IX. 

 TflE LITTLE REDBIRDS. 



WHEN the little redbirds began to visit the 

 lawn there were exciting times. At first they 

 ventured only to the trees overlooking it ; and 

 the gayly dressed father who had them in 

 charge reminded me of nothing so much as a 

 fussy young mother. He was alert to the tips 

 of his toes, and excited, as if the whole world 

 was thirsting for the life of those frowzy-headed 

 youngsters in the maple. His manner intimated 

 that nobody ever had birdlings before ; indeed, 

 that there never had been, or could be, just such 

 a production as that young family behind the 

 leaves. While they were there, he flirted his 

 tail, jerked himself around, crest standing 

 sharply up, and in every way showed his sense 

 of importance and responsibility. 



As for the young ones, after they had been 

 hopping about the branches a week or so, and 

 papa had grown less madly anxious if one 

 looked at them, they appeared bright and spir- 

 ited, dressed in the subdued and tasteful hues 

 of their mother, with pert little crests and dark 



