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diff --git a/35047.txt b/35047.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..ade7fe2 --- /dev/null +++ b/35047.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1320 @@ +Project Gutenberg's Little Robins' Love One to Another, by Madeline Leslie + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Little Robins' Love One to Another + +Author: Madeline Leslie + +Release Date: January 23, 2011 [EBook #35047] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LITTLE ROBINS' LOVE ONE TO ANOTHER *** + + + + +Produced by The Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images +generously made available by The Internet Archive/American +Libraries.) + + + + + + + + + + MRS. LESLIE'S BOOKS + FOR + LITTLE CHILDREN. + + THE ROBIN REDBREAST SERIES. + + + [Illustration: LITTLE ROBINS' LOVE ONE TO ANOTHER.] + + + LITTLE ROBINS' + LOVE ONE TO ANOTHER. + + BY + + MRS. MADELINE LESLIE, + + AUTHOR OF "THE HOME LIFE SERIES;" "MRS. LESLIE'S + JUVENILE SERIES," ETC. + + BOSTON: + CROSBY, NICHOLS, LEE AND COMPANY, + 117 WASHINGTON STREET. + + + Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1860, by + A. R. BAKER, + In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of + Massachusetts. + + + ELECTROTYPED AT THE + BOSTON STEREOTYPE FOUNDRY. + + + + +LITTLE ROBINS' LOVE ONE TO ANOTHER. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +JACK ROBIN'S OFFENCE. + + +It was a lovely May morning. The air was full of sweet fragrance from +the orchards of blossoming trees. All nature seemed alive with melody. +The singing of birds, the humming of insects, the cooing of doves about +their cotes, the responsive crowing of the cocks in the farm yards, the +lowing of the cows for their calves,--even the gurgling of the ambitious +little brook running along over stones and pebbles at its utmost speed, +sparkling and foaming in the ecstasy of its delight,--all hail with +exultation the approaching summer. + +But let us turn from this universal rejoicing to our friends under the +old elm tree. Mrs. Symmes we see standing within the shed churning +butter. Fred is before the door, with a pail of dough in his hand, +calling "chick, chick, chick." Annie is following grandpa to the barn +with a pan of warm milk for Whiteface, while the good farmer is driving +his oxen to the field. + +The barn yard gate has been accidentally left open, and the cosset, +hearing Annie's voice, bounds forward to meet her, and puts his fore +feet on her dress, nestling his head under her arm. + +"O grandpa!" exclaimed the child, "do please take the pan; Whiteface is +making me spill it all over." + +"Set it down on the ground, dear, and let her drink it," said grandpa. + +"I have a good mind to let her run round with me, as I did yesterday," +continued Annie. + +As grandpa smiled approval, the two were presently engaged in a merry +chase from house to barn, round the trunk of the old tree and back to +their starting spot again. + +"Now," cried the little girl when she could recover her breath, "it's +time to feed my Robin family. O, they are all here!" she added, as she +opened the front door. + +Jack, without waiting for further invitation, hopped into the entry, +and then into the room. The table was set for the family, and he made +bold to fly upon it, and walk round among the dishes. He looked so funny +as he hopped a step or two, and then, standing on one leg, turned his +head archly, as if to say, "I hope I don't intrude," that Annie laughed +till she cried. + +"O, where is Fred? I do wish Fred were here to see the robin!" she +exclaimed, as her mother entered with a dish of smoking hot potatoes. + +"Tut, tut, tut," cried Mrs. Symmes, "you are getting rather too bold;" +and she shook her apron to scare the robin away. "No, no, birdie, you +must be content with eating the crumbs from the floor." + +In the mean time, Mr. and Mrs. Robin were talking to Jack in a very +excited tone, trying to convince him of the impropriety of his conduct. + +"No," said Mrs. Robin, as Katy hopped closer to her brother, and cast a +pleading glance at her parents;--"No, I do not accuse you of intending +to do wrong, but you have never seen your father hop on a table, or take +liberties of that kind." + +Jack did not try to excuse himself, and as Annie called them to the +door, and fed them from her hand, the parents hoped she was not much +offended. + +Mr. Robin noticed that when Jack was reproved by his mother, Dick was +very much pleased, while Molly and Katy appeared greatly distressed. +"O," said he to himself, "why will