A PLEA FOR CHARITY. 165 



shot out their seeds in the fall. As the last little summit 

 was reached, the top of a giant tupelo tree appeared not 

 far away. The swamp was at hand. Another fox track 

 crossed and recrossed the road ; rabbit tracks mingled 

 with them, and as the swamp was reached, the tracks of 

 the tall, white rabbit, the delight of hunters, appeared. 

 A few scattering cedars were found and examined. They 

 had some cones from last year's blossoms, now dried and 

 open but perfect. There was no need of going farther, 

 although the larger number of trees was not 3'et reached. 

 T got what I wanted and started to return. Walking back 

 in the same tracks was a little easier, but as I approached 

 the beginning of my tramp I had some difficulty in step- 

 ping in the tracks that I made earlier in the afternoon. 

 They seemed far apart. Was it possible that I was get- 

 ting tired ? That was of little consequence now. I had 

 found the cedar. 



A Plea for Charity. 



BY SUSY C. FOGG. 



Report comes from far off Alaska that the present winter 

 has been unusually mild and pleasant, but we, in New 

 England, have been treated to all the rigors of our climate 

 that even the oldest inhabitant can recall. 



"^Vhile the mercury has hovered around the zero mark 

 and the weeds in fields and gardens have been long buried 

 beneath the snow, I hope no one has been unmindful of 

 the winter birds that live not by storage but by the " daily 

 portion " alone. 



Thoughtful minded individuals in the vicinity of Boston 

 have raised subscriptions for the purpose of buying grain 

 and other food for the birds. The snow has been cleared 

 away in places that none of the food may be wasted and 

 regular public feeding grounds are provided, for, it is be- 



