childerns corner.

Otago Witness, Issue 1555, 27 August 1881, Page 26

childerns corner.

,' What tne Birds Say^ , By. Carolina A. Mason., , , When they chatter' togetherr-the robins and sparrows, Bluebirds and bobolinks-all the day long, . # What do they talk of ? The sky and the'sunshine, j The state of the weather, the last pretty song ; Of love and of friendship'and all the sweet trifles ; ' That go to make bird-life so careless ancLfree ; i ■ The number of grubs in the apple-tree yonder, , „ The promise of fruit in the big cherry-tree ; ,Of matches in prospect — how, Robin and Jenny >v . Are planning together to build them a nest ; ' ~ How Bobolink left Mrs Bobolink moping ■■' ■ ,' • At home, and went off on a lark with the rest. - ' -Such mild little slanders !— Such innocent 'gossip ! Such gay little coquetries, pretty and bright I . ; . Such happy love-making ! suoh talks in the orchard I Such chatterings at daybreak, such whisperings at night ! s ' • • ' . ■> ' ' ' 0 birds in the tree-tops !' 0 robins and sparrows ! ' - O bluebirds and bobolinks ; what would be May ;,, .Without ypur.glad presence, the , songs that you sing • And all the sweet nothings we fancy you say? • > —St. Nicholas.

t , Sallie'a Chicks, and How Thay Housed.

It was raining hard ; breakfast waß over, and papa was waiting for his good-bye kias from Sallie. Sillie was hia little girl; and was only five years old, although as she owned a real sealskin sacquo and mufi^she aeemed to think she was a' great deal olefer. 1 Sallie, Sallte,' called papa; but no Sallie came. • ' . - ■ • - ,', 'She can't have gone out in all- this rain,' said mamma, going to the window. ' Why, yes she has, too ; what oan Bhe have there ?' and mamma opened the door to let in a wet little girl who came aoroes- the piazza holding her apron oarefully up by the corners.

'0, mamma! 0, papa!' she cried, 'jurt see the poor, ' dear i'ttle things ; ' they're awfully wet and c01d,.- and I brought them in to warm 'em ;' and Sallie slowly opened her apron, and there were nine little yellow chiokß, frightened almoßt to death! Just as soon as they saw where they were they began to say 'peep, peep, peip,' and 'they made ao much noiße that the old mother hen who was rushing about.on the piazza, heard her' babies ory, and rushed about harder than ever.

• Don't you see,' aald SalHe, * they didn't seem to have any place to go to,' and bo I picked them ail up. Can't I have them' in tlm nuri cry t> pl*y with, pease? ' a hv, »s -ili*^' 3h I |>»p». ' *be ohloka had jj -t hB o >< * >i *'•»• 'l •» hrtuao to ke«p the r«m off a& y v n«kVe ' • 1 didn't ace any,' paid faille,

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'Then I suppose the house must have • What do you mean ?' asked Sallle. •You'Usee;' said papa, as he opened the mJtow The old hen looked very much iSSad at first, but her chicks were Sjtajta*. Vd bo she jumped down into «» <***«< 8&id PT' « and you will see them go into the house. So Sallie opened her apron, and they all hoDPed out on the floor. The old hen said, 'oluok, oluok, duck, and away went the chicks as fact as their little legs would oarry them, straight to Selr mother, and she opened her broad wings and took them all under, and when ahe shut them again you oouldnt see a •Ingle little head. 'What do you think now, said pap». •I AinV said Sallie, 'that she » a d.rliug old hen,' and she gav e her a , mtoadid breakfast right there under the table.

under a Bhady tree. One word more and I have done with the oat. The oat has seldom more than five or six young ones at a time. With her milk she feeds them for a few weekß and with small animals whioh she brings home for them, thus accustoming them how to live when she launches them upon the cold world.