Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1905-01-11
THE LITTLE BIRD IN OUR HOME,

Its house is just the dearest house,
I'm sure, you ever saw
All vines and leaves, and hangs SO
Quite safe from kitty's paw.
There is tiny, curious door
Flies open like a wink;
Our bird hobs out, ami then hobs
back,
As quick as you can think.
But first, from out the little throat,
Before you could cry Boo!
There comes the sweetest notes.
which sound
Exactly like "Cuckoo!"
Helen. A. Aawley in The Sunbeam.
THEIR BOARDING HOUSE.
Very early in the spring Ralph be-
gan building his tree house" as he
called it. Just at the edge of the
woods was an old house that had
been moved off the farm and was
used as a storehouse. The house
stood between two tall trees. In the.
forks of these trees Ralph, with the
aid of some of the boys from the vii.
lage, placed boards running from one
tree to the other Upon this platform
the boys built snug little house out
of some cast off lumber.
OF course, the twins, Ned and Mel
lie, took great interest in the house
building. Day after day they trudg
ed out to the woods and watched the
boys at work. When the house was
completed the boys extended the pat
form to third tree, some distance
away, and then built railing around
1t. Ned and Nellie thought it great
fun to sit in the little room during
the rain storm. The rain would
come dashing down through the
leaves and the wind would make the
house rock a little as the branches
tossed about over head.
When the autumn came, with its
frosts and cold winds, school began
and the "tree-house" was left to it
self.
One day, while Ralph was off to
school, Ned wandered out to the,
woods alone. AS he stood looking
at the "tree-house." so lonesome up
there among the bare branches, and
wishing Ralph were there to take
him up the ladder, he saw little
head stick itself out of the door. Two;
little beadlike eyes looked cautious
ly around for a moment and then
out came little gray squirrel,
which whisked down the tree, and
scurried off into the woods.
Ned kept very still and waited. In
few moments back came Mr.. SPUR
rel and his energetic little wife, with
their cheeks bullying with the nuts
they had gathered. Ned only waited
to see Mr.. and Mrs. Frisky, as he
afterward called them, enter the
door Of the "tree-house," when he
raced off home to tell Nellie.
I'VE must keep good watch Of
them" he said. after he had told his
sister what he had seen. "I'll ask.
Ralph what they like pest to eat, and
then we'll put some on the ground for
them"
"And I'll ask him to put on the
old door SO they can keep warm
said Nellie. "He. can cut hole in
the bottom SO they can go in and
out"
When Ralph came home that aft
ernoon they all went to the tree
house" While Mr.. and Mrs. Fris.
ky were out in search of food, Ralph
helped the two children up the lad.
der. In box in dark corner they
found the little store of nuts and
acorns.
Ralph cut hole in the bottom of
| the door. He hung the door and COW
cred the cracks of the "tree-honse"
SO as to keep out the cold, All this
had to be done while Mr. and Mrs.
Frisky were away.
4 Several times the squirrels saw the
children and ran away chattering
through the wood After a while
they became used to seeing them and
would run only little way.
Gray squirrels never store enough
food to last them all winter" said
1 Ralph, $50 you viii have chance to
feed them when their supply runs
out"
Sure enough, before winter was
gone Mr.. and Mrs. FIR sky's supply of
nuts and acorns was all used up.
Ned and Nellie carried corn from the
big bins in the barn and sprinkied
it on the ground under the tree
house" Then they went into the
house and watched from one of the
windows. Pretty soon Mr.. and Mrs.
Frisky peeped out and then Mr.. Fris-
ky crept down the trunk of the tree
and seizng kernel of corn, ran upi
again. Then Mrs. Frisky went for
one and in a short time all the ker.
nels had been gathered.
Mr.. and Mrs. Frisky stayed in the
"tree-house" until the green leaves
began to come out on the trees. One
day when Ned and Nellie took the
squirrels a handful of corn they
found that the little animals had
gone off into the woods to spend the
SUMMERTIME Little Chronicle.
4 SPIDERS AND THEIR SHARES.
4 Whenever we think of spiders we
think of webs. large wheel-like
i stretches or bulky masses or dainty
gossamers spread on the grass or in
4 fence corners. If the spider did not
bui.d its snare, how would it get its
dinner? Spiders, like boys and girls,
i are generally anxious about dinner.
4 Spiders are always on the lookout
for a hearty meal, and as this means
something to eat almost or quite as
big as themselves, with somewhat
epicurean tastes into the bargain,
they must be ever seeking food The
snare-weayers follow best the good,
poetic precept, Learn to labor and
to watt" but the little fellows that
build no snares. that do not depend
on waiting, must, If the temperature