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MRS. LESLIE'S BOOKS FOR LITTLE CHILDREN.
THE ROBIN REDBREAST SERIES.
LITTLE ROBINS' LOVE ONE TO ANOTHER.]
LITTLE ROBINS' LOVE ONE TO ANOTHER.
BY
MRS. MADELINE LESLIE,
AUTHOR OF "THE HOME LIFE SERIES;" "MRS. LESLIE'S JUVENILE SERIES," ETC.
BOSTON: CROSBY, NICHOLS, LEE AND COMPANY, 117 WASHINGTON STREET.
Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1860, by A. R. BAKER, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts.
ELECTROTYPED AT THE BOSTON STEREOTYPE FOUNDRY.
LITTLE ROBINS' LOVE ONE TO ANOTHER.
CHAPTER I.
JACK ROBIN'S OFFENCE.
It was a lovely May morning. The air was full of sweet fragrance fromthe orchards of blossoming trees. All nature seemed alive with melody.The singing of birds, the humming of insects, the cooing of doves abouttheir cotes, the responsive crowing of the cocks in the farm yards, thelowing of the cows for their calves,--even the gurgling of the ambitiouslittle brook running along over stones and pebbles at its utmost speed,sparkling and foaming in the ecstasy of its delight,--all hail withexultation the approaching summer.
But let us turn from this universal rejoicing to our friends under theold elm tree. Mrs. Symmes we see standing within the shed churningbutter. Fred is before the door, with a pail of dough in his hand,calling "chick, chick, chick." Annie is following grandpa to the barnwith a pan of warm milk for Whiteface, while the good farmer is drivinghis oxen to the field.
The barn yard gate has been accidentally left open, and the cosset,hearing Annie's voice, bounds forward to meet her, and puts his forefeet on her dress, nestling his head under her arm.
"O grandpa!" exclaimed the child, "do please take the pan; Whiteface ismaking me spill it all over."
"Set it down on the ground, dear, and let her drink it," said grandpa.
"I have a good mind to let her run round with me, as I did yesterday,"continued Annie.
As grandpa smiled approval, the two were presently engaged in a merrychase from house to barn, round the trunk of the old tree and back totheir starting spot again.
"Now," cried the little girl when she could recover her breath, "it'stime to feed my Robin family. O, they are all here!" she added, as sheopened the front door.
Jack, without waiting for further invitation, hopped into the entry,and then into the room. The table was set for the family, and he madebold to fly upon it, and walk round among the dishes. He looked so funnyas he hopped a step or two, and then, standing on one leg, turned hishead archly, as if to say, "I hope I don't intrude," that Annie laughedtill she cried.
"O, where is Fred? I do wish Fred were here to see the robin!" sheexclaimed, as her mother entered with a dish of smoking hot potatoes.
"Tut, tut, tut," cried Mrs. Symmes, "you are getting rather too bold;"and she shook her apron to scare the robin away. "No, no, birdie, youmust be content with eating the crumbs from the floor."
In the mean time, Mr. and Mrs. Robin were talking to Jack in a veryexcited tone, trying to convince him of the impropriety of his conduct.
"No," said Mrs. Robin, as Katy hopped closer to her brother, and cast apleading glance at her parents;--"No, I do not accuse you of intendingto do wrong, but you have never seen your father hop on a table, or takeliberties of that kind."
Jack did not try to excuse himself, and as Annie called them to thedoor, and fed them from her hand, the parents hoped she was not muchoffended.
Mr. Robin noticed that when Jack was reproved by his mother, Dick wasvery much pleased, while Molly and Katy appeared greatly distressed."O," said he to himself, "why will not this unruly bird imitate thelovely example of his sisters!"
When they returned to the tree, and were sitting on their favorite boughnear the nest, Dick exclaimed, "I was glad, for once, to see that someone was in fault beside myself. If I had been guilty of such a breach ofpropriety, I should have been severely chastised, if not disinherited;but bad as you have always thought me, I have never been guilty of anything like that."
