human
Charlie, she called,
gpt
Up there, he answered, pointing into the tree above his head.
human
And I'm a giraffe in a menagerie and giraffes can't talk, mother.
gpt
Oh, excuse me, little giraffe,
human
Great, _big_ giraffe. _Not_ little giraffe.
gpt
Did you want me, mother?
human
I only thought that you have had the care of Charlie for a long time. Don't you want to go up to Margaret Savage's and play with her?
gpt
No, mother, Sally replied, also for the hundredth time,
human
I don't. But if you want me to go, I will.
gpt
Why? she asked.
human
I am really curious to know why you don't like to play with other little girls.
gpt
They are so stupid, mother, Sally answered quietly.
human
I have a lot better time alone.
gpt
Well, my dear little daughter, began Mrs. Ladue, laughing again; and there she stopped.
human
I should like, Sally,--I should like it very much, if I could manage to send you to dancing-school this winter.
gpt
Very well, mother,
human
But I don't know what your father would think of the idea.
gpt
No, Sally returned.
human
You can't ever tell, can you?
gpt
Wouldn't you like to go and be with the other children and do what they do?
human
I don't think it would be very interesting, she said.
gpt
But if you want me to go, I will.
human
Well, Sally, dear, she said,
gpt
Yes, mother, dear, you can.
human
What you goin' to do, Sally?
gpt
Giraffes can't talk,
human
Aren't a giraffe. I'm the keeper. But I'll turn into a giraffe again as soon as you answer me.
gpt
I'm going down in that little clump by the wall, where there are plenty of things for giraffes to eat.
human
What's the matter?
gpt
Don't _want_ to be a giraffe and eat old leaves and things, Charlie wailed.
human
Can't I have some gingerbread, Sally?
gpt
Well, here, said Sally. She took from her pocket some little crackers, which she gave him.
human
I guess those won't hurt you.
gpt
Sally, asked Charlie, somewhat anxiously,
human
I'm going up in the tree, of course.
gpt
Yes, but Sally, what will you be?
human
I haven't decided, replied Sally thoughtfully.
gpt
I'll be deciding while I go up. She turned and began to climb the tree, skillfully. She had got no farther than the lower branches when she stopped.
human
Oh, I'll tell you, Charlie, she cried.
gpt
It's just the thing. I'll be father's little lizard.
human
What lizard?
gpt
Father's little lizard, that he's got the skeleton of, up in his room.
human
Isn't any little lizard, Charlie returned, very positively.
gpt
That's a croc.
human
It is, too, a lizard, Charlie. Father said so.
gpt
Lizards are little weenty things, Charlie objected.
human
That little lizard lived millions of years ago. What were a few million years, more or less, to her?
gpt
And father said that it could fly like a bat. It used to fly right up into the coal trees and--and eat the coal that grew on them. Sally was giggling at the recollection.
human
Now, this is a coal tree and I'm that little lizard, and this is millions of years ago.