A TRAGEDY IN THE MAPLE-TREE. 171 



house, even perhaps look in an instant before 

 she flew away again. After a little he went 

 into the nest himself and called. She would 

 alight on the step, hesitate, then turn her eyes 

 to every side of the horizon to see that no en- 

 emy was in sight, and at last, after getting as 

 far as this several times and flying away again, 

 she entered, when instantly he came out, fol- 

 lowed by her open bill. She had driven him 

 out of his own home ! Evidently, in the spar- 

 row family, the home is the wife's castle. 



But the suitor did not object. Apparently 

 all he wanted was to have her assume command 

 of the mansion, for while she examined her 

 proposed new home he stood before the door, 

 swelled, shook himself out, twisted, and bowed 

 to her in a most grotesque way, all the time 

 calling. Soon she came out, and after pluming 

 herself a moment, flew off. Then the whole 

 scene was reenacted, except that after she had 

 so far committed herself as to enter the nest he 

 no longer thought it necessary to follow her 

 when she flew away. He stayed to guard the 

 door, and in a short time called her back. After 

 an hour of this sort of coquetting the thing was 

 settled, and she accepted her home and her 

 lover. He smoothed down his ruffled coat, 

 they settled into a most exemplary couple, and 



