The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1877-01-26
Chips Nest.

| lTfOUitC.
Chips Nest.
call it Chips, although it was really
Mans, as she did most of the work.
Very busy both of them were while the
nest was building. If CHIP did little,
he had much to say about it, and prob
ably felt that he was entitled to the
greater part of the credit. Nan had
clearly, however, little faith in his taste
or knowledge. OF course the wife was
the proper person to furnish the rooms
and make the beds. What could Chip
know about such things9
And this is the way they set about it.
After spending few days pleasantly
together, it became evident that some
grave subject was on foot. Chip and
Nan put their heads together quite often,
and held long consultations, while every
nook and corner of Chips cage was
thoroughly ransaoked. At length 1 was
duly informed, with ever so many
"cheeps," that the young couple had
made up their minds to begin house
keeping. Would please provide them
with a nice little home, and few ar
ticles-not many, just enough to start
with Like Boots of the Inn, in one of
Dickens charming stories, gave a long
whistle but how could l refuse9 So
There was another visit to the stores to
find breeding cage, tor l was too busy
to make one. Now it 30 happens
that makers of cages know nothing of
rearing canaries, and bird dealers
about as much. A perfect breed
ing cage, therefore, can't be
o1xyto
our young "fanciers to make their
own. A fair-sized home for pair Of
canaries would be IL inches wide, IA
inches high, and 10 inches from front to
back. Halfinch stuff planed to three
eighths is heavy enough, and the com
monest white pine will do. The top
and back should be OF wood, the front
and ends wired, the wires being half an
inch apart. There should be a toler
ably large door in the front and one st
each end and the seed and water YES
sells must all be in front. There should
also be slit in the top, through which,
when it is wanted, q wired partition can
be let down, cutting off small CON-
partment at one end of the cage, which
Is to serve as a nursery for the little
ones when they are ready to leave the
! nest.
Chips new home was, however, only
the common breeding cage OF the stores.
With it l bought also round wire
nest, which was lined first with Canton
flannel, we'll stitched down, and thon
fastened at the back of the cage, close
to and a little higher than the perch.
A wooden box, four inches square and
fxuO hnn 10
an old-fashioned soap box, would have
been better and more convenient A
little moss was next scalded ana
thoroughly dried, and, with some soft
wool rawlings cut into short pieces,
placed in the cage. The permanent
fxings being all complete, Chip and
Nan took possession of their new home,
and, the first novelty over, began nest
building in earnest.
1t is curious TO notice what wonderful
things young housekeepers mean to do
when they first begin. Nan was hard to
please-a little fastidious, perhaps. She
didn't want front parlor at all if it was
not prettier than anybody else's front
parlor. Her first nest, whichit took two
days to build, seemed to me very snug
and coy, and Chip was immensely de-
lighted with it. But the capricious little
lady's tastes were not satisfied. Chip
had probably got matters mixed, putting
wool where moss should have gone, and
twisting his tail the wrong way in round
ing things off. SO on the third day Nan
tore the nest all to pieces, tossed the
wool and moss to the bottom of the
cage, and tugged away at the Canton
flannel as if the fate of all canarydom
depended on its removal. Chip was be-
wildered. The poor fellow didn't know
what to make of it, and l noticed that
he seemed little shy of his mate, as
though he feared it might be his turn
next. But Nan was good bird, and
soon the work of rebuilding was COM
menSed. Probably Chip was more care
full this time. Perhaps he didn't offer
so many suggestions as before. 1 can't
say. But the nest WAS duly completed !;
both Nan aud Chip thought it just the
thing, and the next morning it contained
AN egg.
characteristics OF the Average Boy.
If there are any loose straws, chips,
sticks, old barrels or boxes anywhere
within his reach, and he can get match,