THE REDBREAST. 49 



warbling his " wood notes wild," as gaily as if he 

 sat in summer bowers, till the approach of 

 another person drove him back to his retreat, 

 It was expected, that when the weather became 

 colder, he would establish himself there for the 

 winter. Indeed, he had already repeatedly passed 

 the night in the apartment, taking up his lodging 

 on the top of the wardrobe. For the present, 

 however, he was usually only a day visitor. As 

 night approached, he generally found oppor- 

 tunity to flit away, and seek his old roosting 

 place in barn or shed. The morning saw him 

 again, an attendant on the sick couch. Again he 

 shared the breakfast and the dinner, and repaid 

 his entertainer by his cheering strains. He did 

 not always remain stationary in the room, but 

 occasionally made an excursion into the nursery. 

 There he was at all times a welcome guest, and 

 seemed to be as much at ease as in the invalid's 

 chamber ; feeding fearlessly on the crumbs that 

 fell from the children's table. This pleasant inter- 

 course with the little bird had been going on for 

 some time, when all at once poor robin's visits 

 ceased, and it is feared that in one of his excursions 

 to the nursery, he fell a prey to the pet cat, which 

 was also accustomed to share the children's bounty. 

 There is something particularly calculated to 

 awaken kindly feelings for the little bird, in the 



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