A WIDOW AND TWINS. 113 



advice as to a location, I could hardly have 

 suggested one better suited to my own con- 

 venience. The tree was within a stone's toss 

 of my window, and, better still, the nest was 

 overlooked to excellent advantage from an 

 old bank wall which divided my premises 

 from those of my next-door neighbor. How 

 could I doubt that Providence itself had set 

 me a summer lesson? 



At our first visit the discoverer of the nest 

 from that moment an ornithologist 

 brought out a step-ladder, and we looked in 

 upon the two tiny white eggs, considerately 

 improving a temporary absence of the owner 

 for that purpose. It was a picture to please 

 not only the eye, but the imagination ; and 

 before I could withdraw my gaze the mother 

 bird was back again, whisking about my 

 head so fearlessly that for a moment I stood 

 still, half expecting her to drop into the nest 

 within reach of my hand. 



This, as I have said, was on the 24th of 

 June. Six days later, on the afternoon of 

 the 30th, the eggs were found to be hatched, 

 and two lifeless-looking things lay in the 

 bottom of the nest, their heads tucked out 

 of sight, and their bodies almost or quite 



