MOTHER MAGPIE S MISCHIEF. 49 



"that this way of building your nest, swinging like an old 

 empty stocking from a bough, is n't at all the thing. I 

 never built one so in my life, and I never have headaches. 

 Now you complain always that your head aches whenever 

 I call upon you. It 's all on account of this way of 

 swinging and swaying about in such an absurd manner." 



"But, my dear," piped Mrs. Oriole, timidly, "the Orioles 

 always have built in this manner, and it suits our consti- 

 tution." 



" A fiddle on your constitution ! How can you tell what 

 agrees with your constitution unless you try ? You own 

 you are not well ; you are subject to headaches, and every 

 physician will tell you that a tilting motion disorders the 

 stomach and acts upon the brain. Ask old Dr. Kite. I 

 was talking with him about your case only yesterday, and 

 says he, ' Mrs. Magpie, I perfectly agree with you.' " 



"But my husband prefers this style of building." 



" That 's only because he is n't properly instructed. Pray, 

 did you ever attend Dr. Kite's lectures on the nervous 

 system ? " 



"No, I have no time to attend lectures. Who would 

 set on the eggs ? " 



" Why, your husband, to be sure ; don't he take his 

 turn in setting ? If he don't, he ought to. I shall speak to 

 him about it. My husband always sets regularly half the 

 time, that I might have time to go about and exercise." 

 4 



