Year: 1872

-
bis life. But when she told him how
much she loved music, be sprang up again
into the blue sky. as if be was not at all
tired. and sang anew, clearer and sweeter
than before. He was SO glad to think that
he could please her.


He sang several songs and the Grass
hopper did not fail to praise him, and say
what cheerful. kind bird he was. The
consequence was that when he asked her
to overlook his spurs and be his wife, she
said she would see about it.


II do not mind your spurs. particular
ly," she observed.


81 am very glad Of that. said the Sky
lark. II was afraid you would disap-
prove of them


'.Not at all. she replied. "On the
contrary. now I think of it. I should not
have liked you to have short claws. like
other birds; but cannot exactly say why,
as they seem to be of no use in particular. !"
This was very good news for the Skylark
and he sang such delightful songs in con-
sequence. that be very soon won his wife:
and they built a delightful little nest in
the grass, which made him SO happy. that
he almost forgot to be sorry about his long
spurs.


The Fairy. meanwhile. few about from
field to field, and | am sorry to say that
she seldom went nywhere without saying
something unkind or ill-natured; for. as
| told you before, she was very hasty. and
had sad habit of judging her neighbors.


She had been several days wandering
about in search of adventures, when one
afternoon she came back to the old oak
tree, because she wanted new pair Of
shoes, and there were none to be had so
pretty as those made of the yellow snap
dragoon flower. in the hedge hard by.


While she was fitting on her shoes. she
saw the Lark's friend.


"How do you do. Grassbopper 2" asked
the Fairy.


Thank you. I am very well and very
happy. said the Gfassihsspfpss sfp people are
always so kind to me-


''Indeei!" replied the Fairy. II wish
I could say that they were always kind to
me. How is that quarrelsome Lark who
found such pretty brown mate the other.
day p


"He is not quarrelsome bird. indeed, >"
replied the Grasshopper. Il wish you
would not say that he is"


"Oh, well. we need not quarrel about
that" )" said the Fairy, laughing Il have
seen the world. Grasshopper. and | know
a few things. depend upon it. Your
friend, the Lark. does not wear those long
spurs for nothing"


The Grasshopper did not choose to con-
tend with the Fairy. who all this time was
busily fitting yellow slippers to her tiny
feet, When. however. she had found
pair to her mind


Suppose you come and see the eggs
that our pretty friend. the Lark. has got
in her nest." asked the Grasshopper
Three pink eggs. spotted with brown.
I am sure she will show you them with
pleasure. F"


OFF they set together; but what was
their surprise to find the poor little brown
Lark sitting on them with rumpled feath-
ers, dropping head and trembling limbs.


''Ah. my pretty eggsl'' said the Lark,
as soon as she could speak. Il am so mis-
cradle about them they must be trodden
on-they will certainly be found.


"What is the matter?" asked the Grass
hopper. perhaps We can help you"


Dear Grasshopper. said the Lark.
81 have just heard the farmer and his son
talking on the other side Of the hedge, and
the farmer said that tomorrow morning
he should begin to cut this meadow"


''This is great pity" said the Grass
hopper. ''What sad thing it was that
you laid your eggs on the ground!"


''Larks always do" said the poor little
brown bird land I did not know how to
make a fine nest. such as those IN the
hedges. Oh. my pretty eggs! my heart
aches for them! shall never hear my
little nestlings chirp."


So the poor Lark moaned and lamented,
and neither the Grasshopper nor the Fairy
could do anything for her. At last her
mate dropped down from the white cloud
where he bad been singing, and when he
saw her dropping and the Grasshopper and
the Fairy sitting silently before her. he
inquired in great fright what the matter
was.


So they told him, and at first he was
very much shocked; but presently he lift
ed first one and then the other of his feet
and examined his long spurs.


HE does not sympathize much with
his poor mate" whispered the Fairy; but
the Grasshoppcr took no notice of the
speech.


Still the Lark looked at his spurs and
seemed to be in very deep thought.