
set the barrow down in the walk, mamma went out with Gran’ma and Dinny,
to look at them, and Grant came up growling, sniffed all round the hutch before
giving a long loud bark, which, being put into plain English, meant, “ Open
the door, and I’ll kill all the lot.”

““T don’t know what to say, John,” said mamma, shaking her head. “It
is very kind of Mr. Brownsmith, but I don’t think your master will like the
children to keep them, for fear they should be neglected and die.”

“’Gleckted ?” said old John, rubbing one ear. ‘‘ What! little miss here
’gleck em? Not she. You'll feed them rabbuds reg’lar, miss, wontcher ?”

Gran’ma said she would, and the hutch was wheeled round by the stables,
Grant following and looking very much puzzled, for though he never hunted
the cats now, rabbits did seem the right things to kill.

But Gran’ma soon taught him better, and he became the best of friends
with Brown Downie and her two children, Bunny and White Paws.

In fact, one day there was a scene, for Cook rushed into the schoolroom
during lesson time, out of breath with excitement.

‘“Please’m, I went down the garden, ’m, to get some parsley, and that
horrid dog’s hunting the rabbits, and killing ’em.”

There was a cry from both children, and Gran’ma rushed out and round to
the stables, to find the hutch door unfastened, and the rabbits gone, while, as
she turned back to the house with the tears running down her cheeks, who
should come trotting up but Grant, with his ears cocked, and Bunny hanging
from his jaws as if dead.

Gran’ma uttered a cry; and as Mamma came up with Dinny, the dog set
the little rabbit down, looked up and barked, and Bunny began loping off to
nibble the flowers, not a bit the worse, while Grant ran and turned him back
with his nose, for Gran’ma to catch the little thing up in her arms.

Grant barked excitedly, and ran down the garden again, the whole party
following, and in five minutes he had caught White Paw.

Dinny had the carrying of this truant, and with another bark, Grant dashed
in among the gooseberry bushes, where there was a great deal of rustling,
a glimpse of something brown, and then of a white cottony tail. Then in
spite of poor Grant getting his nose pricked with the thorns, Brown Downie