56 The Life Worth Living 



he guards these nests with jealous care. 

 The mockingbird, the wren, and song spar- 

 row, the redbird and bluebird, catbird and 

 thrush, hear his soft footfall without dis- 

 tress. His life has become larger and his 

 heart bigger. 



He watched a tiny sparrow build her nest 

 in the grass this spring close beside the path- 

 way to the Steamer's Pier. He saw the first 

 egg and the last, and then the brooding 

 mother, and then the little birds, with grow- 

 ing interest. He kept the dogs and the pup- 

 pies away and guarded her with zealous care. 

 Just as the bird babies were feathering and 

 nearly ready to fly they made such a big 

 houseful, some beast, a bird of prey, a rat or 

 a crow perhaps, found them. As we went to 

 the Pier at boat time they were all right, 

 and the mother was chirping with pride in 

 the tree above. When we returned, in half 

 an hour, the nest was torn from its perch in 

 the grass and every bird gone. The mother 



