62 AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. ^ 



some way to open it. She could still hear it hissing as if very angry. 

 Polly lifted Phebe from the cradle and placed her on the high bed in the 

 next room, with Bob to stand guard, then returned to the kitchen, and 

 armed with the poker, stood ready to face any danger. 



You may think Polly a very foolish little girl, but this danger seemed 

 real to her, and to be brave, even though afraid, is the test of courage. 

 Now came a welcome voice — "let me in Polly." ' She fell sobbing int(> 

 her mother's arms, and even as she told her story, a loud noise, as of>a 

 falling body, came from the cellarway. Her mother opened the door 

 and found — what do you think? An adder coiled for a spring? No, a 

 jug of yeast, which had fermented, ("worked" she called it,) and after' 

 a great amount of hissing and sputtering, had forced the cork and most 

 of the contents from the jug. Of course when Martin was told the tale, 

 he made a great deal of fun of his sister, and it was a long time before 

 he ceased to tease her about snakes. But her father said she had shown 

 herself a brave girl, and when Christmas came, she found in the top of 

 her stocking, a bright half eagle marked, "For a Little Heroine, from 

 Uncle Jack Larkin." Polly is a young lady now, but I doubt if she ever 

 forgets her experience with flat-headed adders. 



GLEANINGS, 



To THE Chickadee: 



As if it said, "Good day, good sir; 

 Fine afternoon, old passenger. 

 Happy to meet you in these places. 

 Where January brings few faces." 



■Emerson. 



The kingdom of ornithology is divided into two departments — real 

 birds and English sparrows. English sparrows are not real birds, they 

 are little beasts. Van Dyke. 



The missing words in last month's account of the snow bird have 

 been found, and you shall have the list to compare with those with which 

 you filled the blank spaces. Hawk, six inches, bluish slate, head, 

 breast, belly, white, bill, September, April. 



