lady carrying a watering pot came 

 towards me. She did not at first see 

 me but cried ''Oh!" when I hopped 

 away, as if I had frightened her. I 

 stopped and she sat down in the swing 

 to watch me". Mother came soon, with 

 dinner, while my brother flew to a low 

 branch near, telling me not to be afraid. 

 The lady said 'Toor little bird, I fear 

 the cat will get you. If you will let me 

 pick you up, I will put you by your 

 brother," and then she walked softly 

 towards me, but I hopped away. When 

 she left me, I found a pile of leaves 

 near some boxes in a corner, but soon 

 she returned with her mother, carry- 

 ing a little berry basket. When they 

 had hung it in a tree, they hunted every- 

 where for me, but I kept so still they 

 could not find my hiding place, and the 

 lady said, "We will have to wait for the 

 mother bird to come with food for the 

 little thrush, before we can find it." 

 Mother never left me long alone, so 

 they soon discovered me, and the elder 

 lady, throwing her handkerchief over 

 my back, picked me up and the first 

 thing I knew, I was in the little basket 

 which was lined with green leaves. But 

 I was a silly little bird, and instead of 

 waiting to see what it all meant, I 

 jumped out on the ground, crying 

 ''peep, peep" so loud mother and father 

 both came flying to me. Then the lady 

 picked me up again, saying, "You fool- 

 ish little bird, don't you know I only 

 wished to put you where you will be 

 safe," and she placed me in the basket 

 leaving her handkerchief over me. I 

 sat still a few minutes, then hearing 

 mother's voice, out I hopped again. 

 Three times the ladies put me back, and 

 each time I foolishly jumped out, till at 

 last they left me. I have forgotten 

 to tell you, there was such a nice dog 

 with them, named Brownie, who lay 

 near watching us all, but keeping quiet 

 because her mistress told her to lie 

 still. Later I loved that dog, because 



she chased away a black cat which came 

 on the fence near me. All the after- 

 noon I stayed in the pile of leaves, but 

 towards night I again heard the lady 

 coming quietly towards my hiding place. 

 She seemed glad to see me, saying, "So 

 you are there little bird? but you can- 

 not be left all night, or the cat will get 

 you," and she returned to the house. I 

 wondered what would happen next and 

 soon both ladies came again, bringing 

 a deep basket (out of which I could 

 not hop) and hung it on a tree. Of 

 course I had hidden again, so they 

 could not find me, and I heard them say, 

 they must wait for me to peep. I was 

 hungry and cold and soon called mother,- 

 and the next thing I knew I was in the 

 lady's hand and was laid in the basket, 

 which was lined with cotton and leaves. 

 Again I was silly and tried to hop out, 

 but could not, and they drew the basket 

 higher and higher in the tree until I 

 was safe from the cat. The younger 

 lady said she would stay awhile and 

 see if my mother found me. The night 

 was cool and the soft cotton was com- 

 fortable, for I was tired, so I lay quietly 

 until I heard mother's voice. I could 

 see her through the cracks of the basket 

 and called to her, but she could not at 

 first find me. She hopped all over the 

 ground, calling and listening and look- 

 ing for me in every corner. Finally she 

 followed my voice up the tree and came 

 hopping out on the branch over my 

 head, then onto the edge of the basket, 

 so lightly it hardly moved with her 

 weight, and then down she hopped 

 beside me. How glad I was to cuddle 

 under her wing! So this is the end of 

 my story. I am living in the basket. 

 Mother is taking care of me until I 

 shall be strong enough to go out in the 

 world alone, and every now and then 

 the "House People" come softly to see 

 if I am safe. Some day I will sing 

 them my sweetest song of thanks. 



M. R. B. Chase. 