"I am sorry to hear you talk so, my son," said Mrs. Robin, eyeing himwith a sad glance. "Jack was rather too familiar, and perhaps tookundue advantage of the kindness of our friends; but that was all. Therewas no unfriendly feeling, no selfishness, no disregard of others'wishes in his conduct; neither was there direct disobedience to hisparents' commands, such as has often pained us in your case. We mustjudge the motive, my son, before we condemn."
"I knew it would be just so," answered Dick, in a sulky tone. "Everything that Jack does is right, and every thing I do is wrong; and thatis a specimen of the justice of this family."
CHAPTER II.
THE SPARROWS' NEST.
Mr. and Mrs. Robin were deeply pained by Dick's bad conduct. Theyconcluded, however, it was best to refrain from further reproof, as itonly seemed to make him worse. After the disrespectful remark at theclose of the last chapter, he flew away, and did not return until night.
Katy then begged her father and mother to accompany her to the villagewhere Canary lived; and, after a ready consent, they all stretched theirwings and flew away over the tops of houses and trees, not oncealighting until they reached the dwelling where the pretty birdbelonged.
Canary received them very cordially. She assured Mr. and Mrs. Robin ofher interest in their promising children. "In their society," sheadded, "I sometimes forget my own trials. Young as you may think me, Ihave reared four young broods. Now--but I will not make you sad byrelating my troubles. I see my kind mistress has provided water for meto take a bath. Perhaps it will amuse you if I do so now."
Mrs. Robin assured her that the sight would delight them all.
Canary then sprang off the highest perch into the saucer of freshwater, splashed herself thoroughly with her wings, then jumped into thering, and shook herself from head to foot. "I feel greatly refreshed,"said she, after new oiling her feathers.
At the request of Katy, she then exhibited her accomplishments to thewondering parents, and having ended by a thrilling song, they gave hertheir best wishes, and took their leave.
In the mean time, Mr. Symmes, his wife, grandpa, and Annie sat down totheir breakfast, though wondering that Fred, who had been sent of anerrand, did not return. They had nearly finished their meal, when Anniesaw him running toward the house, his face all in a blaze of excitement.
He held in his hand a bird's nest; and, as he entered, took a woundedsparrow from his bosom.
"Father," he exclaimed, "isn't it real wicked to steal little birds fromtheir nest?"
"Certainly, my son."
"Well, Joseph Marland and Edward Long have been doing it all themorning, and they say it isn't wicked at all. As I was coming 'crosslots through Deacon Myers's pasture, I heard some boys laughing veryloud; and I ran to see what the fun was. They had taken all the youngbirds from the nest, and the poor parents were flying around chirpingand crying in dreadful distress.
"'Don't tease the birds so,' said I; 'put the little things back andcome away.'
"'No, indeed!' shouted Joseph; 'after all the trouble we've had, wedon't give up so easy.' And only think, grandpa, they didn't want theyoung sparrows for any thing,--only they liked the sport of seeing theold birds hop round and round.
"I got real angry at last, and said I wouldn't have any thing to do withsuch wicked, cruel boys. I started to run away, when they saw DeaconMyers driving his cow to the pasture, and they sneaked off ab
out thequickest. After they had gone, I picked up the nest and this poor birdfrom the ground."
"Let me see it," said Mr. Symmes, holding out his hand; "and you sitdown and eat your breakfast."
He left the room immediately, carrying the sparrow with him. PresentlyAnnie came back with tears in her eyes, saying her father had killed it,to put it out of pain.
"I was afraid it couldn't live," rejoined Fred. "Ugly boys! I am gladthey don't know of our robins' nest."
"Such cruelty always meets with its punishment," remarked grandpa. "Imyself knew a man who, when a boy, delighted to rob birds' nests.Sometimes he stole the eggs, and sometimes he waited until they werehatched, that he might have the greater fun. Then he took the poor,helpless, unoffending things, and dug out their eyes, to see howawkwardly they would hop around."
