The Louisa Alcott Reader

e has got a monkey on his organ," cried little Ned

d face turned anxiously to his master, who kept pulling the chain to make him dance. The stiff collar had made his neck sore; and when the man twitched, the poor thing moaned and put up hi

and get this cake, and rest while yo

t to sleep, and when the man pulled to wake him up, he slipped and fell, and lay as if he were dead. Neddy and his

nt him. I will sell him

e will take care of him; and if he gets well, perhaps we will b

Jocko in a nice basket, and carried him in. The minute the door was shut and he felt safe, the sly fellow peeped out with one eye, and seeing only the kind lit

en he had eaten a good dinner, Jocko curled himself up and slept till the next day. He was quite lively in the morning; for when Aunt Jane went to call Neddy, Jocko w

e slipped away like an eel, and crept chattering and burrowing down to the bottom of th

ed so very funny with his ugly black face by the pretty white one, that Neddy rolled on the floor, and Aunt Jane laughed till her glasses flew off. By and by he came down, and had a nice break

e children shall see my new pet," said Neddy,

angry at them for pulling his tail, and threw handfuls of sugarplums at them. That was great fun; and the more they laughed and scrambled and poked at him, the faster he showered chocolates, caramels, and peppermints over them, till it looked as if it had rained candy. The man was busy with Neddy at the other end of the store; but when he heard the noise, both ran to see what was the matter. Neither of them could stop naughty Jocko, who liked this game,

n's coat and rake, and eating some of the dinner tied up in a cloth. The crusts of bread and the bones he threw at the horse; this new kind of whip frightened the horse, and he ran away down a steep hill, and upset the hay and broke the cart. Oh, such a time! It was worse than the candy scrape; for the man swore, and the horse was hurt, and people said the monkey ought to be

ck, and peeped at him, and patted his cheeks, and was so cunning and go

ady for the pudding, and Neddy had saved a place for a good plateful, as he liked snow

has spoilt the pudding, and is

as if she was ready to be shaved. His own face looked the same, for he had eaten all he wanted while the pudding stood cooling in

ased Jock into the garden with the broom. They had to eat bread and jelly for

gain, and keep him tied up all the tim

e imp whisk about in the garden among the currant-bushes,

he is tired; then he will come to you, a

ch worried at his new pet's naughtine

her eye to see what that soft, creepy thing could be. Neddy couldn't help laughing, for he often wanted to do just such things, but never dared, because grandpa was a very stern old gentleman, and no one took liberties with him. Jocko wasn't afraid, however; and presently he crept to the table, stole the glasses lying there, put them on, and taking up the paper held it be

al, how d

ast to his collar, and had a fine race round the garden, while the girls laughed at the funny sight, and Neddy shouted, "It's a circus; and there's the monkey and the pony." Even grandpa smiled, especia

But you are great fun, and I can't whip you," said the boy; for he knew wha

shoppers if he liked. But Jocko wanted something more; and presently Neddy, who was reading in his hammock on the piazza, heard a great cackling among the hens, and looked up to see the

on. But before he got there poor cocky had pulled his fine tail-feathers all out in his struggles, and when se

hour he had picked every one of the sweet peas Aunt Jane was so fond of, thrown all the tomatoes over the fence, and let the parrot out of his cage. The sight of Polly walking into the parlor with a polite "How are yo

with the little beast; he's as bad as an elephant to take care of," said the poor lady, in despai

et him alone till Neddy waked up and could g

went down to get a poppy leaf to rub the darling's cheeks with, because she had a high fever. Jocko took a fancy to the pretty bed, and after turning the play-house topsy-turvy, he pulled poor Maud M

e to the dear invalid, saying

lie quite still, and I

face staring at her, and a tiny hand holding the sheet fast. Nelly gave one scream, and flew downstairs into the parlor wher

and he snarled at me, and my dolly is gon

f them knew anything about the monkey, therefore they all agreed that Nelly was a foolish ch

y's bed,--I found it there,

d lady, who kept her six girls in such good order that they wou

nose, went with her; but at the door that led to the dining-room both s

is spoilt! a dreadful b

feet bathed in cream from the overturned pitcher, while all around lay the ruins of custards, tarts, biscuits, and sauce, not t

by himself. He was just scraping the jelly out of a tart when they disturbed him; and knowing that more slaps were in store for him if he s

lling her the sad story, and adding that Nelly was quite ill with the fright and the

ive with him a week; he will cost me a fortune, and wear us all out," said Aunt Jane, when Jocko was safe

y, for in the morning poor Jocko was found dead in a trap, where his

left him. But he had not lived in vain; for after this day of trial, mischievous Neddy behaved much better, and Aunt Jane

cko, say so, and I'll tie you up. O

o dance.... Such twirlings

large