142 
OUR HOME BIRDS. 
would enjoy her way more, she very quietly carried 
it through. 
It was a charming day, so bright and warm, with 
everything leafing out and blooming — cherry trees 
covered with snow, and apple trees with rose-color, 
wild flowers in great heaps everywhere, and the fresh 
grass looking like soft green velvet. They had not 
very far to walk on the pleasant country road before 
they turned into a little lane that led to the woods ; 
and then Miss Harson’s little flock were constantly 
exclaiming with delight. 
It was, “ Look here, Miss Harson !” or “ Look there, 
Miss Harson ! ” “ See that bird up there !” “ Do catch 
that squirrel !” “Look at the flowers !” “Aren’t these 
ferns ?” until they were all talking and laughing at 
once. The governess had some trouble to keep her 
tin box from being filled with ferns before they were 
well into the woods, the beautiful green sprays grew 
so thickly all around them ; but she insisted upon 
waiting until their return to gather them, so that 
they might be all the fresher. 
How they did enjoy themselves ! — Malcolm racing 
and climbing fences, with Flip at his heels in a perfect 
ecstasy of barking, while the little girls frequently 
tumbled on the soft grass among the flowers, and 
picked themselves up again with laughter ; and Miss 
Harson enjoyed their pleasure and her own in a 
