IV 
THE ORCHARD PARTY 
Not only did Miss Wilde hear every detail of Gray 
Lady’s visit from her scholars, but the middle of the 
following week she received a letter from Gray Lady 
herself as well as one from the president of the school 
board. 
Gray Lady wrote that if she could succeed in interesting 
the children of the school at Foxes Corners in the birds 
and little animals about, then she meant to arrange 
another season so that the other four schools in the scat- 
tered district might have the same opportunity. For 
this reason she had asked and obtained leave of the school 
committee to have two Friday afternoons of each month 
given to the purpose. She also promised to send some 
bird books and pictures to the school and a large wall 
map of North America, so that after the children had 
learned to know a bird by sight and name they might 
trace its journeys the year through, and thus realize to 
what perils it is exposed. 
Then followed the most interesting part of the letter to 
Miss Wilde and her children, and this is what it said: — 
“Tt is all very well to show children pictures and read them 
stories about the birds and tell them that it is their duty to be 
kind to them, but I wish them also to see and judge for them- 
selves and learn to love their bird neighbours because they can’t 
38 
