BOYHOOD AND BIEDS. 79 



was to propitiate and keep him busy until the thornbushes 

 might be forgotten. 



I managed to convince myself, before we parted, that I 

 had no doubt succeeded ; that it was impossible he would 

 ever think of the circumstance again. So anxious was I, 

 however, that I rode past the thorn tree a dozen times that 

 day, taking care never to stop or turn my head towards it 

 again ; but, stealing a quick side-glance which showed that 

 all was right would pass on. 



The grand discovery was of course revealed to my sister ; 

 though, this time, it was with something more of humility 

 than had marked the announcements of the ci devant "youth- 

 ful Cuvier r 



So eager were we to watch over the nest and make sure 

 that it had not been despoiled, that we were off on our usual 

 morning ride for the Sulphur Springs before sunrise, and 

 stopped a few minutes near the nest to give her an opportu- 

 nity to see. There was no danger of the vagabond boys 

 being on the watch this early, and we had an undisturbed 

 view of that lovely mother with her dark, bright, patient 

 eyes, so calmly fixed upon us, and we watched while the 

 globules of dew would gather and roll off her sheltering plu- 

 mage. She looked so meek, so brave, so faithful to her pre- 

 cious charge, that we relented of our cruel purpose, and 

 vowed, if we could protect her from the cruel boys, that we 

 would place the young ones in a little cage, so that she 

 could nurse them herself, and try, through her affection for 

 them, to win this splendid pair to come and live on our 

 place. Indeed, this was my usual object in endeavoring to 

 capture young birds. I had no intention of keeping them 

 prisoners longer than was necessary to domesticate them to 

 my father's grounds. 



I had often done this, and know it to be quite practicable 

 though there was a great risk of losing the pets after all 

 my trouble, for they become so confiding as to be constantly 

 in danger from the brutalities of men. The temptation, 



