The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1881-05-05
THE BLACKBIRDS' NEST.

6
"Put it back. Jim. Do putt back. I"
startled glance along the wood path.
"Is the master in sight, Nede"
1--WE are in sight of the Master,
JIM" -
Jim drew long breath of relief. and
put his finger into the open mouth OF
one of the unfiedged blackbirds. You
"but l see you were only talking Sun
forbid us to touch the nests here, we
must mind he doesn't see, that's all.
..Put it back. Jim, lad" pleaded the
elder boy, without resenting his COM
paniou's sneer. '.lt's as much home,
you know, as your own cottage; and
those four little blackbirds can no more
live and grow II you destroy it, than
your baby sisters could live anG grow If
they had no home and no mother"
..I amt harming' the mother" mutt
tered Jim
Suppose your mother came home
one night, after her work, feeling hap
py, and thinking of the rest she would
have in her own snug little house,
where you would all be locking ont for
her. and Just when she came close up
to your cottage-just at the old lilac
tree by the gate, you know-she looked
mp and saw there were no little ones to
meet her. no bright little room to rest
In. NO sign, even, OF where the dear old
homo had been: If you could see her
then. Jim. would you say that anybody
who'd taken it all away hadn't harmed
her4''
II don't know nothin' bout that. !"
stammered Jim. moodily. "It amt
got to do with nest. The old bird can
make another"
II suppose your mother could find
another cottage, but would it be the
same without you and the babiesr'
"It's very diferent." grumbled Jim
but little less deiiantly now.
"Father says the mother birds often
die Of grief when they find their nests
gone. You'll put it back, JimP''
'sNot very likely. when Eve had all
this fuss to get it J"
..Just put it back for ten minutes. !"
pleaded Ned.
"And take It again afterp"
EYES, and take it again after-n You
iko.o 4-=z-l-.
.What good would that doe" inquired
Jim, with laugh. $3.50 .-e
"Just put it back for ten minutes,
while tell you . story" -
You'll promise not to talk Sundays
School stuff when / take 'em back
again. or tell the master, or serve me
any sneaky trick like thatr' 8
ssI promise. Stay. I'll help you put
the nest back in exactly the old spot"
ungraciously. 'sI fetched it myself
o ush ~
tales over. There, I've put it."
Look, Jim! lookr' cried Ned. Joy.
fully. s.That blackbird flying straight
to the tres is sure to be the mother.
Aren't you glad the nests there now?''
served Jim, as he threw himself at full
length on the turf, looking longingiy
mn ct the branch on which the nest was
hawthorne fell upon his upturned face.
I'm safe to have 'em in ten minutes
TO do what I like with. Now. then,
for the tale. II there Q giant in itf"
ssNot this time," said Ned. gently.
Its only about myself and the chill.
dren and mother. That won't be like
Jack the Giant Killer, and Robinson
Crusoe. win its But the story ISM,
long, Jim. was . very little chap,
and the twins were dots OF things, and
baby only month or so old. Father
worked for the master here, and loved
him a. all the men do now; but didn't
love him, because he wouldn't have n
boys take the eggs or nests. But one
day, when was going through this
very woods, and nobody was by to see
me. I took thrush's nest with fivs
tiny throstles in it. hid it in the
basket / was bringing to mother. and
went OF 80 cheerfully. remembering
we had an old wicker cage at home
and thinking how I'd put the birds In
it, and watch how they'd manage Il
Aedge; and how I'd burn the nest-i
was dry and crisp. and would burr
beautifully-that / mightn't be foun(
out. Mother was sitting by the fir
uursinx baby (poor mother was sicl
that time. and baby hadn't ever beer
welA, and went behind her to thu
cage, and put INV birds in without hel
seeing, for / knew well enough how
Bhe'd tell me was wrong to disObey
the master, and cruel to the little cres
tures I'd stolen. / didn't care to bl
sold that, for wasn't sorry, and
didn't want to give mother the chance
of spelling my fun by any of her quie,
speeches about the other Master-uy
there beyond the blue-who cares fol
every little bird In every tree. I hae
plenty Of opportunities for slippinf
awuy to the dim cornerswhere the cags
: W., for was let stay up waiting fol
fafher; but At last mother sent me t<
bed. / slept In . little bed in . corner
Of the kitchen. 80 it wasn't the same n
going upstairs; and / watched tn.
hand Of the clock 60 round. for
couldn't sleep for thinking how queel
my orphan birds looked, and how
Jealous some of the lads at schoo
would be. saw mother get to lool
whitsr and whiter. and tireder and
tirodsr; but father didn't come home
Then baby began to moan, and mothel
Roe up and walked about with her, sut
Hwa(ched how tr0ublsd shs looked