The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1848-04-15
For the Girls and BOYS.
The Mother Versus the Robins.


which caused the frost 10 disappear md re-
lease the earth in many places from the frost
Then there came 4 fall Of rain.nnd then Sc
ries of Enc warm days. March opened in the
same pleasant manner. II seemed as irspriug
ind come in good earnest. The birds thought
so, and hogan to make their appearance.
FRS, you heard The blue birds sweet notes,
which he seemed to utter 10 announce his
cOmmg,nnd 10 invite YOU TO look ont for him.
Then he showed himself on distant tree IN
hls blue coat and white pnntaloous Then
you heard the robins note, and looking up,
you saw him on the tree beside the house, in
his brown coat and red waislcoat. Certainly,
it looked and sounded like spring.
Mary and Isaac (who were twins were
gu, in llia fine weather, as you mny well sup
pose. Tdry asked their mother many times
in the day, if spring bad come? She told
ihem thar there would be more cold weather
s snow yet. Now once asked was sufficient.
81, after the continuance Of the fine weather,
they Ind asked her again, would not have
been improper, but thus 10 keep asking her
every day, and many lines in ii day, was
highly improper llwoud seem TO show
'hut they paid very lulc attention to what
SHE said, or tilat they did not believe her. Ii
wus in fact owing 10 u habit ofasking unmec-
',sSary questions, ] hope the render las not
formed His habit Il'he has, ] hope he will
correct il AZ once. for il is n very unpleasant
and annoying one.
Thrre were couble oFr0l,ius who Ind
passed the winter ia a neehboring swamp,
They were rather indnIeut in the autumn,
and were nor ready to go south when the rob
ms caravan started.
while they were considering what was 10
he done, whether il was better to set out a.
lone or not, winter set in, aud they were o.
hliTed 20 seek such shelter as they could iud.
They went into swamp aud found hol-
low tree. They climbed up inside Of il ms far
Ms they could aud lay us close together nS
possible. As Il was very mild winter they
did not perish, though they came very near il.
When the warm days or which have
spoken came, they thought il was sprng,and
came o9t from their hiding place aud begun
10 look around for building spot. They
chose \ tree which stood in Mr. Freemnn's
garden, and !,"gan to collect the materials
for nest. ittIejy mother had been there
20 tell them that spring had not come they
would have believed hcr,and would not have
commenced hDldiur.
lS,ac saw one O llesa birds with mouth
t]il ofsiraw, and pretty soon the other game
aluag w'la tuuuiIl,l Of wool. He called
Harry md pointed them our 10 her. The
cAi!ifen yIea rnn TO their matchmaking The
gravel al0Hrs iiv ncrriiy behind their feet.
%Siring has come certainly, far the robins are
$uadmg their nests and they know.
Poor !j;tio things am sorry for them.
They viii lose their labor There will be
suow aud bard rosts yet. lrlhey get their
nests done, and have eggs, they win he fro
zen ard destroyed" said Mrs Freeman.
"i}ut mother, they mast know, it must be
spring, said Isaac. His mother was grievcd
Slur hav son should dispute her word so
fIaialy and rUdeiy, and made him no reply.
''l@aIc and Mary went or again to observe
size birds. They had laid the foundation of
their nests on limb in the apple tree. They
worked very fast, and anon one would perch
hinselC on the Top Of Tie tree, and sing few
notes, ana then M his work again.
MARY" said issac, 'there Is no doubt but
thrF spring has GOMEZ let us Inake oru garden.
aud plant orr flower seeds"
y think we had beiIer ask mother" said
Marv.
No, 10. She viii shy TINT spring has not
come, and perhaps will forbid our working
in tire ground"
Mary rather uuwiiiuEly yielded to his
wishes. She knew that She ought not 10 do
nuy thing which it was possible her mother
would forbid fit were known TO her. But her
own desires and her brothers wishes caused
her to yield to the temptation.
They got their tools, and prepared TO mike
their garden. Isaac used "A spindle. and Mary
hoe. Both worked very hard. lsaac's
Goat was soon off and thrown Oh the ground
"Niother would not let you do that if she
knew it," said Mary.
"She has not said shouldn't" said Isaac.
slere was another example OF disobedience
Of The heart.
Mary soon found her bonnet too wurm.and
she laid il aside, and worked bare hcuded.
When the ground WINS prepared, as they
thought, for seed, Isaac put on his coat, and
zhey went TO their mother, and asked her for
ther flower seeds. These they had gather
eed s. put mp the last summer with great care
"Your seeds will never come up-they
W,iI rot In the ground,and you will lose them"
"The robin is building his nest," said J.
sane.
Their mother, thinking il would he best
TO let them suffer the penalty Of their folly,
gave them their seeds. They had nearly fin
ished planting them,when night approached,
and their mother called them in for fear they
svnuld take cold.
They were tired and went early to bed.
They went to sleep intending to rise very ear
Iy in the morning,and finish plIn1iug their
garden.
IsHnc awoke first in the morning, and al
tempted TO rise, but found he could not stir
his limbs without great pain. He called to
Mary, who slept in the adjoining room. She
did not answer him, but after some time she
came into the room. carrying her head ms
careful as iftt was made of guss,and she was
s,iiaid OF breaking it,
She moved her lips, but did not speak.
@'Why don't yon speak, what doyou hold
your head so fnr?"
She shook her hand and coming close to
him, said with difficulty, in whisper, Give
got such cold, that ! can't speak, and such
= I 8.