The Sorrows of a House Martin 47 



away, I saw a great coarse dirty sparrow, with 

 a long straw in his ugly beak, go into the 

 nest just as if it were his own property. And 

 indeed it now was his property, by right of 

 wicked force and idle selfishness ; for as long 

 as I continued to hover round, he sat there 

 looking out, his cruel eyes watching me in 

 triumph. I knew it was no good for me to 

 try and turn him out, for I should never have 

 lived to tell you the story. Look at my bill ! 

 it's not meant to fight with, nor are my claws 

 either. We don't wish to fight with any one ; 

 we do no one any harm. Why should we be 

 bullied and persecuted by these fat vulgar 

 creatures, who are too lazy to build nests for 

 themselves? Up there at the farm-house they 

 have turned every one of us out of house and 

 home, and I daresay that next year we shall 

 have to give up your snug house too. You 

 could prevent it if you liked, but you take no 

 notice, and you think us always happy ! " 



This was too much for poor Gwenny, and 

 the tears began to fall. " No, no," she implored, 

 " you shall come here again, you must come here 



