MR. CHUPES AND MISS JENNY 



a little when he found his window-sill pre- 

 empted, and several times he was obliged 

 to retire and to wait the birds' pleasure be- 

 fore getting his little portion. 



There are numbers of birds' nests in the 

 trees around our home, and some are built 

 in such advantageous positions that, from 

 our dining-room, we are enabled to look in 

 upon the nestlings while the parents deal 

 out dainties to them. 



One late autumn day I noticed Mr. 

 Rufus skipping along among the bare 

 branches of the tree nearest the dining- 

 room. Finally he halted at one of the nests 

 on a level with the window-tops. This little 

 bird-home he eagerly investigated with the 

 air of " family gone south for the winter! I 

 wonder if they have left anything behind." 

 I thought nothing more of the incident at 

 the time, but to my surprise I saw him 



seated in the nest the next day. A portion 

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