STORIES ABOUT BIRDS. 91 



build their nest under your window, and wake 

 you up in the morning with their cheerful 

 warbling? Save a few cents of the money 

 that you get, and then — that is, if your father 

 or older brother cannot attend to the business — 

 then hire some carpenter to make you a little 

 house, one or two feet square, with holes in it. 

 Place this miniature house on a high post near 

 your window, or set it on the corn-house or barn. 

 Do it early in the spring, and you may depend 

 the blue birds will see it, and build their nest 

 in it. If you have two or three holes in the 

 house, and as many different partitions inside, 

 perhaps you will have two or three families 

 of blue birds for your tenants. What do you 

 think of that plan, little friends? Can't you 

 afford to build such a house, and give the blue 

 birds the use of it ? They will pay for the 

 rent in music — my word for it. Look at my 

 friend in the picture, sitting on the hmb of his 

 favorite tree, trying to find a good place for 

 his nest. Look at him ! See what a fine 

 countenance he has. Do you wonder that I 

 like him so well? "No, no," you all say, "I 

 like the blue bird as well as you do." Well, 

 build a nice little cottage for him then. 



A very good friend of mine — I must not 

 mention his name, I suppose, though I should 



