48 FARMING FOR LADIES. [chap, li. 



placed under a shed in the yard, packed as it 

 was, till it should be convenient for him to 

 send it off. 



" \^T3ile it was in the shed, a pair of robins 

 built their nest among some straw in the wag- 

 gon, and had hatched their young just before 

 it was sent away. One of the old birds, in- 

 stead of being frightened away by the motion 

 of the waggon, only left its nest from time to 

 time for the purpose of flying to the nearest 

 hedge for food for its young ; and thus alter- 

 nately affording warmth and nourishment to 

 them, it arrived at Worthing. The affection 

 of this bird having been observed by the car- 

 ter, he took care in unloading not to disturb 

 the robin's nest, and the parent with its young 

 ones returned in safety to the place from which 

 they had set out : the distance the waggon 

 went in going and returning not having been 

 less than one hundred miles." 



Well may we hail the divine influence of 

 maternal love ! inspired, as it is, by heaven 

 itself, whether in the bosom of beauteous 

 woman, or of any humbler creature, and truly 

 has the poet exclaimed — 



•' Oh! holy Nature ! tbou dost never plead in vain." 



