A NEST AT LAST! 95 



snatched at me in new quarters, till, in despair, 

 I jerked away, leaving a portion of my gown in 

 tlieir grasp. Thus fighting my way, inch by 

 inch, I progressed slowly, until the chat's becom- 

 ing silent encouraged me to fling prudence to 

 the winds, and pull aside every bush at the risk 

 of tearing the flesh o£E my hands on the briers. 



At last a nest ! My heart beat high. I strug- 

 gled nearer, cautiously, not to alarm the owner ; 

 for though I must see the nest, I had no desire 

 to disturb it. I parted the vines and looked in. 

 Empty, and plainly a year old ! 



Forgetting the brambles in my disappoint- 

 ment, I turned hastily away, when the bush, as 

 if in revenge for my discovery of its secret, 

 seized my garments in a dozen places ; and suf- 

 fering in gown and temper, I tore myself away 

 from the birds' too zealous guardians and wan- 

 dered up the lane. 



The lane was an enticing spot, with young 

 blackberry runners stretching out tender green 

 bloom toward whom they might reach, and clem- 

 atis rioting over and binding together in flowery 

 chains all the shrubs and weeds and young trees. 

 What happiness to dwell in the grounds of the 

 " shiftless " farmer ! Since tidiness, with most 

 cultivators, means the destruction of all natural 

 beauty, and especially the cutting down of every- 

 thing that interferes with the prosperity of cab- 



