The Wounded Redstart. 



231 



activity, and I really thought Mrs. Redstart 

 was going mad. 



As the room was covered with light mat- 

 ting, she could see a fly on the floor at 

 several yards distance, and no character 

 impersonator ever changed his appearance 

 with more celerity than my little friend, as 

 she darted like a streak at the intruder. 



The effect of all this exercise and excite- 

 ment had a most beneficial effect on Mrs. 

 Redstart, for she took a bath early in the 

 evening, and I found her asleep soon after 

 on top of a roll of paper, but how she got 

 up so high I could not imagine. As she 

 nestled in the paper with her face turned 

 upward, I could not but think of a little 

 child saying its prayers, and I was a great 

 mind to leave her there for the night. But 

 it is always the unexpected that happens, 

 so I gathered her up in my hands, kissed 

 her pretty head, and placed her gently in 

 the basket where 1 knew she was safe. 



I felt now that I should not have my 

 little friend with me much longer, for as 

 soon as she could use her wing she would 

 want to set off on her southward journey, 

 and I loved her too well to detain her 

 against her will, so I resolved to devote as 

 much of my time to her as possible, while 

 she remained with me. 



As I knew she liked to get up as soon 

 as she awoke, 1 took an early peep at her 

 next morning, but was glad to find she was 

 still asleep, and it was not till the clock had 

 struck seven, that she opened her eyes. 



" Oh, you little sleepy-head," I exclaimed, 

 "your breakfast has been waiting an hour." 



At the mention of breakfast, Mrs. Red- 

 start was wide awake in a moment, and ex- 

 pressed her readiness to get up at once. 



We passed a very happy day together, 

 and, as I did not wish my friend to feel 

 that I regarded her as company, I got some 

 light sewing, and sat down on a low stool, 

 quite in an informal way. Presently I no- 

 ticed a fly on my shoe, and, although Mrs. 

 Redstart was a considerable distance from 



me, she saw it too, and before I could be 

 aware of her intention she had darted up 

 my foot, caught the fly, and was off again 

 in the twinkling of an eye. 



Seeing my friend was in such a merry 

 mood, I slid off my stool to the floor, and 

 asked her to give me a lesson in fly-catch- 

 ing. So as to be able to run up your foot, 

 too, said I. At the sound of my voice she 

 came dancing toward me like a little fairy, 

 and I was greatly amused at the curiosity 

 with which she regarded me. But she had 

 an eye to business, and, as she had the fa- 

 culty of turning herself round without ap- 

 parently using her feet, she seemed to be 

 looking at every point of the compass at 

 once. Nothing escaped her, and woe to the 

 unfortunate fly that lit upon my dress, or 

 buzzed past me. He had no time to say 

 his prayers. Perhaps she thought in her 

 little bird way that I had a lame wing too, 

 for as long as I remained in a recumbent 

 position she never left me. 



As the day drew to a close, she began 

 looking about for a resting place, and es- 

 sayed a short flight, so I was not surprised 

 next morning to see her sweep out of the 

 basket and circle round and round the 

 room, looking down and calling to me from 

 the top of the doors and pictures. But I 

 thought I would give her wing the benefit 

 of one more day's rest, and "to-morrow 

 morning," said I, " I will take you to a 

 beautiful spot that I know of, just fit for a 

 little bird-angel." 



Before the day was over, however, I 

 came near having cause to regret that I 

 had not let my little friend go, there and 

 then. I had been absent from the room a 

 short time, and on my return found her 

 posing on the pin-cushion before the look- 

 ing-glass, and spreading out her tail in the 

 most approved fashion. Then she drew 

 herself up, and the interest and com- 

 placency with which she looked down and 

 contemplated her minute black feet was 

 exceedingly amusing to witness, when her 



