ALONG FOUR-FOOTED TRAILS 



mony." Like the work of the little mice in 

 the field these thoughts will soon destroy all 

 the grandeur and power and beauty of life. 

 And she was right ! 



While Aunt was talking we examined the 

 destroyed nest and found it to be most inter- 

 esting and beautiful. It was an architectural 

 wonder, in view of its origin. It was composed 

 of fine grasses so interwoven as to form a hol- 

 low globe. The walls were thin and elastic 

 and lined inside with plant down and soft fibers. 

 How long and patiently the little mother and 

 her mate must have toiled to weave the soft 

 cozy nest and to dig those wondrously intricate 

 galleries ! And what of their end ? To be torn 

 to pieces by a huge, unappreciative enemy ! 

 Aye ! More ! To surrender a life ! Truly, 

 the philosophy of nature is a harsh one, from 

 some standpoints. We now carefully opened 

 many of the remaining galleries and found sev- 

 eral chambers or rooms in which were stored 

 away little piles of carefully selected wheat ker- 

 nels gathered from the neighboring wheat-field. 

 A single chamber was filled with sun-flower 

 seeds, a part of the winter's store which the 

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