Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1881-05-06
THE BLACKBIRDs' NEST.

w uNE MhloDCiChs Wibh a
startled glance along the wood path.
..Is,the master in sight, Ned?"
ave 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 unfledged blackbirds. "You
frightened me for moment" he said,
"but, see you were only talking Sun
pay-school stuff. OF course, as Squire's
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 CON-
panion's sneer. ''lt's as much home.
yon know, as your own cottage; and
those four little blackbirds can no more
live.and grow if you destroy it, than
your baby sisters could live and grow if
they had no home and no mother"
~ amt harming' the mother" NUT
tered Jim.
s.Suppose your mother came home
one night, after her work, feeling hap
py, and thinking of the rest she would
haye in her own snug little house,
where you would all be looking out 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
up and saw there were no little ones to
meet her, no bright little room to rest
in, mo sign, even, OF where the dear old
home had been: if you could see her
them. Jim, would you say that anybody
who'dtaken it all away hadn't harmed
her2n i.rst sa
''I don't know nothin' bout that"
stammered Jim. moodily. at amt
gotvto do with q nest. The old bird can
make another"
.Isuppose your mother could find
another cottage, but would il be the
same without you and the babies?'
Its very different" grumbled Jim,
but;a 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''
mot very likely, when I've had all
this fuss to get it."
Just put it back for ten minutes"
pleaded Ned.
land take it again afterp'
"Yes, and take it again after--if you
like"
"What good would that doP" inquired
Jim, with a laugh.
"Just put it back for ten minutes,
while l tell you story"
you'll promise not to talk Sunday
School stuff when / take 'em back
again, or tell the master, or serve me
any. sneaky trick like thatp''
81 promise. Stay, I'll help you put
the nest back in exactly the old spot"
'.l'lld do it myself" returned Jim,
~. a., fato ia
first. and I'll fetch it again when your
tales over. There, I've put it."
"lLook, Jim! look!' cried Ned, Joy
fully. "That blackbird flying straight
to the tree is sure to be the mother
Aren't you glad the nests there now?"
'.Ten minutes amt very long" OBJ
served Jim, as he threw himself at full
length on the turf, looking longingly
up at the branch on which the nest was
built, while the white blossoms of the
hawthorne fell upon his upturned face.
I'm safe to have 'em in ten minutes
to do what like with. Now, then,
for the tale. Is there giant in itp'
'sNot 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. will itp But the story isn't
long. Jim. was very little chap,
and the twins were dots of things, and
baby only a month or so old. Father
worked for the master here, and loved
him as all the men do now; but / didn't t
love him, because he wouldn't have us
boys take the eggs or nests. But one
day, when was going through this
very woods. and nobody was by to see
me, took a thrush's nest with five
tiny throstles in it. / hid it in the
basket | was bringing to mother, and
went on 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 to
fedgei and how I'd burn the nest--it
was dry and crisp, and would burn
beautifully-that mightn't be found
out. Mother was sitting by the fire
nursing baby (poor mother was sick
that time, and baby hadn't ever been
welD, and l went behind her to the
cage. and put my birds in without her
seeing. for j knew well enough how
She d tell me vas wrong to dsobey
the master, and cruel to the little cres-
tures I'd stolen. 1 didn't care to be
told that, for wasn't sorry, and
didn'twant to give mother the chance
OF spelling my fun by any of her quiet
fpeeches about the other Master--ur
there beyond the blue-who cares fol
every little bird in every tree. / hac
plenty Of opportunities for slipping
away TO the dim corner where the cage
was, for ] was let stay up waiting fol
father; but at last mother sent me Il
bed. l slept in a little bed in q corner
Of the kitchen, SO it wasn't the same a.
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
jealons' some OF the lads AT schoo
would be. | saw mother get to lool
whittier and whittier. and tireder ant
tireder;' but father didn't come home
Then baby began to moan, and mothe
got up and walked about with her, an,