D'S-NEST.

Once there were two little sparrows who built for themselves a nest on a
small tree by the wayside. The mother-bird laid four little eggs in it;
and there she sat, while her mate chirped merrily on a tree near by,
till, one fine day in May, four little sparrows were hatched.

How glad the parent-birds were! and how they flew round to get food for
their little ones! They were willing almost to starve themselves, so
that their children might not suffer from want.

Oh, what hungry children they were! How they would stretch out their
necks, and open their bills for food, as father and mother drew near to
feed them! And what queer little noises they would make, as if they were
saying, "Feed _me_ first! Oh, give _me_ that nice little worm! No, _I_
am the hungriest, give it to _me_! Me first! Me first!"

But the parent-birds seemed to know which of the children had not had a
full share; for they would always give it to those who needed it most.

But one day, one sad day, a man came by with his cart, and, seeing the
nest, took it with all the little birdies, and placed it on some straw
in his cart.

The parent-birds, wild with grief, flew round and round, but it was of
no use. Then they followed the cart, and continued to feed their young
as well as they could, though the cart was in motion.

But a little girl, whose name was Laura, and who was taking a walk with
her mother, saw the man remove the nest, and at once made up her mind to
try and get it away from him.

So she went up, and asked him if he would let her have the nest, if she
paid him for it. The man seemed a little ashamed when he saw Laura and
her mother; and he replied, "Well, little girl, it didn't cost me any
thing, and so you may have it for nothing."

"Oh, I thank you ever so much!" cried Laura. So she took the nest, with
the birdies in it; and then she and her mother found a safe place in the
notch of a tree, hidden from the road, and there they placed it.

Then they walked away, and stood at a distance, and watched till they
saw the parent-birds fly down from a high branch to their own nest, and
again begin to feed their little ones. How they twittered and chirped
with joy! The feeling that she had made the birds happy made Laura happy
too.

Every day, for a week, she came to see how the little family were
getting on. On the eighth day the nest was empty. They had all flown
away.

EMILY CARTER

THE FIRST BLUE-BIRD.