ARBOR DA Y MAX UAL. 2O; 



of young trees of various kinds, and here we found nine nests, one in a locust, 

 the other eight in maples. Then following the street with trees irregularly 

 planted on either side, a few here, a few there, we counted forty-nine nests, all 

 of which were in maples, although several elms and locusts were mingled with 

 these: frequently there were several nests in the same maple. *-** Such 

 was the state of things in the principal streets through which we passed, mak- 

 ing in all one hundred and twenty-seven nests, and of these, eighteen were in 

 various kinds of trees, the remaining one hundred and nine were in maples. 



SUSAX FEXIMORE COOPER in " Rural Hours." 



ACORN AND CHESTNUT. 



0\E pleasant day in October an acorn and a chestnut were lying side by side 

 on the brown earth where they had fallen. 



I hope I shall be safe in the ground before winter comes," said the acorn. 

 " Snow and ice do not agree with me. In fact, if they come before I am under 

 shelter they will kill me : and it would be sad indeed, if so fine and large an acorn 

 as I am should be lost ; for I expect to become a great oak some time, and oaks, 

 as you know, are the kings of the forest." 



"Yes, I hope so too," said the chestnut, "I want to be safe before winter 

 comes. I would like to grow into a tree ; for the swallows have told me that 

 in aU lands a strong, tall tree is thought to be one of the finest things in the 

 world." 



" Oh. chestnut trees are not much," said the acorn. " No one cares any thing 

 about them except the boys, who think it fun to climb up among their branches 

 and shake down the nuts. For my part, if I were a tree. I shouldn't care to 

 live just to please a few children; and 1 am sure it would make me very angry 

 to see them eating the fruit which I had taken the trouble to bear." 



"Well." said the chestnut, "even- tree to its taste. Some trees would rather 

 have their food liked by boys and girls than have it be fit for nothing but pigs." 



What?" said the acorn, growing angry. "The oak is the noblest of all the 

 trees. From its wood are made the great ships that go sailing over the ocean. 

 It lives hundreds of years, and gives shade to thousands of people, and homes 

 to millions of birds; and if. as I heard a man say one day, 'great oaks from 

 little acorns grow,' what a noble tree may be expected from such an acorn as 

 lam!" 



" But how will you be planted ? " asked the chestnut. 



"Oh. that's easy enough," answered the acorn. " Even- day I feel myself 

 sinking deeper and deeper into the ground; and when I am deep enough the 

 wind will throw some fine rich earth over me, and there I shall lie snug and 

 warm until spring. 



'Then, after putting out two little green leaves, I shall grow no more above 

 ground for some time, but only keep spreading my roots and making them 

 stronger. I shall grow slowly for years, until at last I shall spread out my 

 branches for a great distance around, and become the king of the forest. Ah, 

 how glad I am that I'm an acorn and not a chestnut ! " 



