The Virginia enterprise., 1900-01-05

sparrow indoors, when there IS too
many of them out, don't Know
and | only split a very little on the stairs
as | went up with it. OF course l
didn't mean to mix it all up at once, but
IA got enough meal now to last Il long
time. So l was happy, though my head
did ache a little-thick as it was.
took a china pot belonging to Mary
l knew she would not mind-and mixed
some of the meal into thick paste with
some water out of the bedroom jug.
Then l tried to administer ii.
took the bird out in my hand and
tried to feed it with my fingers. but l |
couldn't manage, it. l chirruped to it
and held up a lump of paste. and it
opened its beak and made a weak sort |
Of lunge at it. but when l tried to poke
the lump in. my fingers were too large.
and the most part stuck round the out
side of it's beak and dropped on the floor |
Then Mary came mp to see how l was
getting on.
"Why don't you get tiny stick:" she
SAID. ''You could poke that right into
its bcak, with some meal on the end of
it,"
So put the bird back in his nest again
and rushed off to the carpenters shop.
There | begged one of the carpenters to
make me ii tiny, round, smooth stick. l
wouldn't tell him what it was for, be-
cause l knew all men hated sparrOws;
hut | got my stick and returned to my
bird.
Now things went better.
BY this time l had got quite used to
the feeling of the little soft body and
didn't mind it, and l suppose the sparrow
didn't mind me, either, for he opened
his mouth quite briskly. and at the first
try | pokcd quite Il large lump down his
throat
He seemed as though he couldn't Swal-
low it at first and dropped his head. l
thought he was choked
Give him il drink" cried Mary.
SO plunged his bead into the water
jug.
He gasped and swallowed and gasped
again, and then he was all right.
You'd better have the water i'll one
OF my dolls cups" said Mary. ''IIes
left quite white film floating ON the
top Of the water with the meal off his
beak. Nelly will be cross when she goes
to wash
So we dipped the cup in, skimming as
much of the meal off as we could. Aft
erward l found the best way to give Il
drop on it and put on his beak. He
drank that without gaspng.
The bird didn't seem inclined to open
his mouth again. so [ opened it for him
very carefully and poked little more
meal in and gave him another drink, and
then put him back in his nest for that
time.
When I came to him again an hour
later he was quite brisk and gaping for
food, and | fed him that time quite cas-
lily.
But he WAS really a terrible care to me.
He wanted feeding so often, and | had to
go out for walks and leave him too long.
and Miss Wilkins didn't much like my
stopping i'll the middle of lessons twice
every morning to feed him: but it was
quite necessary.
I fed him last thing at night before |
went to bed. and then at t o'clock every
morning. lust as IL gray light was steal
ing into the room | used to jump ont of
bed and slip into the schooroom. which.
fortunately, was Just across the landing
and give him his first breakfast l don't
think | ever over>lent the time while he
was quite Young. He was always rather
limp ard chilly and sad at that hour, and
I was so terribly afraid that if l We're to
he half an hour late | might find him
dead.
After time he was covered with soft
i,air-like down and then chri>tened him
Fluff
At last my. little bird was quite grown
up. He could pick up his food himself
shame to keen him shut up in the lovely
summer weather.
so one morning | took him down into
the garden on my hand. after giving him
good meal. He stayed ON my finger
few minutes. Then m old SPARROW flew
ny and Fluff darted after it and was
gone.
But in the evening I went out with
hit of bread in NV hand down to the end
Of the lawn, and called, FLUFF! Fluff!
+ 1'''f. heard little answering chiru, and
there was Fluff. flying down to the low
hough of the red apple tree. fluttcring his
wings and stretching out his neck for
crumbs
Every evening all that summer and au-
t'1mn he would come flying down i'll an
swrr to my call. He would enjoy his
supper. talk to me few minutes, and
then fly off again.
Then J went away for visit.
charged Mary to feed Fluff every evening
and she promised, but when I came back
she told me he would not come to her.
He hoped about and chirruptrl. hut
would not come down. and after that he
left coming at all.
He never came again. Night after
night l went out to the red apple tree and
called. Sometimes l fancied | heard his
chirp. hut | never saw him again-AIar-
garet Watson in Cassells' Little Folks.