MR. CHUPES AND MISS JENNY 



I could not leave her, for no one else 

 knew how to guard the helpless creature. 

 Supposing even that I remained until the 

 autumn; the wild bird would then take his 

 departure and leave her to fret her life out. 

 The plan of capturing and taming him was 

 suggested to me, but I never entertained 

 it for a moment. Only as a matter of res- 

 cue would I take a bird in, and never would 

 I deprive one of its freedom. 



It was a problem; but Nature solved it in 

 its own kindly way. Just two nights before 

 I left little Jenny died, evidently quite pain- 

 lessly; for when I left my room she was 

 sleeping quietly, and a few moments later 

 we found her dead. The little creature had 

 toiled her hardest at the nest all that day; 

 chatting with the wild mate during his 

 visits, but evidently preferring work to any 

 outing; she actually wore her little feet sore 

 with the scratching and shaping. 

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