MY HUMMING BIKDS. 105 



time before. This state of things continued some three 

 weeks, when I observed it beginning to lose its vivacity. I 

 resorted to every expedient I could think of; offered it small 

 insects, &c., but with no avail ; it would not touch them. 



"We at length came to the melancholy conclusion, that we 

 must either resign ourselves to see it die, or let it go. This 

 last alternative cost my sister some bitter tears. We had 

 made a delicate little cage for it, and had accustomed it to 

 roosting and feeding in it while loose in the rooms, and I 

 consoled her with the hope that perhaps it might return to 

 the cage as usual, even when hung in the garden. The ex- 

 periment was tried. The cage was hung in a lilac bush, and 

 the moment the door was opened, the little fellow darted 

 away out of sight. My heart sank within me, for I could 

 not but fear that it was gone forever, and my poor sister 

 sobbed aloud. I comforted her as best I might, and though 

 without any hope myself, endeavored to fill her with it and 

 divert her grief by occupation. So we prepared a nice new 

 cup of our nectar hung the cage with flowers left the door 

 wide open, and the white cup invitingly conspicuous then 

 resting from our labors, withdrew a short distance to the foot 

 of a tree, to watch the result. We waited for a whole hour, 

 with straining eyes, and, becoming completely discouraged, 

 had arisen from the grass, and were turning to go, when my 

 sister uttered a low exclamation 



"Whist! look brother I" 



The little fellow was darting x to and fro in front of his 

 cage ; as if confused for a moment by the flower drapery ; 

 but the white cup seemed to overcome his doubts very 

 quickly, and, with fluttering hearts, we saw him settle upon 

 the cup as of old, and while he drank, we rushed lightly foi- 

 ward on tiptoe to secure him. 



We were quite rebuked for our want of faith, threw open 

 the door again, and let him have the rest of the day to him- 

 self ; but, as I observed him playing with some of the wild 

 birds, I concluded to shut him up for a week or two longer, 



