STORIES ABOUT BIRDS. 25 



robin fly away from the snake, and go about 

 liis business." 



When I was about eight years old, I found 

 a 3'oung robin near the door of our house, who 

 had a broken leg. Some cruel boys must have 

 thrown a stone at the little fellow, I think. 

 He was quite helpless. I ran and asked my 

 mother what to do with him, and she gave me 

 liberty to take him into the house, and nurse 

 him. I did so. We did not call any surgeon 

 to set his broken limb ; but he soon began to 

 grow better, and in less than a month he was 

 quite well. It would have done your heart 

 good to have seen how grateful the dear little 

 creature seemed to be, and how perfectly at 

 home he made himself in my mother's kitchen. 

 Sometimes he would hop upon the chairs, and 

 oversee the work that was going on among the 

 tenants of the kitchen. Before he left us, he 

 became so tame that he would allow me to 

 take him up in my hand, and stroke his feath- 

 ers. One day, thinking, I suppose, that, as he 

 was entirely well, he ought not to be living on 

 charity any longer, he sang his adieu, and left us. 

 The other members of his family were waiting 

 for him, and they all flew away together. 



Some years since, while residing in one of 

 the pleasantest country villages in Connecticut, 



3 