"Shocking!" exclaimed Mrs. Symmes.
"He ought to have been hung!" shouted Fred.
Annie pressed both hands over her eyes, and turned very pale.
"Well," resumed grandpa, "he grew to be a man, was married and settledin life; and now came God's time to punish him. He had one child afteranother until they numbered five. Three of them, two daughters and oneson, were born stone blind.
"He was a man coarse and rough in his feelings, as a cruel man willalways be; but this affliction cut him to the heart, and when it wasannounced to him that the third child would never open its eyes to thelight of the sun, he threw up his arms and cried aloud, 'O God, havemercy on me, though I had none on the poor birds!'
"Never before had he made the slightest allusion to his former cruelty,except to his wife, though it seemed by this expression, that he hadalways regarded it as a judgment."
"If ever I see, On bush or tree, Young birds in their pretty nest, I must not, in play, Steal the birds away, To grieve their mother's breast.
"My mother, I know, Would sorrow so Should I be stolen away; So I'll speak to the birds In my softest words, Nor hurt them in my play.
"And when they can fly In the bright blue sky, They'll warble a song to me; And then, if I'm sad, It will make me glad To think they are happy and free."
CHAPTER III.
JACK ROBIN'S CART.
A few days after this, it rained very hard. The children were of courseconfined to the house, though Annie pleaded to go with her father to thebarn.
After standing for some time gazing from the window, to watch the dropsfollowing each other down the glass, she saw Mr. and Mrs. Robinspringing from one bough to another, chirping contentedly.
"I wonder they can be so happy when it rains," she thought. "I mean tomake some paper dolls, and then perhaps I shan't think so much aboutstaying in doors."
She ran quickly up stairs, and brought down a large box full ofpasteboard, and pieces of paper of various colors.
Grandpa sat reading by the kitchen fire, as the rain made the air damp,and Fred held a book in his hand. He was not reading, however; his eyeswere wandering listlessly around the room. When he saw his littlesister, his face brightened, and he asked, "Don't you want me to cut youout some new dollies?"
"Thank you," she exclaimed, her whole countenance lighting up withsmiles.
The next hour passed swiftly, as the brother and sister cut babies andhouses for them to live in, and carriages in which they could ride. Fredhad just finished quite an ingenious contrivance, a little pasteboardcart, with wheels and shafts all in order, when tap, tap, went somebodyat the door.
"That's our robin," cried Annie, springing up to go and let him in.
True enough, it was Jack Robin, looking as drenched as a drowned rat.
"O, see how wet he is! I mean to take him to the fire," said the littlegirl.
"Set him on the floor, and he'll shake himself dry in a minute,"answered grandpa. "Birds have an oily covering," he added, "which turnsthe water off and prevents it from soaking in. Look now at robin; youwould scarce know he had been wet at all. If it were not for this wiseprovision of Providence, thousands of birds would be chilled to death byevery shower. Take a duck or goose after he has been swimming in thewater. After a moment, he is as dry as if he had not been near thepond."
"O grandpa," exclaimed Annie, "will you please to tell us a storyto-day?"
"I'll try and think of one after dinner," replied the old gentleman. "Iwish to finish this book this morning."
When the little girl returned to her brother, she found the whole familyof robins there. Fred was busy fastening a piece of cord into the frontof the pasteboard cart, and presently began to harness one of the birdsinto it.
"Talk to him, Annie," he said, "and hold some crumbs before him to keephim still."
But she laughed so heartily, she could not do much else. Fredpersevered, however, and after a while succeeded in driving Jack Robinaround the room, to the great astonishment of his parents, brother andsisters. They perched on the backs of the chairs to be out of the way,tipped their heads this side and that, chirping and chatteringincessantly.
But at last Jack grew tired of this unusual exercise, and taking anopportunity when Fred was holding the string loosely, he flew away,wagon and all, to the gilt eagle which adorned the top of the lookingglass.
