FOR THE TINIES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20028, 18 August 1928, Page 4 (Supplement)

FOR THE TINIES.

RONNIE WREN. Mother Wren was looking quito worried when I saw her last, and when I asked what was tho matter she answered: "Ronnio just found yesterday that he could fly and he has got too venturesome and flown too far. I can't find him anywhere, so I suppose ho got too tired to come home. Father Wren and I have been searching for him for—oh, ever so long, and we have had to feed Rachel and Robert as well. lam almost worn to a shadow." And indeed poor little Mother Wren didn't look her usual self. "I'll help you search," I offered. "Whero have you looked ?" "Oh, everywhere," said Mother Wren, vaguely. "I must fly off and feed my other two now," and snatching up an unwary worm, she darted off. "Poor little Jenny Wren," I thought, peeping among the brambles into the cunningly concealed little nest of the Wrens. "That Ronnie Wren always was the trouble of the family. I wonder whero I can start looking." I searched and searched all round the bramble bush, ripped my dress, and tore two holes in my stockings, all because those spiteful brambles would hang on so, but I could not see a sign of Ronnie at all. At last I met Richie Rabbit. "I don't 'spose you've seen Ronnie Wren about, have you ?" I inquired. "Ronnie Wren," mused Richie, scratching his ear (he has, a bad memory and scratching his ear seems to help him). "That's the cheeky one, isn't it?" "Yes, havo you seen him ?" I. urged anxiously. " Now I com© to think of it, " said Richie slowly, I saw him not so very far from here perching on a branch' of a snrub, and when I asked him wasn't he a long way from homo (for it is a long way for a little chap like him) he gave that .impudent laugh of his and told mo that he was going to se9 the world and that he was resting before he went a bit further.",. "When was this?".l cried. "Oh," shrugged Richie, "ages ago. Ho might be anywhere now. " "Well, where was he?" "Just over there. But I don't caro if •you never find him. He always was rude to me, and now that he can fly he is worse than ever," and he hopped off quite huffily. "Well, I don't know what I've done to offend him," I thought indignantly. "Anyhow, Ronnio might be near the shrub still." But it was a vain hope. Ronnie Wren seemed to havo vanished off the face of the earth!

I continued slowly, searching among the bushes as I went, and at last I heard a faint "chirp, chir-r-r-up." "Ronnie, Ronnie," I called, and "chirp, chir-r-r-up" came the reply. I followed the sound, and there, lying under a bush, I found poor little Ronnie Wren, quite exhausted after his Hight, for it was a long way for a lilt'e bird to fly. Gently I lifted him, carried him to his home ( and placed him in the nest, where ho cuddled down with his brother and sister and fell asleep. When Mother Wren appeared she was greatly relieved. "Oh, thank you!" she cried. " I thought we had lost him for good!" "Thank you very ipuch!" and Jenny Wren looked quite her bright little self once more. —Jessie Miller, Birkenhead.