130 MY LADY IN GREEN. 



tumblers and cups, pitchers and pails, and every 

 one paused at the little show in front of the 

 house, where, alas ! there was no fence. Well 

 dressed city women stopped, and stared, and 

 pointed with parasols, often asking for a look 

 into the nest. 



All this hindered the poor little mother in her 

 domestic duties. She would come near, alight 

 on a twig far above, and wait, hoping to reach 

 her darlings, till some laugh or movement startled 

 her away ; and usually just before dark, while 

 the village was at supper, she had to feed very 

 often to make up for short commons all day. 



There were other dangers too, which I hoped 

 did not worry the " wee birdie " as they did me. 

 Two or three times a strong wind a November 

 gale out of date, rocked and tossed that tiny 

 cradle all day, while I frequently held my 

 breath, in fear of seeing the twins flung out. 

 But the canny little creatures cuddled down in 

 the nest, which by that time seemed too small 

 to hold them, showing only beaks and, later, 

 immature tails above the edge. 



Once, very early in their lives, came a steady 

 rain. All night long the devoted mother re- 

 ceived the downpour on her back, and all the 

 next day, with short intervals of food-seeking, 

 she remained at her post, while the water ran off 

 her tail in streams. She kept her younglings 



