164 A TRAGEDY IN THE MAPLE-TREE. 



rooms in the pagodas, palaces, and balconied 

 cottages nailed up in the trees around us. In 

 the spring, house-cleaning and new furnishing 

 began, as usual, in the most amicable way. 

 There was an embarrassment of riches in mate- 

 rials, for, after the young pair had collected 

 enough to fill half a dozen nests at least, they 

 discovered a treasure somewhere in the neigh- 

 borhood, and, throwing out that already in use, 

 they labored industriously in bringing great 

 beakfuls of white feathers, such as are used in 

 pillows, and everything seemed prosperous and 

 harmonious. 



But one morning, upon taking my usual seat 

 after breakfast, I saw with surprise that there 

 was trouble in the maple-tree family. The 

 cock sat on a twig outside the door, puffed out 

 like a ball, scolding and chattering in his harsh- 

 est tones, while nothing was to be seen of the 

 hen. Indeed, for some time I could not tell 

 whether the quarrel was with her, or with some 

 intruder, for through the whole affair which 

 followed she never opened her mouth to answer 

 him, nor apparently paid the slightest attention 

 to all his blustering. 



It was curious to watch him ; he would bus- 

 tle up to the door, spread his tail, rattle the 

 feathers of his wings, and shake all over, as if 

 furious with rage ; then he would draw back, 



