I had no wings , and could only sit stupidly still , and laugh at his pranks . That was his exercise , for he never went out , and only took a sniff of air now and then when I opened the windows . Well , little Buzz and I lived together many weeks , and never got tired of one another , which is saying a good deal . At Christmas I went home for a week and left my room to take care of itself . I put the hyacinths into the closet to be warm , and dropped the curtain , so the frost should not nip my ivy ; but I forgot Buzz . I really would have taken him with me , or carried him down to a neighbour 's room to be taken care of while I was away , but I never thought of him in the hurry of getting my presents and myself ready . Off I went without even saying ` good-bye , ' and never thought of my little friend till Freddy , my small nephew , said to me one evening at dusk , -- ` Aunt Jo , tell me a story . ' So I began to tell him about Buzz , and all of a sudden I cried out , -- ` Mercy on me ! I 'm afraid he 'll die of cold while I 'm gone . ' It troubled me a good deal , and I wanted to know how the poor little fellow was so much that I would have gone to see if I had not been so far away . But it would be rather silly to hurry away twenty miles to look after one fly : so I finished my visit , and then went back to my room , hoping to find Buzz alive and well in spite of the cold . Alas , no ! my little friend was gone . There he lay on his back on the mantel-piece , his legs meekly folded , and his wings stiff and still . He had evidently gone to the warm place , and been surprised when the heat died out and left him to freeze . My poor little Buzz had sung his last song , danced his last dance , and gone where the good flies go . I was very sorry and buried him among the ivy roots , where the moss lay green above him , the sun shone warmly on him , and the bitter cold could never come . I miss him very much ; when I sit writing , I miss his cheerful voice and busy wings ; at meals there is no tiny little body to drink up spilt drops and eat the crumbs : in the evenings , when I sit alone , I want him more than ever , and every day , as I water my plants , I say , softly , -- ` Grow green , ivy , lie lightly , moss , shine warmly , sun , and make his last bed pleasant to my little friend . ' THE CHILDREN 'S JOKE . ' `` You ca n't do this '' and `` you must n't do that , '' from morning to night .
Try it yourself and see how you 'd like it , ' muttered Harry , as he flung down his hat in sulky obedience to his father 's command to give up a swim in the river and keep himself cool with a book that warm summer XXXXX .
Buzz Freddy crumbs evening evenings left mantel-piece neighbour week weeks