The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1900-04-13
BIuebird's Mistake.


swung back and forth, looking like a
tiny ball among the green leaves.
\ bluebird, who had just arrived from
the North Countrie flew down to see if
the hard little ball were something
which Mother Nature had provided for
bluebirdS food.
Nothing to cat" he chirpcd. TOO
green and hard! What are you good
for?''
Il can't guess unless it's to bob up and
down and swing back and forth on this
branch, said the orange merrily. Where
did you come from, friend bluebird?''
''All the song birds have left the North;
and came with them, of course. Snow
and cold weather L cannot stand. Still.
l waited as long as l could for Bettie's
sake-Bettie, the dearest little girl in this
beautiful. beautiful worldv' And he
ended with trill of song which nearly
split his little throat.
My mate and | rent the birdhouse. just
outs de her window he continued. we
pay the rent i'll songs-a matin song and
manages to awaken without us during
the W inter ] cannot tell Here Mr.
Bluebird shook his head disapprovingly.
"She is such sleepy child. All, you
should hear our lullabys! Let me sing
you a strain:
Sleep. sleep, Bette, sleep.
Twilight gathers soft and gray,
Nestlings, wrapped in slumDer deep,
In their cradles swing and sway.
Deeper shadows near us creep;
Tiny stars their watch will keep,
Twinkling bright till dawns the day.
- Sleep, Rettie, sleep'
Sleep, Bette, sleep!
There were more verses, but this was
all the orange heard, for the bluebird
crooned them SO tenderly, so drowsily
that every orange on the tree was sound
asleep long before he finished, and they
were only awakened by the farewell
twitter of the bluebird, as he flew off,
lullaby. Back he came next day, to
perch on a branch and sing-sing of the
sunshine, the flowers the sweet pcrfumed
air of the Southland, ending with a song
about the brighteyed little girl in the
North, her love for the birds and kindly
ways with them.
shall you ever see her again?' asked
Surely" he cried. When the spring
Swift we will fly,
My mate and l,
To the little brown house in the apple-tree,
Where Bette is Waiting to welcome me!
IF you could only see the interest she
takes in our nest!' he chirped. ''All
materials for nest-building she will have
ready for us. OF course you never can
see her. with a rcgretful little twitter
1.-THE North is so far away, and you
have no wings"
''True. l have no WINGS said the
orange, hopefully. But feel quite sure
If could let go my hold on this branch,
l could roll-oh, ever so fast, over and
over, until should finally reach the far
North
Dear. dear, nor chirped the bluebirl
"Why it is flights and flights away! You
could never get there, unless you had
strong wings like myself. Could he, my
elear?' appealing to Lady Bluebird. who
had perched near him, and was listening
to the discussion.
''No, no, poor dear!' she cried. elbow
And off she flew, uttering soft little
notes of compassion.
The time came when the orange missed
the friendly bluebirds.
''GOne to the North, I suppose" b.
sighed. "Well, if could fly. should
follow. There is nothing for me to dc
but grow and grow round and yellow
What will come next do not know"
The orange did this work so we'll that
one day he was sent to the North-the
largest, roundest orange in the large box
of fruit.
"Who would have guessed that ]
should take journey?' he thought. at
is almost as good as having wings"
How round and yellow he locked in
the window Of the fruit store, where
he found himself few days later. ~.
a merry voice cried; and a brig ht-eyed
little girl pressed her face against the
pane.
eyes, d." whispered the orange, but
too softly to be heard. However, Bet.
tie ran home with her orange clasped
tightly in her little brown hand.
''Now, don't roll off, she admonished
window sill.
Outside a pair of bluebirds We're hop
ping on the boughs of tree, watching
with eager eyes for crumbs from Bette
@'See that oranger' chirped Mr.. Blue.
bird. "How it reminds me of the South
and of the poor little orange who SO
wanted to see our Bethel!
80 sad!' twittered Lady Bluebird.
cit was very painful, my DEAR" nod
ding his head. 'sBut I had to tell him,
poor fellow! 1 told him that without
wings he could never hope to see Bette,
never reach the North. Now, listen, my
dear. I am going to sing You song
about him. It is called The Disappolnt-
ed Orange
This seemed to the orange so very fun.
nv that, in trying not to laugh hard
enough to split his yellow sides, he. rolled
en- the floor. There Bette. found him
/ wonder if he told her all about it,
Christian Register. .szr5~> 49, -
gs ,Grandpa's snuffbox. ..f-.
ooh, dear!' sighed billy Burton to her
brother joe as they were. trudging home
from school one day. 1t is SO hot! l1c IS
20 into grandma S and rest r. -. - s, !,
t.And get a gingercake, maybe said
jos. wiping his sWeaty little face.
:s.Oh, Joe, you are always wanting gin
gcrcakes! Now don't YOU ask grandma
for a single enei It isn't polite.
And Dilly locked very wise as she shut
her mite Of a blue-silk parasol and tapped
lightly at grandma's door. Grandma
was. not in the kitchen; but the children
went III, and sat down On the wide lounge
| to rest and wait for her.