Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-07-20
Mrs. Redbird

pretty greenish eggs In her snug little
nest in the treetop. She sat, and sat.
and waited. Day after day she kept
the pretty eggs warm with the soft
downy feathers on her little warm
body, and day after day she listened
to Mr.. Redbird as he sat on branch
and sang to her to keep up her cour-
age, for soon there would be some tiny
baby birds in the nest.
How very handsome Mr.. Redbird
looks in his scarlet suit with the black
sleeves and black coat-tails!" Mrs.
Redbird thought; and, signing, she
looked at her own dull dress of gray
! ish green.
Wouldn't just like bright pretty
dress to match my husbands" she
said, YEARLY. "I'll dress the children
that way, anyhow. when they hatch"
Poor tired little Mrs. Redbird set
tied herself as comfortably as she
could over the eggs and listened to
the leaves rustling around her. Mr.
Red bird had stopped singing and flown
way; she felt very drowsy, until sud-
denly she heard the leaves saying
"Why, how gayly you are dressed,
Mrs. Redbird!"
She looked down at her feathers
to her great establishment they were
just as bright and gay as those Of her
husband.
"Why.why!" she gasped, how quick
ly they changed"
A crowd of people came into the
woods and surrounded the tree.
ooh, look! There's a scarlet tana-
ger on its nest. Let's climb up and
take picture of It," she heard deep
voice say. That brilliant coloring
would attract anybody's notice"
There was great deal Of confusion,
and poor Mrs. Redbird trembled on
the nest as she felt the tree shaking,
and somebody poked big box-like
thing near her nest, it's great eye snap
ping in her face.
Worse and worse" thought dis
tracted Mrs. Redbird, as she was
poked off the nest to show the eggs
that were under her.
She flew around, fluttering and cry
ing, for what seemed long time be-
fore those noisy, bothering people
climbed dowr the tree and walked
away.
Mrs. Redblrd felt eyes upon her
from all directions. Big birds flying
overhead peeped at her through the
leaves.
ooh, DEAR" she sobbed, they did
not see me when wore my dull green
dress. Now their bright eyes see me
from everywhere. I'm afraid they'll
hurt my babies"
The next thing Mrs Redbird knew
the egg shells were cracking and the
baby Redbirds were coming out.
In very short time their little bare
bodies were covered with red and
black feathers, to their mothers sur
prise.
ooh, OH she walled. when they be-
gan to try to fly, why aren't you
dressed like last years babies in dull
green feathers?"
No sooner did they tumble around
on the twigs than cats and squirrels
saw the vivid dresses they wore and
tried to catch them.
Poor Mother Redbird uttered cries OF /;
distress and woke, to find that 1t
was all dream, and that she still
wore the same dull green clothes and
sat on the little eggs that would hatch
out babies which would wear dull,
moons picuous dress like her own.
my poor, patient little Mrs. Red
bird" said Mr.. Redbird, suddenly ap-
pearing with dainty morsel for her |
to eat.
ooh, / am so glad wear a dull
Dress" sighed Mrs. Redbird, happily. !
eating the delicious bit Mr.. Redbird |
had brought her.
AS he flew away she watched his
flaming red suit, which could be seen
long distance. i
The leaves overhead still rustled. ,
and this time they seemed to say to /
her: wise MotEss Nature will hide !!
you and the little ones safely. while !
you need protection: and will give you !
greenish clothes to wear among the
green leaves."-LoIise M. Haynes