Year: 1873

/ state OF great excitement. her Wing
were futtering. she was uttering lou'
calls and flying against the glass. q
. if all impatience to be abroad. Th
window was opened and with a gla,
crv she flew ont and a &c upwarl
and in moment or two lighted By
the side Of a sparrow who was singin.
on the ehimney-top. He was Bes
sie's mate, just come from the south
\ hundred other sparrows had beer
singing but not one of their voice;
were recognized or cared for unit
this voice was heard. At the sounC
the little heart was all awakened ant
Bessie must be by the side of hin
who uttered it. 1t had tone and &
sweetness that made it separate and
distinct from the voices of all other
sparrows that sang.


Her mate found. Bessie returned
no more TO the. but re.
maiLed abroad with him, never seem
ing to leave his side.


There came soon an incident which
showed that while Bessie loved her
husband she also had a will of her
own.


The spring and future nestlings
made house building necessary. and
first there came a conflict of wishes.
Bessie had a favorite bush near the
house, where she proposed to build
the nest. Her mate had his favoritc
tree in the lower part Of the garden
on which he had concluded was the
proper place to build. He sat on his
tree and called loudly for Bessie to
come to him; while BESSIE sat on her
bush and called as loudly and persist
emily for him to come to her. Neither
was willing to yield and for some time
it seemed probable that in this conflict
Of authority and will no nest at all
would he made. My friends watched
the contest with very great interest
wondering which of the two, husband
or wife, would give in. The ladies
more than half hoped that it would
not be Bessie.


But they were disappointed. Bes-
sizes mate gained his point She at
last few down to him and they went
amicably and diligently to work
building the nest. The gentlemen
Of the house were in ecstacies. After
all the female will had not tri-
umphed.


Alas! for them, however. The
nest was scarcely completed when to
the amazement of all it was aban-
Goned and another was built on the
very bush that Bessie had selected
At the first, What arguments she
had brought to bear upon her mate
was never known; but she had her
way at the last. In the house they
said it was only what always hap
pened in such a case-the wife might
seem to yield but she always had her
way in the end.


Bessie had a brood Of little spar
rows, which she and her husband
cared for well till they were grown
and the summer had gone. When
autumn came and the birds went
their way to warmer climes, Bessie
and her mate parted. He went his
way: she returned to the conserva,
tory. Entirely contented and happy
she spent the winter there.


The next spring precisely the SAME
occurrence took place. Bessie fol
days heard the singing Of the spar
rows but seemed to take not the
slightest notice of them until til,
voice of her mate was heard Then
she could not be restrained but must



fly joyously to his side. No Other
voice had any charm, nor seemed
worthy of even a recognition till thi:
one song was heard. True and faith
full, her heart responded alone t
that


The two sparrows spent the sum
mer together. In the fall Bessie wa:
more successful than before and wa,
able to persuade her mate to remair
with her; and they went into th'
conservatory together, making i
their home till spring came again.
When | saw them it was, if / re
member right, the fifth season tina
! Bessie had been there. That wa
some years ago and suppose tha
long since Bessie and her mate ar
dead; but l think of her tiny form
and wonder now at her will, her al
i'fection and her constaney.