trials with such a wretched being; "but then I may be blind, some time,
too. P'rhaps a chicken will pick my eyes out. A cross hen flew right up
and did so to a boy."

Emily paid no attention to this foolish remark.

"My paw writes me letters," said she. "Here is one in my pocket; would
you like to read it?"

Dotty took the letter, which was badly written and worse spelled.

"Can you read it?" asked Emily, after Dotty had turned it over for some
moments in silence.

"No, I cannot," replied Dotty, very much ashamed; "but I'm going to
school by and by, and then I shall learn everything."

"O, no matter if you can't read it to me; my teacher has read it ever so
many times. At the end of it, it says, 'Your unhappy and unfortunate
paw.' That is what he always says at the end of all his letters; and he
wants me to go to the prison to see him."

"Why, you _couldn't_ see him."

"No," replied Emily, not understanding that Dotty referred to her
blindness; "no, I couldn't see him. The superintendent Wouldn't let me
go; he says it's no place for little girls."

"I shouldn't think it was," said Dotty, looking around for Flyaway, who
was riding in a lady's chair made by two admiring little girls.