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have some, too. And all, even the little lady and she was smiling pleasantly and 



yellow canaries, used to help themselves, watching me." 



This did not please the old mother hen When grandfather Humming Bird had 



very well, and if she could have gotten said all this, he flew away to another 



out of her box-house, I think she would branch of the oak tree and moved his 



have chased the birds away. One day a wings so fast that one could not see how 



bold blackbird walked into her house to he did it. Papa Swift thanked him for the 



get some grains of corn, when he thought pleasure he had given by his stories of his 



she was not looking. But before he could last summer's home, and it was finally 



get out. again she pulled three feathers agreed that the Swifts and Humming 



out of his tail and laid them down, as a Birds should start together for the north 



warning, where all the other birds could in the spring. 



see them. I heard the lady afterwards The young birds of both families were 

 telling the mother hen that she must not anxious for the concert to begin. Papa 

 be so selfish, and the next time she fed the Swift, who was considered the best singer 

 chickens she put several handfuls of corn by everybody, flew to the very top of the 

 where the blackbirds could get it, without oak tree and began his prettiest song. It 

 having their tail-feathers pulled out. I was not long before several Swifts and 

 have seen the lady put pieces of string Humming Birds had joined him. They 

 and bits of soft cotton cloth and old rope all sang and flew from branch to branch, 

 where the birds could get them, to help A bird concert is not like one given by 

 make their nests. And I saw her feed- children. The children all sing the same 

 ing a little orphan owl with angle worms, song and sing it together, but in a bird 

 The little owl was very fond of her and concert everyone sings to please himself, 

 sat on her fingers and twisted his neck He begins just when he feels like it, and 

 and winked his great eyes. Whenever sings his own song. But for all that, a 

 he heard her talking he gave a queer little bird concert is very pretty music. Some 

 screech, for he knew her voice. He was a proud birds, who were spending the af- 

 great eater and he expected her to give ternoon near by, and who had better 

 him something to eat every time she went voices than the ones in the oak tree, pre- 

 where he was. One day that lady was sit- tended that they did not like such a 

 ting on her porch listening to the birds "noise," as they called it, and flew away 

 singing. At one end of the porch was a across the river. But this did not keep 

 large lilac bush in full bloom, and I was the Swifts and Humming Birds from en- 

 enjoying myself among the blossoms, joying themselves. 



Once in a while I would fly to a flower Before the time for good-byes came they 

 bed not far from the opposite end of the promised to see each other often, and ev- 

 porch, where there was a big bunch of eryone promised to be ready to go away 

 belladonna with its lovely blue and mauve in the spring. Little Cyprelus dreamed 

 blossoms. The lady seemed to like lilacs that night of the pleasant times she would 

 best, for she had fastened a large bunch have the next summer in the pretty place 

 in her belt, and sat with her hands folded grandfather Humming Bird had told 

 in her lap, dreaming a day dream, I sup- about, and Coquette and Topaza said they 

 pose. wondered if the lady who lived by the 

 Once, on my way from the flower-bed beautiful lake would have as many flow- 

 to the lilac bush, I flew up to the bunch of er-beds this summer as she had last, 

 blossoms which the lady had in her belt. Now this lady, whom grandfather 

 You know I am seldom afraid of anything Humming Bird had been telling about, 

 and I knew the dear lady would not harm was Aunt Dorothy. She was a great bird 

 me. But she seemed very much sur- lover, and it made her happy to find that 

 prised when I stopped at her bunch of she could number the Swifts among her 

 blossoms. 'O-o-h!' she said, but very particular bird friends when they came 

 softly, and unclasped her hands in her the next summer to live in her yard, 

 surprise. I flew away quickly to the lilac One morning Aunt Dorothy waked up 

 bush, and after a while I looked at the very early. She looked out of her eastern 



