66 



THE FLICKER'S MISTAKE. 



"My dear," said Mrs. Flicker, one in this tree this very morning, picking 

 bright day, as Mr. Flicker came flying cherries, and I am worn out with flutter- 

 home in high feather, "we have made a ing and fussing and calling, to attract 

 mistake a horrible mistake/' their attention from the nest." 



Now, Mr. Flicker was a very polite Mr. Flicker thought he knew boys, 

 bird, but he was so used to his wife's lit- and while he might be considered a fair 

 tie peccadilloes that, though sometimes and generous-minded bird in most things, 

 he listened patiently to her tale of woe, it is a lamentable fact that he never could 

 at other times he just tossed his head, ab- quite understand why Nature in her in- 

 solutely without fear of what man might finite wisdom had thought it necessary 

 do to him. On this particular day the to produce anything so incongruous as 

 warblers were whistling and flashing in a boy. But, as has been said, Mr. Flick- 

 and out of willow trees across the stream, er's reasoning powers were limited. He 

 the wild grape and strawberry and the was sober now boys always sobered 

 sweet clover made the air fragrant, the him. But after all, he had the spirit and 

 sun shone out gaily from a cloudless sky, digestion of a bird, and even the fussy 

 far and wide on the earth lay greens upon Mrs. Flicker fussed only in a bird-like 

 greens, and overhead stretched heaven's manner. So they talked it over and 

 blue a June day why should Mr. hoped for the best, especially as the babies 

 Flicker fear? With Mrs. Flicker it was showed signs of the greatest precocity 

 different ; she had laid the eggs, she had and bade fair to fly away in a few days 

 patiently kept them warm ; she was now and be safe from harm, 

 watching her little baby Flickers jealous- The next day as Mr. Flicker was re 

 ly ; what wonder that she grew morbid turning from his favorite ant-hill, he was 

 and fearful, and exaggerated every small startled by the frightened screams of his 

 annoyance ! Mr. Flicker saw now that wife, and for some time after he reached 

 she was trembling with excitement, as the nest she could do nothing but scream 

 she said again, "We have made a^horri- and cry and hop distractedly from branch 

 ble mistake." to branch. Mr. Flicker followed her 

 "What about ?" asked he. about and tried to comfort her, though 

 "Do you know," she said, solemnly, he felt that this was no imaginary griev- 

 "what kind of a tree this is in which we ance. 

 have put our nest?" "What is it, my love; what is it?" he 



"A very good tree, indeed," said Mr. begged softly. 



Flicker, bristling, for he had selected the "Go look in the nest," said she. 

 tree ; "a remarkably fine tree, with this He flew to the nest, and then his cries 

 hollow limb in the midst of so much and shrieks rose above hers, and they 

 foliage." hopped from branch to branch like de- 

 "But, my dear, it is a cherry tree." mented bird-folk. Mr. Flicker, when 

 "So much the better," said the gay Mr. quite himself, was gay and trustful and 

 Flicker; "most birds like cherry trees." debonair, but he was, besides all this, a 

 "Yes, and boys like cherry trees!" proud and natural parent, and when he 

 "Well, and what of that ?" found that one of his precious babies was 

 It will plainly be seen that Mr. Flicker missing, his grief, though loud, was sin- 

 was no logician, but then, he could fly cere. Mrs. Flicker told him how a dread- 

 far, far away toward the heavenly blue, ful, hideous boy, with frightful sprawling 

 while logicians the very wisest of them legs and arms had climbed the tree to 

 "on their feet must go plodding and pick cherries how he had found the 

 walking." nest in spite of all that she could do how 

 "What of that !" mocked Mrs. Flicker, he had pushed his long arm down into the 

 nervously. "Well, there have been bovs hollow limb and taken out and examined 