not this unruly bird imitate the +lovely example of his sisters!" + +When they returned to the tree, and were sitting on their favorite bough +near the nest, Dick exclaimed, "I was glad, for once, to see that some +one was in fault beside myself. If I had been guilty of such a breach of +propriety, I should have been severely chastised, if not disinherited; +but bad as you have always thought me, I have never been guilty of any +thing like that." + +"I am sorry to hear you talk so, my son," said Mrs. Robin, eyeing him +with a sad glance. "Jack was rather too familiar, and perhaps took +undue advantage of the kindness of our friends; but that was all. There +was no unfriendly feeling, no selfishness, no disregard of others' +wishes in his conduct; neither was there direct disobedience to his +parents' commands, such as has often pained us in your case. We must +judge the motive, my son, before we condemn." + +"I knew it would be just so," answered Dick, in a sulky tone. "Every +thing that Jack does is right, and every thing I do is wrong; and that +is a specimen of the justice of this family." + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +THE SPARROWS' NEST. + + +Mr. and Mrs. Robin were deeply pained by Dick's bad conduct. They +concluded, however, it was best to refrain from further reproof, as it +only seemed to make him worse. After the disrespectful remark at the +close of the last chapter, he flew away, and did not return until night. + +Katy then begged her father and mother to accompany her to the village +where Canary lived; and, after a ready consent, they all stretched their +wings and flew away over the tops of houses and trees, not once +alighting until they reached the dwelling where the pretty bird +belonged. + +Canary received them very cordially. She assured Mr. and Mrs. Robin of +her interest in their promising children. "In their society," she +added, "I sometimes forget my own trials. Young as you may think me, I +have reared four young broods. Now--but I will not make you sad by +relating my troubles. I see my kind mistress has provided water for me +to take a bath. Perhaps it will amuse you if I do so now." + +Mrs. Robin assured her that the sight would delight them all. + +Canary then sprang off the highest perch into the saucer of fresh +water, splashed herself thoroughly with her wings, then jumped into the +ring, and shook herself from head to foot. "I feel greatly refreshed," +said she, after new oiling her feathers. + +At the request of Katy, she then exhibited her accomplishments to the +wondering parents, and having ended by a thrilling song, they gave her +their best wishes, and took their leave. + +In the mean time, Mr. Symmes, his wife, grandpa, and Annie sat down to +their breakfast, though wondering that Fred, who had been sent of an +errand, did not return. They had nearly finished their meal, when Annie +saw him running toward the house, his face all in a blaze of excitement. + +He held in his hand a bird's nest; and, as he entered, took a wounded +sparrow from his bosom. + +"Father," he exclaimed, "isn't it real wicked to steal little birds from +their nest?" + +"Certainly, my son." + +"Well, Joseph Marland and Edward Long have been doing it all the +morning, and they say it isn't wicked at all. As I was coming 'cross +lots through Deacon Myers's pasture, I heard some boys laughing very +loud; and I ran to see what the fun was. They had taken all the young +birds from the nest, and the poor parents were flying around chirping +and crying in dreadful distress. + +"'Don't tease the birds so,' said I; 'put the little things back and +come away.' + +"'No, indeed!' shouted Joseph; 'after all the trouble we've had, we +don't give up so easy.' And only think, grandpa, they didn't want the +young sparrows for any thing,--only they liked the sport of seeing the +old birds hop round and round. + +"I got real angry at last, and said I wouldn't have any thing to do with +such wicked, cruel boys. I started to run away, when they saw Deacon +Myers driving his cow to the pasture, and they sneaked off about the +quickest. After they had gone, I picked up the nest and this poor bird +from the ground." + +"Let me see it," said Mr. Symmes, holding out his hand; "and you sit +down and eat your breakfast." + +He left the room immediately, carrying the sparrow with him. Presently +Annie came back with tears in her eyes, saying her father had killed it, +to put it out of pain. + +"I was afraid it couldn't live," rejoined Fred. "Ugly boys! I am glad +they don't know of our robins' nest." + +"Such cruelty always