REDRUFF 



THE STORY OF THE DON VALLEY 

 PARTRIDGE 



DOWN the wooded slope of Taylor's Hill 

 the Mother Partridge led her brood, 

 down toward the crystal brook that by 

 some strange whim was called Mud Creek. 

 Her little ones were one day old but already 

 quick on foot, and she was taking them for the 

 first time to drink. 



She walked slowly, crouching low as she 

 went, for the woods were full of enemies. She 

 was uttering a soft little cluck in her throat, a 

 call to the little balls of mottled down that on 

 their tiny pink legs came toddling after, and 

 peeping softly and plaintively if left even i few 

 inches behind, and seeming so fragile they made 

 the very chicadees look big and coarse. There 

 were twelve of them, but Mother Grouse 

 watched them all, and she watched every bush 

 and tree and thicket, and the 'vhole woods and 



