146 BIRDS' NESTS. 



room by offering it food, and then shuts it in ? 

 A child may be taught that all these things 

 are allowable towards brute animals, and still 

 may be trained up to the habit of treating his 

 companions as he would wish to be treated 

 by them." 



Nothing further of consequence occurred 

 during the remainder of the walk, and when 

 they reached the village, Mr. Miller stated his 

 intention of calling first at Johnson's cottage, 

 though he thought it scarcely likely that he 

 should find the father at home at this hour. 



Johnson's cottage, though prettily situated, 

 was by no means a tempting one to enter. 

 It stood by the side of the road, with some 

 beautiful trees behind it, and a sloping garden 

 in front, which might not only have been 

 made very neat, but, if properly cultivated, 

 have been made profitable : as it was, how- 

 ever, it was little better than a piece of waste 

 ground. There were to be seen some traces 

 of beds, with two or three fruit-trees loaded 



