108 



WINTER STORIES AND POEMS 



Birch. "It would be more agreeable to youl 

 neighbors and more comfortable to yourselves." 

 "We are quite comfortable as we are/' an- 

 swered the Spruce ; " so why and to whom 

 should we give way ? " 



" To me and to all your 

 neighbors/' said the Birch. 

 " Never/' answered the 

 Spruce. 



"Never, never, never/' 

 echoed all the other 

 Spruces, in a loud voice. 

 A squirrel, who was sit- 

 ting on a tree near by, 

 dropped the cone from 

 which she had been pick- 

 ing the seeds. She was 

 frightened at the noise. 



Many weeks passed by. 

 Beautiful little cones hung 

 on the branches of the Spruce trees. 



The grove looked to be in a green and flour- 

 ishing condition. But within all was brown 

 and dry. 



The summer had been very hot and sultry. 

 The air in the Spruce grove became close and 



THE SPRUCE 



