the first flowers,
and many a bouquet of tiny 'forget-me-nots,' and dark blue, and pure
white violets, they brought to their grandmother, who welcomed the
wild flowers of spring, with as much pleasure, and youth of heart as
the grand-children.

As the season advanced, there was no end to the variety which they
gathered; and the sweetest were daily selected for the little vase,
which always stood upon the table, beside the large family Bible, out
of which, both morning and evening, the good grandmother read to her
children.

Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton owned the comfortable cottage, in which they
lived. It was shaded in front by a large elm tree, that spread its
arms far out over the moss-covered roof, as if it were some protecting
spirit. Around the door, a beautiful vine had been trained; and rose
bushes, and shrubs, were scattered through the yard. On one side of
the house, was a garden, where grew a profusion of currant bushes, and
raspberry vines, with many useful vegetables, and flowers were
scattered along on each side of the little walk that ran through the
centre of the garden. There were hollyhocks, and noonsleeps, and
tiger-lilies, and little patches of moss pinks, the tiny flowers all
tangled in with their green foliage, and sweet williams, and
love-lies-bleeding; and the children thought there was never such
another garden in the world. Here the children delighted to watch the
butterflies, and bees, and birds, revelling among the flowers,
especially the beautiful humming bird, with his jacket of golden
green, his ruby-colored throat, and long, slender bill, which he was
so fond of thrusting into the garden lilies and hollyhocks. He loved
to resort to the garden of Frank and Fanny, where the bright sun was
shining on the flowers.

[Illustration: THE HUMMING BIRD.]

Then there was a little brown arbor, with grape vines carefully
trained over it, and rustic seats within; and there were quince trees
just beyond, and up by the gateway there grew tall stalks of fennel;
and altogether, it _was_ a most delightful place. Back of the house
was an orchard, and here pippins, long-stems, flyers, greenings, and
seek-no-furthers, grew side by side.

[Illustration: THE CEDAR BIRD.]

Here these children delighted to watch the beautiful cedar bird with
his silky plumage, and his smart crest. He is a sociable, gentle bird,
who allowed the children to come very near him, as he was perched upon
the cedar bush.

The stone wa