CHAPTER XVIII 
THE COMEDY OF THE GARDEN 
HERE is a strange, little comedy going on at 
1 the Six Spruces. No bells have been rung 
announcing it; no cards inviting one to the play 
have been issued. Joseph and I, nevertheless, are 
its spectators. It is a comedy played by three 
actors, two chipping sparrows and a starling. 
I.ong ago Joseph and I knew that a pair of 
chipping sparrows had built a nest in one of Aunt 
Amanda’s yellow bell shrubs. It was a small, del- 
icate-looking nest, lined very neatly with horsehair. 
Further than this we knew nothing, except that the 
female chippy sat on the nest in all patience, await- 
ing, we supposed, the time when tiny birds would 
peep their heads out from the eggs. Finally the 
young were hatched; for we saw the two chippies 
busy about the triangle searching for food. 
What we did not know, however, was that star- 
lings sometimes lay their eggs in other birds’ nests ; 
and that one had played this mean trick on the chip- 
pies. They, poor things, were brooding over and 
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