Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1905-06-16

htood- alled tubes on the wings Of the
neqtIIngs. were adorned with down. Four
teen little tomtits, peeping, tumblins
abo,,t on their soft claws, stretching their
rno,iths .open to the widest extent, waited
soT the morsels from the mother-bird, ate
them. digested them, and clamored TOT
more This was the first period OF ire
before the dawn Of intelligence. WIN
birds Il is of short duration. Soon there
we're ouarrcls in the nest, and 1t began
70 Weld to the assaults OF little wings;
then there were falls over its edges, ex-
cursions along the side OF the box, ana
long stations near the entrance OF tine
cavern through which entered light ana
air from the outside world.
Stationed a distance away the curate
witnessed this garden-party with extreme
Measure on seeing the little ones come
out from under the slanting board Two
and three together, fly off, return pass
inside. then out again, like bees from q
hive. he thought: Their infancy Is over
and good start is made; they are
1edged now"
The following day, during the hour OF
leisure after dinner, he repaired TO the
box. kew in hand. "Toc, toe" he raped.
There was no reply. Il thought So, he
murmured He then opened the box,
and, with the debris Of the nest, the letter
fell out into his hand.
Great heavens!" he exclaimed, recog-
MIXING the seal and the writing. "A
letter from Monseigneur, and in what
condition! and how old"
He grew pale as he read 1t.
"Philomene, hitch up Robin at once"
he called out.
Before obeying, the old servant came
out to see what had happened.
What IS 1t monsieur" she asked.
"The Bishop has been expecting me
for three weeks"
"That time can never be made up"
replied the old woman, CURLY.
The absence lasted until the following
afternoon. When the priest returned, he
was very calm; but calmness is some
times the result Of an effort, and one has
to struggle to maintain It,
BY the time he had unhitched Robin,
fed him his oats, changed his cassock,
and emptied a box Of some little pur-
chases made during his trip, II was the
hour when the birds In the branches
were chatting over the events Of the
day. 1t had been raining, and drops Of
water fell from the leaves shaken by
bohemian couples seeking a good resting
place for the night.
On seeing their master and friend COM
ing down the sandy walk. they few out
and circled around, making an unusual
amount OF noise, and the tomtits, the
fourteen nestllngs, scantily fiedged as yet,
made their first attempts at spirals
around the pear-trees, and tried their
voices for the first time in the open air.
The curate watched them with a pa
ternal eye and the melancholy tenderness
with which we often regard those who
have cost us dear.
"well, my little ones" he said at last,
but for me you would not be here. and
but for you / should be a priest of the
canton. do not regret anything. mind
you, only do not be so insistent: your
gratitude is too noisy"
AS he spoke he clapped his hands inn
patiently.
He never had been ambitious. and he
spoke the truth now. Still, the next day,
after a night of disturbed sleep, while
chatting with Philomene, he remarked:
IF the tomtit comes back next year,
let me know. 1t is troublesome, decided
ly So"
But the tomtit never came again;
neither did the letter bearing the stamp
of the Bishops seal.