meets with its punishment," remarked grandpa. "I +myself knew a man who, when a boy, delighted to rob birds' nests. +Sometimes he stole the eggs, and sometimes he waited until they were +hatched, that he might have the greater fun. Then he took the poor, +helpless, unoffending things, and dug out their eyes, to see how +awkwardly they would hop around." + +"Shocking!" exclaimed Mrs. Symmes. + +"He ought to have been hung!" shouted Fred. + +Annie pressed both hands over her eyes, and turned very pale. + +"Well," resumed grandpa, "he grew to be a man, was married and settled +in life; and now came God's time to punish him. He had one child after +another until they numbered five. Three of them, two daughters and one +son, were born stone blind. + +"He was a man coarse and rough in his feelings, as a cruel man will +always be; but this affliction cut him to the heart, and when it was +announced to him that the third child would never open its eyes to the +light of the sun, he threw up his arms and cried aloud, 'O God, have +mercy on me, though I had none on the poor birds!' + +"Never before had he made the slightest allusion to his former cruelty, +except to his wife, though it seemed by this expression, that he had +always regarded it as a judgment." + + "If ever I see, + On bush or tree, + Young birds in their pretty nest, + I must not, in play, + Steal the birds away, + To grieve their mother's breast. + + "My mother, I know, + Would sorrow so + Should I be stolen away; + So I'll speak to the birds + In my softest words, + Nor hurt them in my play. + + "And when they can fly + In the bright blue sky, + They'll warble a song to me; + And then, if I'm sad, + It will make me glad + To think they are happy and free." + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +JACK ROBIN'S CART. + + +A few days after this, it rained very hard. The children were of course +confined to the house, though Annie pleaded to go with her father to the +barn. + +After standing for some time gazing from the window, to watch the drops +following each other down the glass, she saw Mr. and Mrs. Robin +springing from one bough to another, chirping contentedly. + +"I wonder they can be so happy when it rains," she thought. "I mean to +make some paper dolls, and then perhaps I shan't think so much about +staying in doors." + +She ran quickly up stairs, and brought down a large box full of +pasteboard, and pieces of paper of various colors. + +Grandpa sat reading by the kitchen fire, as the rain made the air damp, +and Fred held a book in his hand. He was not reading, however; his eyes +were wandering listlessly around the room. When he saw his little +sister, his face brightened, and he asked, "Don't you want me to cut you +out some new dollies?" + +"Thank you," she exclaimed, her whole countenance lighting up with +smiles. + +The next hour passed swiftly, as the brother and sister cut babies and +houses for them to live in, and carriages in which they could ride. Fred +had just finished quite an ingenious contrivance, a little pasteboard +cart, with wheels and shafts all in order, when tap, tap, went somebody +at the door. + +"That's our robin," cried Annie, springing up to go and let him in. + +True enough, it was Jack Robin, looking as drenched as a drowned rat. + +"O, see how wet he is! I mean to take him to the fire," said the little +girl. + +"Set him on the floor, and he'll shake himself dry in a minute," +answered grandpa. "Birds have an oily covering," he added, "which turns +the water off and prevents it from soaking in. Look now at robin; you +would scarce know he had been wet at all. If it were not for this wise +provision of Providence, thousands of birds would be chilled to death by +every shower. Take a duck or goose after he has been swimming in the +water. After a moment, he is as dry as if he had not been near the +pond." + +"O grandpa," exclaimed Annie, "will you please to tell us a story +to-day?" + +"I'll try and think of one after dinner," replied the old gentleman. "I +wish to finish this book this morning." + +When the little girl returned to her brother, she found the whole family +of robins there. Fred was busy fastening a piece of cord into the front +of the pasteboard cart, and presently began to harness one of the birds +into it. + +"Talk to him, Annie," he said, "and hold some crumbs before him to keep +him still." + +But she laughed so heartily, she could not do much else. Fred +persevered, however, and after a while succeeded in driving Jack Robin +around the room, to the great astonishment of his parents, brother and +sisters. They perched on the backs of the chairs to be out of the way, +tipped their heads this side and that, chirping and chattering +incessantly. + +But at last Jack grew tired of this unusual exercise, and taking an +opportunity when Fred was holding the string loosely, he flew away, +wagon and all, to the gilt eagle which adorned the top of the looking +glass. + +The perfect shout of delight drew their parents and grandfather to the +room, and there stood Master Robin, apparently no ways incommoded by +this unusual appendage to his tail, looking down as innocently as +possible upon the merry group. + +"You must get your grandpa to tell you about an exhibition he once took +me to," suggested Mrs. Symmes. "Your play with robin reminds me of it." + +"O, you will, you will, you're such a dear, kind grandpa," pleaded the +child, fixing her earnest, expectant eyes upon his benevolent face. + +"Yes, yes, dear," said he, patting her rosy cheeks. "After dinner I'll +be ready." + +"Well, then, I'll give the birds something, and let them fly away to +their nest," said Fred; "and you may be picking up all the pieces +scattered round on the floor." + +"Now," said the boy, when the door was shut, "I'll be the master, and +hear you spell." + +"Cat." + +"C-a-t; cat," answered Annie. + +"Well, you must give the meaning." + +"I don't know how." + +"Say like this," said the young master: "C-a-t, cat, a full-grown +kitten." + +This exercise was carried on with much spirit until the children were +called to dinner. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +THE CANARY EXHIBITION. + + +After he had eaten his dinner, Fred accompanied his father to the barn +to assist him about the work, then fed his fowls and Annie's lamb, after +which he returned to the house, eager to hear grandpa's account of the +exhibition. + +"I dare say," began the old gentleman, "that your mother can remember +more about it than I can. The owner of the canaries was a Frenchman, who +had for many years devoted himself to the business of educating birds. +There were a great number of them, some of which were over twenty years +old. + +"During the exhibition the canaries were arranged in order at one end of +the stage, and came forward as they were called by name. + +"One of them, whose name, I think, was Major, was dressed in a tiny suit +of military uniform. He had a chapeau on his head and a sword in his +claw: after sitting upright for some time, Major, at the word of +command, freed himself from his dress, and flew to his cage. + +"Another came forward with a slender stick in his claws. This he put +between his legs, and holding his head down, suffered himself to be +turned round and round, as if he were being roasted." + +Annie was listening in open-mouthed wonder to these astonishing feats. +"O grandpa!" she exclaimed, "I hope there was no fire there." + +"No, of course not," cried Fred; "but what did the others do, grandpa?" + +"I can think of but two more feats, my dear. Several of them came out +together and practised some gymnastic exercises." + +"What are those?" inquired Annie. + +"They balanced themselves over sticks, head downwards, with their legs +and tails in the air; or on a rope, and were swung backward and forward. + +"The last feat was perhaps the most wonderful of either. A bright little +fellow came out, and taking his place on the platform, was shot at, +and fell down, pretending to be dead. He lay quite still and motionless; +and presently one of his companions came forward with a little mite of a +wheelbarrow, as Annie would say, and wheeled him away." + +"How very funny!" exclaimed Fred. + +"See, grandpa, how very fast it rains," said the little girl; "but I +like rainy weather, when you will tell us such beautiful stories." + +At this moment Mrs. Symmes joined their party. She had in her hand a pan +of beans, which she was going to pick over before they were baked. + +Fred jumped up and took them from her. "Annie and I can do them, +mother," he said, "and you can sew while you hear grandpa's stories." + +"That's right, my boy," said the old gentleman. "Help your mother all +you can." + +The children were soon seated at their work, and their mother at her +mending. "Now, dear grandpa, we're all ready for you to begin." + +"Really, my dear," he answered, pleasantly, "you are hungry after +stories." + +"I like yours," said the child, "because they're always true." + +"Well, let me think with what I shall begin. Have I ever told you how +fast birds can fly?" + +"No, sir." + +"It is perfectly astonishing," he added, "with what rapidity they