NESTLINGS OF FOREST AND MARSH 
amid snow and ice I have heard his clear 
piping whistle on the sheltered lowland 
meadows about the Skokie marshes. It is 
neither so jubilant nor so oft-repeated as 
when, under the sunny April skies, he 
pours out the rapture of his love song; 
but, like the first Spring blossom, it 1s the 
promise of joy to come. 
In this latitude February sunshine is a 
snare and a delusion. ‘‘ A whiff of Spring 
to-day is buried under two feet of snow to- 
morrow.” Hunger drives the sturdy winter 
residents of the forest to seek food among 
the homes of men. Many perish from 
starvation. Brave indeed must he be who 
voluntarily leaves a land of plenty for such 
precarious surroundings. And _ brave he 
was. Though often cold and hungry, with 
the courage of faith he never failed to sing 
“Spring “ll be here!” on every bright day. 
What the little hero found to eat was a 
mystery, until he was one day discovered 
robbing a field-mouse’s store of grain. On 
another occasion, seeing him busy on top of 
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