GOOD-NIGHT STORIES.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 86, 12 April 1927, Page 20

GOOD-NIGHT STORIES.

MRS. WREN CHANGES HER

MIND.

(Told br BLANCHE SILVER for . " PETER PAN.)

Mrs. Wren watched her neighbours over the side of her cosy little nestFirst they would swing through the boughs of the apple tree where the Wren family lived: then they would sit down on a "limb, chatter together and off they would dart for the barn. After they had gone through thi* same routine for several minute* Mrs. Wren langned merrily and called to them. "Oh. Mrs. Phoebe, what in the wori.l are you folks doing anyway? I've been watching you tnis long time. Playing some kind of a game t" "No indeed. , 'replied Mrs. Phoebe Bird. settling down on the branch beside Mrs. Wrens nest. 'Daddy Phoebe and I were just hunting for a nesting place. You know it's nesting timo for us. too."' '•Goodness, you don't mean to say you're thinking about building in the barn, do yout" questioned Mrs. Wren. '"Why. you'll never have a second's peace between the cats and dogs. Why don": you build out here in tae apple tree?" "I don't believe I'd like it out here in the trees.' , chirped Mr*. Phoebe. "I'd like to feel some kind of a roof over my head. Out here when i: storms you nearly drown, while under the eaves of the barn you won't gvt wet at all." "Well, do as you please," pouted Mrs. Wren, who always thought everyone should do as she. wanted them too. "I wouldn't care to live under a roof of nny kind." She fluffed out her feathers and covered her pretty little eggs. Mrs. Phoebe and her mate went on with their building under the caves of the old barn. They gathered moss from the banks of the little stream, and mixing it with mud they made a lovely foundation. Then feathers and hair

gh* thought it v«tt fine, but etill eh« wouldn't move in under the shelter of the barn caves. Then one day just after Mrs. Wrens babi&s were all hatched, a terrible storm came up and it vrzs all she and Daddy Wren couM do to keep the baby bird's from being washed out of their nes:. Mr. and Mrs. rboebe saw the:r ne.rhbours s;rujr£ling to keep the •β-atcr from drowning their babic*. and Mrs. Pnoebe hurried over and imiied them over to ibe bam. When Mr?. Wren saw how lovely and comfy it was under the barn rave*, t-hc declared shed like M live tnere. too. m. the very next day she and Daddy Wren built laeiiswlvo* "a neM right near Mr?. Phoebc'fi and. happy and content. the two bird families lived side l>y «-jdo under liie shelter of the barn ea\c-s when , the storm? never bo*h«-red "hen;.