TWO GOOD NEIGHBORS. 



For a long time a pair of catbirds have 

 had a nest in the bushes in my garden. 

 They often come quite close to the house, 

 in fact, I have seen one of them on the 

 porch when the canary was there. Thev 

 take great interest in him. and come out 

 to greet him every morning as soon as 

 his cage is taken to the porch. 



Their favorite resort is a small red- 

 bud tree near by. and there thev come to 

 talk and enjoy themselves. 



They sing very beautifully when they 

 are so inclined, but I regret to say that 

 they do not often feel inclined. 



Seeing them so often and at such close 

 range Ave have become quite well ac- 

 quainted with them. 



In a low cedar tree, just within the 

 garden fence, a pair of robins once built 

 their nest and commenced housekeeping. 

 Scarcely had their young been hatched 

 when our cat, Tom. sneaked up the tree, 

 and after a long, hard struggle, suc- 

 ceeded in catching the mother bird, who 

 would not forsake her babies. A day or 

 two later, the father bird failed to come 

 home, and we supposed that he had been 

 shot. At any rate, he was never seen 

 again. 



Immediately, the catbirds took up the 

 care of their little orphan neighbors. 

 Every time a berry was brought to the 

 home nest, it was carefully divided and 

 shared with the robin babies, or. if it 

 was too small to be divided, turn about 

 was taken. In this way the robins had 



as many full meals as had the catbirds. 



Poor papa catbird had no time to 

 himself at all, for everyone knows what 

 gourmands young robins are and, then, 

 young catbirds do not have fairy appe- 

 tites. Every night he occupied the robin 

 nest to keep the young birds warm, and 

 from his position he could keep watch 

 over both families. » 



Indeed, at any time, if a lonely peep 

 came from the orphans, he was just as 

 willing to go to them to comfort them 

 as any other philanthropist would have 

 been. 



At the first peep of daylight, mother 

 catbird bustled out to see how her fos- 

 ter children had fared through the night. 



Her cares had been heavy enough be- 

 fore, and this business of caring for two 

 families soon told on her. 



These two little missionaries never 

 seemed to weary of their work, and when 

 the robins were ready to leave their nest 

 they were taken out and practised up 

 and down, and back and forward until 

 they were quite able to fly. And. oh, 

 what a relief it was when they could take 

 care of themselves ! Xot that one mo- 

 ment of care had ever been begrudged 

 them, but it had been a great responsibil- 

 ity. 



There always seemed to be a tie of 

 relationship between the two families. 

 and many pleasant reunions were held 

 through the summer. 



Elizabeth Roberts Burtox. 



THE MILKWEED. 



A shimmering mist adown the roadway glints. 



Soft silken draperies on the breeze are swung. 

 Empearled with dew, aglow with rainbow tints, 



A bridal veil upon the sweet air flung. 



— Illyria Turner. 



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