The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1868-04-02

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Chow my feet are entangled in this
worstedT said she, "and how uncomfort-
able it is am glad am not obliged to
wear it always like little May. No wonder
she can't fly, poor thing I have lost one
of the bright sticks, and I dare not go
back for It; any how, I viii put these
three away among the family treasures. I
hope no other Magpie will find them
some of them are such thieves, nothing
they see is safe from them, especially if It
is bright"
So saying, she carefully deposited the
needles in tree, which served her for
store-house, and then set to work to dis
entangle her feet. But the worsted broke,
and one end Of it remained twisted in q
tight knot round her left leg, and gave her
considerable pain, and as che flew slowly
homeward she pondered in her own mind
whether the possession of two bright knit
ting-needles fully ounterbalanced the pain
in her left leg, and what the poor human
beings did who were always Obliged to
have wool twisted round their feet if they
wished to be warm.
The next day May went again to look for
her ball of worsted she could see nothing
of her friend the Mouse, and it was dull
work looking by herself, so presently she
sat down by tree, and before long she
heard chit-chat above her it sounded like
the Magpie's voice, but much less merry
than usual However, she was not mis-
taken, for in a few minutes down flew the
Maggie herself, and perched on little
twig opposite May, holding up one leg.
"Good morning" said the Maggie; chow
do you feel, my dear, this fine morning ?"
How do feel ?" said May, Indignantly
"Where are my needles, and my worsted,
you unkind, ungrateful bird ?"
Gently, gently" said the Maybe; I" |
have no doubt they are quite safe; and
low, NY dear, want you to do me little
service. have somehow got something
twisted round my leg, which gives nae
much pain, and want you to undo it for
me. I could not get a wink of sleep all last
night, and this morning my leg is SO swol-
len can hardly move i"
May did Tot like to be unkind, 80 she
bent down to examine the Magpie's leg,
but started up again.
You have got come of my worsted
twisted around it; it was very wicked of
you to take it."
"Why." said the Maggie. "you promised
to give ne some" Is -
5 'Yes," Sid May, 81 was just going to
give you some, but you took it oil, and now
l can't knit fathers stockings" and she
began to cry.
"Don't cry" said the Maybe; "you
see I waited long time, and you only sat
with your mouth open, and had hardly be-
gun to unwind your worsted when took
it." rs =,
"That was because you were talking"
said May.
"Ah p said the Magpie, "you should
not listen to people who talk, when you
have something better to do; you ought
to be much obliged to me for teaching you
such good lesson. And now could you
not begin to undo the string round my
leg? II you only kneao how it hurts me r
So May set to work with her little fin
gers; but the knot was SO tight that she
could not undo it, and only hurt the poor
very tiny pair Of scissors which her aunt
had given her, so she said, I" Wait moment
while fetch my scissors" and off she ran,
and soon came back with small pair of
very bright scissors in her hand.
Very gently she cut first one thread then
another, while the Maggie stood very pa
tiently, looking enviously at the bright scis-
sors, May was working with.
"Thank you thank you p said the Mag
pie, when at last she felt her leg free.
Now feel like different creature,
though my leg is still rather sore"
"Will you not tell me where my wool
and needles are?" asked May.
really know nothing about your ball
of WOOL" said the Maybe "There is
this piece of worsted which has just come
1<xr, vr1,1 oh,
to; and there was good deal hanging to
the trees last night, but most of that
was collected for nests early this morning.
should have liked some myself, but I felt
too ill to move"
"But don't you know where my needles
are ?" asked poor May, mournfully.
"Well," said the Magpie," after-but-
certalnly-one good turn deserves another,
and might have died but for you" So
off she flew, and disappeared among the
trees.
"She might have said, THANK your
thought May.
But presently the Maybe returned,
carrying in her beak something long and
bright, which she laid at Mays feet.
"Oh, my knitting-needle p cried May
There" said tie Maybe; good-by.
feel as if could eat my breakfast now"
"Oh" cried May, "won't you bring
back the ether two needles first ? If you
will, and if can get some worsted, will
knit you some stockings when have fin
ished fathers"
ono, thank you," said the Maggie, 81
have had quite enough of stockings.
am sorry to disappoint you at the same
time, particularly as you have been good
natured; but remember that I have hai
none of the wool you promised me, so it il
but fair we should share the needles. Good
by, my dear I really must build my nest
and get my breakfast, for declare am
getting ravenous By-by! 1 hope we
shall meet again !"
g don't ever want to see Maggie
again !" said May, emphatically, as she flew
off butthe Maybe either did not hear or die
not care, and May went home sorrowfully
having only recovered one needle out o.
the three that had been stolen.
The next morning Mrs. Mag went &c
her storchouse to Inspect her remaining
treasures, but when she had kicked away
the dry leaves which covered the coltec
ton, to her horror and surprise she found
that her beautiful bright sticks were
gone, and that in their place were
sticks of the same size, but of dark brown
color. 81 m
"This is some trick of my misohievou.
cousins. the Jackdaws," cried she. But
to think that I should have wasted my
time and had that dreadful stuff round my
foot, and yet get nothing at the end but
these ugly sticks !" and the Maybe kicked
them Indignantly QUE of the store-house
In course of tina May got another set o.
needles and fresh worsted, and soon learned