A brace of turtles supplanted the parrot in my affections; the turtles gave way to rabbits; and the rabbits in turn yielded to the superior charms of a small monkey, which the Captain bought of a sailor lately from the coast of Africa.
But Gypsy was the prime favorite, in spite of many rivals.

I never grew weary of her.

She was the most knowing little thing in the world.

Her proper sphere in life--and the one to which she ultimately attained--was the saw-dust arena of a travelling circus.

There was nothing short of the three R's, reading, 'riting, and 'rithmetic, that Gypsy couldn't be taught.