The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-06-10
A TRUE STORY OF OUR NEAREST
NEIGHBOURS.

Long before the lazy buds on our ash trees
had opened their eyes - find their smarter
neigh5ors ali up aud dressed, two br1ght-ey
robins, Just returned from their trip abroad
and eager to settle dcwn TO housekeeping, had
fixed upon q crotch II the ash tree in front
of my bedroom window as the most suitable
place for their tiny home. They were soon
so busily engaged carrying thither the sticks,
straws and strings usual to such house.build-
ing, thst they could hardly find time to give
Us the coveted morning and evening song.
One day it rained hard an day long, and
missed Mr. and Mrs. Robin very much. The
mits of home appeared to be getting thor
ough wetting; once in q while a very wet,
meek-looking red breast hoped from twig to
twig, and not finding dry place for the sole
of his foot, few away again. But next morn.
ing how early he began to sing, and how
loud: So !oud that he reused SEINE of the
sleepy lsai-buds, who pulled off their night
caps and peepea out % see what the matter
was.
Matter enough, irjeedl Right across the
street we're the Maple children, dancing
about and playing hids-and-seek. There,
too, were the Elms, swinging In high glee;
snd-yes, if over yondsr weren't those stiff,
proper Hcrsechestnuts hanging around and
looking on just as usual; and all our brothers
and sisters fas! asleep yeti Then they lis
tened to Mr.. Robin while be sang about how
''his house was almost ready for Mrs. Robin
to come and live in and lay the little eggs,
but how could she with nothing to protect
her from the wind and rain?"
Hearing this they grew ashamed AID
shouted 70 the other little birds: WAGE up
Wake up! Mrs. Robin can't move in TIL
she has a roof 10 cover her. Who'll. be the
first 10 help Single it2'
Papa Wind came up and shook them
roughly; of tamblsd ther fluffy caps; some
stirred 8 trihe bat were so sleepy"
Bye and bye Mamma Sun went aro1nd
and gently kissed thsir eyes open, and they
were up and dressing in jiffy.
1t wasn't long before we had the pleasure
of watching the proud little wife ali we
wished as she $50 en- the nest, carefully
waited patiently for ths delicacies her loving
mate brought her. listening meanwhile t.
the CHEEKY notes be chireed to her frem afar.
Sometimes he would stop awhile to tell her
the news and gossiO Of the day; how he hsd
had a VOL deTfol fgat with great earth
worm which he would nave brought home to
her, but that 1t was 50 very heavy; and be-
sides, it was tough" That Mrs. Sparrow
had told him that "his coat was the glossiest
and his vest the reddess that there was 8 L.
ing this year" He told her of big cherry
tree and strawberry patch he had found, that
ne one else knew anything OF, which woald
be ready Just in time for the babies: and
wound up By declaring that her eggs were
tbs prettiest he ever saw, and that alto.
gether she was the sweetest wife robin ever
had. Then she would smooth her feathers
and settle down IS contented and happy as
other wives are won't to do.
The tiny leaves stretched little longer
each day until the roof over the nest was
complete, taking good care that neither the
sunbeams nor the rain drops should touch
the little brown head
Early one morning Belle baby had climbed
out Of her crib to ssy "Doo mornin' to Mrs.
Robin, snd to ask her rather impatientIy to
'Det of a mint, lem me see 90 'itty eggs"
when a moment later she exclaimed in an
excited whisper
Mamma! brides done away; p'esse hoP
me up high, lem me see."
I lift her ''up higa' but no eggs do we see;
instead something moving and presently
up comes trembling head.
why there's 8 baby bird; run call the
children"
By the time my own hslf.dressed brood
were at the wibdOS the little mother was
standing on the edge of the nest putting bits
CT breakfast into three such big yellow
mouths that the little folk could hardly be-
heve that these were the nestlings We had
waited 50 long to see.
Looks as if she were dropping penny into
my rev ten-cent purse"
Il believe you, Tom. Did you ever see
such horrid little things! / could make
better-looking birdie than that out of old
rags; il would hold Hp its head, too. They
haven't any feathers on. / should think
they'd be cold. Where ara their eyes? How
can they ever grow 10 be like real robinsp
said indignant Helen.
Just easy, aud IL won't take them long
either; in week their eyes will be open ana
their feathers we'll started" which incred-
ible statement had to be believed, as Fred,
being the eldest. was authority especially OF
robins.
The little ones thrived and grew daily into
our hearts, annl we we're truly members o.
one family"
ITO day they held their heads up without
webbing"
They sat I'D and looked around, this az.
ternoon; think they most know as by this
time"
Their festhers are cut, and they really be-
gin &c lock Ike birdies"-were reports
brought 70 me from tina to time.
And we'll they might grow with such de
voted parents the EVelong day on the wing
bringing the most delicious fat worms that
eyer hungry aedgiIng could delight in.
Mr.. Dandy ROBIN, neighbor, came over
one aftsFI oSn to ses tie babies, just as both
Papa and Bamma Robin returned with suca
temptiBg morsels wIiggiing in their bills
that they fairly made his mouth water, the
moIe so that he had been hunting for the
like week. So he sang
"For life OF me
90 nos see
where Won find 'erni
feline. Tell me-"
To which the other replied:
1--WE leave the nest
Before the rest
You behind 'eml
Tie he lie nel''
At last one night Freds keen eyes having
noticed signs OF uneasiness in the nest, he
gTaVely announced taat the brdlings were
about ready TO fly.
90 one had seen the old bird since noon,
which was partially accounted for by tins
fact that the children had had company,
consequently the nest had resolved less at.
tention than usual. Yet Fred was not quite
comfortable about it. Five o'clock next
morning he was aroused with unusual cries,
hungry, distressed cries from the
fho I'd