Author of "Among the Forest People," "Night People," etc.
Illustrated by F. C. Gordon
New YorkE. P. Dutton And Company31 West Twenty-Third Street
Copyright, 1903by E. P. Dutton & Co.
Published Sept., 1903
The Knickerbocker Press, New York
To
MY FATHER
WHO FIRST TAUGHT ME TO LOVE MY DOORYARD FRIENDS
PREFACE
MY DEAR LITTLE FRIENDS:--These stories are of things which I have seenwith my own eyes in my own yard, and the people of whom I write are myfriends and near neighbors. Some of them, indeed, live under my roof,and Silvertip has long been a member of our family. So, you see, Ihave not had to do like some writers--sit down and think and think howto make the people act in their stories. These tales are of thingswhich have really happened, and all I have done is to write them downfor you.
Many of them have been told over and over again to my own little boy,and because he never tires of hearing of the time when Silvertip was aKitten, and about the Wasps who built inside my shutters, I think youmay care to hear also. He wants me to be sure to tell how the babySwift tumbled down the chimney into his bedroom, and wishes you mighthave seen it in the little nest we made. When I tell these tales tohim, I have great trouble in ending them, for there is never a timewhen he does not ask: "And what did he do then Mother?" But I amtelling you as much as I can of how everything happened, and if therewas more which I did not see and cannot describe, you will have tomake up the rest to suit yourselves.
Besides, you know, there is always much which one cannot see or hear,but which one knows is happening somewhere in this beautiful greatworld. The birds do not stop living and working and loving when theyleave us for the sunny south, and above us, around us, and even underour feet many things are done which we cannot see. As we becomebetter acquainted with the little people who live in our dooryards, weshall see more and more interesting things, and I wish you might allgrow to be like my little boy, who is never lonely or in need of aplaymate so long as a Caterpillar or a Grasshopper is in sight.
See how many tiny neighbors you have around you, and how much you canlearn about them. Then you will find your own dooryard as interestingas mine and know that there are playmates everywhere.
Your friend,
CLARA D. PIERSON.
STANTON, MICHIGAN,
_October 30, 1902_.
CONTENTS
PAGE SILVERTIP 1 THE FIGHT FOR THE BIRD-HOUSE 12 THE FIR-TREE NEIGHBORS 22 THE INDUSTRIOUS FLICKERS 36 PLUCKY MRS. POLISTES 48 SILVERTIP STOPS A QUARREL 68 A YOUNG SWIFT TUMBLES 78 THE VERY RUDE YOUNG ROBINS 96 THE SYSTEMATIC YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO 108 THE HELPFUL TUMBLE-BUGS 121 SILVERTIP LEARNS A LESSON 132 THE ROBINS' DOUBLE BROOD 145 THE SPARROWS INSIDE THE EAVES 158 A RAINY DAY ON THE LAWN 173 THE PERSISTENT PHOEBE 183 THE SAD STORY OF THE HOG CATERPILLAR 199 THE CAT AND THE CATBIRD 210 THE FRIENDLY BLACKBIRDS 222