“It was difficult to say which was the dirtiest of the two, Edwin or his rabbit. The little boy, however, being quite out of patience, made no further effort, but shut the coal-hole door, and in great trouble ran to the nursery-maid to put him into cleaner trim. He did not go again into the place where the rabbit was that day, and so the poor thing was kept without food, for Edwin totally forgot he had not fed his pet. “However, the next day he again repaired to the place, and, having caught Bunny, took it into the stable-yard, and put it into an unoccupied pig-sty. The first intention of making a house was quite given up, and Edwin began to think his rabbit a great plague; he, however, gave it some _more cabbage-leaves_, and left it. “The fact was, Edwin was getting tired of his rabbit; he, however, bought it a few oats, and gave it a little hay. He went out for a few mornings and gathered a little clover, but in less than a week this was thought to be a great deal of trouble; besides which, the rabbit seemed lame, and did not look so pretty as it did at first. “At last, Edwin quite forgot his rabbit for two days, and when he went to look at it he was surprised to find it lying on its side. He called, Bunny, Bunny. The poor thing looked at him, and seemed pleased to see him, for its long ears moved as if it was. “Edwin took it up; it seemed to have lost the use of its hind legs; it squeaked when it was touched; and so the little boy laid it down again. He felt it all over--it was very thin, and seemed half starved. “Edwin now ran and got a saucer-full of oats, and placed it beside the poor thing; he also ran to the next field, and plucked some nice sow-thistle, and gave it to eat. Bunny looked grateful, and tried to eat, but could not. “Edwin, in placing his hand down by its side, felt the beatings of its heart; it went beat, beat, beat--throb, throb, throb, quicker than a watch; and every now and then its head twitched, and the skin of its jaw drew up, as if it were in great pain. “And yet the poor animal seemed glad to have some one by its side, and rubbed its nose against Edwin’s hand; and then it panted again, and its eyes grew dim: it was dying. Poor little Edwin now began to cry. “‘Oh! my poor dear, dear, dear Bunny,’ said he, ‘what shall I do to make you well?--oh! what would I give? Oh! I have killed you, for I know I have. Oh! my poor dear Bunny--let me kiss you, dear Bunny.’ Here the little fellow stooped down to kiss his rabbit. Just at that moment it gave a struggle--in the next it was dead. “Edwin’s eyes were full of tears, and when he could see through them, and found out what had happened, he broke out into loud sobs and cries, till he roused the whole house. ‘Oh! my dear rabbit--oh! I have killed my rabbit--oh! what shall I do?’ he uttered in deepest grief.