This puzzled Patty very much , and she quite ached to know what the joke would be ; meantime the pile grew steadily , and every day , good or bad , added to that other work called Patty 's life . She did not think much about that part of it , but unconsciously the quiet sewing-time had its influence on her , and that little ` conscience hour , ' as she sometimes called it , helped her very much . One day she said to herself as she took up her work , ` Now I 'll puzzle Aunt Pen . She thinks my naughty tricks get into the patches ; but I 'll make this very nicely and have it gay , and then I do n't see how she will ever guess what I did this morning . ' Now you must know that Tweedle-dee , the canary , was let out every day to fly about the room and enjoy himself . Mother Bunch never tried to catch him , though he often hopped temptingly near her . He was a droll little bird , and Patty liked to watch his promenades , for he did funny things . That day he made her laugh by trying to fly away with a shawl , picking up the fringe with which to line the nest he was always trying to build . It was so heavy he tumbled on his back and lay kicking and pulling , but had to give it up and content himself with a bit of thread . Patty was forbidden to chase or touch him at these times , but always felt a strong desire to have just one grab at him and see how he felt . That day , being alone in the dining-room , she found it impossible to resist ; and when Tweedle-dee came tripping pertly over the table-cloth , cocking his head on one side with shrill chirps and little prancings , she caught him , and for a minute held him fast in spite of his wrathful pecking . She put her thimble on his head , laughing to see how funny he looked , and just then he slipped out of her hand . She clutched at him , missed him , but alas , alas ! he left his little tail behind him . Every feather in his blessed little tail , I do assure you ; and there sat Patty with the yellow plumes in her hand and dismay in her face . Poor Tweedle-dee retired to his cage much afflicted , and sung no more that day , but Patty hid the lost tail and never said a word about it . ` Aunt Pen is so near-sighted she wo n't mind , and maybe he will have another tail pretty soon , or she will think he is moulting . If she asks of course I shall tell her . ' Patty settled it in that way , forgetting that the slide was open and Aunt Pen in the kitchen . So she made a neat blue and buff patch , and put it away , meaning to puzzle aunty when the reading-time came .
But XXXXX got the worst of it , as you will see by-and-bye .
Patty Pen Tweedle-dee chirps hour left morning prancings sewing-time table-cloth