The perfect shout of delight drew their parents and grandfather to theroom, and there stood Master Robin, apparently no ways incommoded bythis unusual appendage to his tail, looking down as innocently aspossible upon the merry group.
"You must get your grandpa to tell you about an exhibition he once tookme to," suggested Mrs. Symmes. "Your play with robin reminds me of it."
"O, you will, you will, you're such a dear, kind grandpa," pleaded thechild, fixing her earnest, expectant eyes upon his benevolent face.
"Yes, yes, dear," said he, patting her rosy cheeks. "After dinner I'llbe ready."
"Well, then, I'll give the birds something, and let them fly away totheir nest," said Fred; "and you may be picking up all the piecesscattered round on the floor."
"Now," said the boy, when the door was shut, "I'll be the master, andhear you spell."
"Cat."
"C-a-t; cat," answered Annie.
"Well, you must give the meaning."
"I don't know how."
"Say like this," said the young master: "C-a-t, cat, a full-grownkitten."
This exercise was carried on with much spirit until the children werecalled to dinner.
CHAPTER IV.
THE CANARY EXHIBITION.
After he had eaten his dinner, Fred accompanied his father to the barnto assist him about the work, then fed his fowls and Annie's lamb, afterwhich he returned to the house, eager to hear grandpa's account of theexhibition.
"I dare say," began the old gentleman, "that your mother can remembermore about it than I can. The owner of the canaries was a Frenchman, whohad for many years devoted himself to the business of educating birds.There were a great number of them, some of which were over twenty yearsold.
"During the exhibition the canaries were arranged in order at one end ofthe stage, and came forward as they were called by name.
"One of them, whose name, I think, was Major, was dressed in a tiny suitof military uniform. He had a chapeau on his head and a sword in hisclaw: after sitting upright for some time, Major, at the word ofcommand, freed himself from his dress, and flew to his cage.
"Another came forward with a slender stick in his claws. This he putbetween his legs, and holding his head down, suffered himself to beturned round and round, as if he were being roasted."
Annie was listening in open-mouthed wonder to these astonishing feats."O grandpa!" she exclaimed, "I hope there was no fire there."
"No, of course not," cried Fred; "but what did the others do, grandpa?"
"I can think of but two more feats, my dear. Several of them came outtogether and practised some gymnastic exercises."
"What are those?" inquired Annie.
"They balanced themselves over sticks, head downwards, with their legsand tails in the air; or on a
rope, and were swung backward and forward.
"The last feat was perhaps the most wonderful of either. A bright littlefellow came out, and taking his place on the platform, was shot at,and fell down, pretending to be dead. He lay quite still and motionless;and presently one of his companions came forward with a little mite of awheelbarrow, as Annie would say, and wheeled him away."
"How very funny!" exclaimed Fred.
"See, grandpa, how very fast it rains," said the little girl; "but Ilike rainy weather, when you will tell us such beautiful stories."
At this moment Mrs. Symmes joined their party. She had in her hand a panof beans, which she was going to pick over before they were baked.
Fred jumped up and took them from her. "Annie and I can do them,mother," he said, "and you can sew while you hear grandpa's stories."
"That's right, my boy," said the old gentleman. "Help your mother allyou can."
The children were soon seated at their work, and their mother at hermending. "Now, dear grandpa, we're all ready for you to begin."
"Really, my dear," he answered, pleasantly, "you are hungry afterstories."
"I like yours," said the child, "because they're always true."
"Well, let me think with what I shall begin. Have I ever told you howfast birds can fly?"
"No, sir."
"It is perfectly astonishing," he added, "with what rapidity they dartthrough the air. Not many years ago, a large number of carrier pigeonswere taken from Holland to London. They had been trained to carrymessages by attaching a small paper bag to their wing. If taken fromany particular place and let loose, they will find their way back again.These birds were set at liberty in London at half past four in themorning, and reached their home in Holland, a distance of three hundredmiles, by noon of the same day. One of them, a great favorite, namedNapoleon, entered his dove-cote at a quarter past ten, having flownfifty miles in an hour.