A SILVER-TONGUED FAMILY 95 



little warmer invitation to join him in their old, old 

 play of turning the sluggish sleeping brown earth into 

 a wonderful green garden again. 



'' As a Citizen the Bluebird is in every way a model. 

 He works with the Ground Gleaners in searching the 

 grass and low bushes for grasshoppers and crickets ; 

 he searches the trees for caterpillars in company with 

 the Tree Trappers ; and in eating blueberries, cranber- 

 ries, wild grapes, and other fruits he works with the 

 Seed Sowers also. 



" So who would not welcome this bird, who pays his 

 rent and taxes in so cheerful a manner, and thanks you 

 with a song into the bargain ? A very few straws are 

 all that he asks for his housekeeping, and every time 

 he promises a meal for his household, scores of creep- 

 ing, crawling, hopping garden enemies are gobbled up. 

 Then he, modest little fellow that he is, comes to the 

 roof of the shed and murmurs his thanks for your hos- 

 pitality, as if you and not he had done the favor ; he 

 continues to whisper and warble about it all the way 

 down the meadow until, having caught another grass- 

 hopper, his mouth is too full for singing." 



As the Doctor was speaking the shower cloud passed 

 over, and the sun burst out full upon the Bluebirds 

 that were building by the woodshed. 



" Oh, they are red, white, and blue ! " cried Dodo in 

 great glee, " though the red is a little dirty, — not so 

 fresh and bright as the color in our new Hag." 



" It is more the red of the ragged old flag they keep 

 down in the Town Hall — the one that has seen ser- 

 vice," said Rap thoughtfully. 



