io THE STORY OF A BIRD LOVER 



a large magnolia, while sheltered by the wall 

 was an apricot tree that bore a profusion of fruit 

 every year. The garden back was full of all 

 kinds of hardy flowers, and was laid out in walks 

 bordered with box in the dignified way of the 

 olden time. Inside, the house was of the con- 

 ventional type associated with the city. 



Many things, however, added to the pleasure 

 of the seven grandchildren, about of an age, who 

 played together here ; one was a garret, a room 

 under the roof, occupying the whole upper 

 portion of the house, so large that one of our 

 games was what we called playing farming, and 

 each of us had a farm situated in different corners 

 of this room. Here we had toy stables, with 

 tiny wooden horses and wooden men and carts, 

 and all the appurtenances of farming ; and in 

 stormy weather we played day after day at this 

 game. There were long wooden steps that led 

 from the garret to a point of the roof, and outside 

 was a spacious observation platform, much such 

 as one finds on every old house in Nantucket to- 

 day. Surrounded by a strong balustrade, this 

 platform afforded a safe place for kite-flying in 

 the spring ; it was where we watched the Fourth 

 of July celebrations at night when the fireworks 

 made a fine spectacle, and from here all the 

 waters of the bay, away down to Staten Island, 

 were plainly to be seen. 



