custom of feeding the birds. When the 

 ground is covered with snow they take 

 bunches of grain and fasten them to 

 posts or to the corners of barns and 

 thus the little birds find food. Some 

 times the birds travel long distances 

 over the most desolate country to the 

 sections where the kind people live who 

 provide for their need when the ground 

 is buried under the snow. Even the 

 poor people manage to spare a little 

 grain. When I read this I determined 

 that I too, would look out for the little 

 birdies and pleasant work I have found 

 it." 



Beth was delighted with all she heard 

 and the happiest moments of her visit 

 were spent in feeding the birds or in 

 hearing her Aunt talk about them. She 

 soon learned that while the wood 

 peckers and nuthatches loved suet and 

 crumbs the chick-a-dees were fond of 

 corn-meal mixed with red pepper, and 

 all the birds were delighted with rice and 

 hominy. 



When the storm was over Aunt Mary 

 took her out in the yard, and showed 

 her how she had a box fixed on a stump 

 where she placed the food when the 

 snow did not prevent; and of how one 

 day a woodpecker had alighted on her 

 shoulder when she was carrying out the 

 food. Another day a nuthatch had come 

 up on the piazza, and almost to the kit 

 chen door, he was in such a hurry for 

 his breakfast. 



As her visit drew to a close Beth felt 

 almost sorrowful at the thought of leav 

 ing her little, feathered friends. But her 

 Aunt consoled her with the assurance 

 that she would surely find some birds 

 to feed at home. 



Not long after Beth reached home 

 her Aunt was delighted to receive a let 

 ter which read: 

 Dear Aunt Mary: 



You were right, there were birds wait 

 ing to be fed right here in Connecticut, 

 only I shouldn't have known about them 

 if I hadn't gone to New York State to 

 visit you. I haven't any stumps to put 

 boxes on for the birds' food, but I put 

 a board out of the window for the bird's 

 table. 



The first birds that came were blue 

 jays, and they looked so pretty on the 

 snow. I have lots of dear, little snow 

 birds and yesterday morning, guess 

 what came ! A dear meadow lark ! He 

 was exactly like the picture in "your 

 book. I don't seem to have any wood 

 peckers, but then you didn't have blue 

 jays, so it is fair, you see. 



I have found out that the blue jays 

 rather have corn-bread than wheat, 

 but the tree sparrows like the wheat 

 most. You remember Polly, my parrot 

 Well, I tried giving the birds the 

 eaten-out corn she left in her cage and 

 they just love that. < 



I must tell you one more thing before 

 I say good bye. I told my dearest 

 little friend many of the things you told 

 me and so she got all interested too, 

 and so we've decided to get up a Bird 

 Club, and all the little girls and boys 

 who will promise to feed the birds can 

 join it. Don't you think that will be 

 nice? I'll write more about it next 

 time. Good bye, 



BETH. 



P. S. Here is a little verse I made up. 

 Do you like it? 



To' the birds we will be kind, 

 Crumbs they will be sure to find, 

 For we'll feed them day by day, 

 And we'll love them just alway. 



" B. 



A few days later when Beth came 

 home from school she found a package. 

 It was directed in Aunt Mary's hand, 

 and the little girl eagerly tore off the 

 wrappings. Beth clapped her hands 

 with delight when she found the package 

 was made up of pretty cards ; on each 

 one Aunt Mary had painted two of the 

 cutest little birds perched on a leafless 

 branch, and underneath was Beth's own 

 little verse in beautiful gold letters. 

 There was also a place for a name to be 

 signed. 



"Oh ! mamma," she exclaimed, "won't 

 these be perfectly elegant for our club? 

 And mamma, how much I would have 

 missed, how much the birds would have 

 missed if I hadn't made that visit to 

 Aunt Mary's!" 



GRACE T. THOMPSON. 