dart +through the air. Not many years ago, a large number of carrier pigeons +were taken from Holland to London. They had been trained to carry +messages by attaching a small paper bag to their wing. If taken from +any particular place and let loose, they will find their way back again. +These birds were set at liberty in London at half past four in the +morning, and reached their home in Holland, a distance of three hundred +miles, by noon of the same day. One of them, a great favorite, named +Napoleon, entered his dove-cote at a quarter past ten, having flown +fifty miles in an hour. + +"Another pigeon from Ballinasloe, in Ireland, belonging to a gentleman +by the name of Bernard, was let loose at eleven o'clock in the forenoon, +with a note appended to it, directing dinner to be ready at Castle +Bernard at a given time, as he purposed being home that day. The message +reached its destination, which was twenty-three miles distant, in eleven +minutes, being at the rate of one hundred and twenty-five and a half +miles an hour." + +"I had no idea that they could fly so fast," remarked Mrs. Symmes. + +"These are by no means remarkable cases," added grandpa. "The eagle has +been supposed to fly one hundred and forty miles an hour; and a bird by +the name of swift, one hundred and eighty. But the most extraordinary +that I ever heard, was of a titlark who alighted on board a vessel from +Liverpool, when thirteen hundred miles from the nearest main land, and +nine hundred miles from a wild and barren island. Sea birds retain their +position upon the wing for a wonderful length of time." + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +KATY ROBIN'S CAPTIVITY. + + +Not long after the rainy day, Mr. and Mrs. Robin were invited to Mrs. +Bill's nest, to give their advice regarding her future prospects. + +"Here am I," said she, "a lonely, sorrowing bird. Soon I am to part from +my dear children, who will, in the order of nature, form new ties, thus +leaving me still more desolate. I have a proposal from a robin, who +has, like myself, been cruelly bereft of his mate, to become his wife. I +feel it is due to the relations of my husband to ask their approbation +before I take so important a step." + +Mr. Robin politely waited for his wife to give her opinion, but she +nodded her head in desire that he should speak first. + +"You have not mentioned the name of the robin," he said; "but if he is +one whom you can esteem and love, I advise you to accept his offer. Do I +express your opinion, my dear?" + +"Certainly," responded Mrs. Robin. + +Mrs. Bill then uttered a peculiar cry, and a bird who had been seated on +the top of the tree, flew into the nest. + +"How do you do?" said Mr. Robin, recognizing a bird that he had often +met. + +"This is my friend," said Mrs. Bill, turning her head modestly on one +side. + +"He will make you a kind husband," added Mrs. Robin. "I knew and loved +his dead wife." + +This matter being so pleasantly arranged, the company took their leave. + +When they reached home, they found the young robins absent; and they +went to the Observatory and passed an hour or two in singing duets, +after which they descended to the cottage door, wondering their children +did not return. + +It was nearly an hour later, when they heard in the distance dreadful +shrieks and cries of distress, and darting from the tree in the +direction of the sound, met Jack and Molly flying at full speed, as if +pursued by an enemy. + +"O, O!" groaned Jack; "I've lost my darling sister, my beloved, whom I +had chosen for my future mate." + +Molly's cries were heart-rending; and it was some time before the almost +distracted parents could wring from their afflicted children the cause +of their grief. + +At last, with broken sobs and expressions of anguish, Jack, trembling +with agitation, began: "We went, soon after you left this morning, to +visit Canary, and from there we went to several farm yards, where we saw +a quantity of grain scattered on the ground. At last, grown weary of +eating, as the sun was very warm, we hopped near a house under the shade +of a cherry tree. Soon a little girl came to the door, and scattered +some crumbs on the step. Katy thought she looked very much like Annie, +and began to chirp most merrily. + +"The child laughed and laughed, and tried to entice Katy inside the +house; but she was not disposed to go without me. She seemed to think +she was taking too much of the attention to herself, and turned, in her +sweet, affectionate manner, to introduce us. + +"'This is my brother Jack,' she chirped; 'and this is my dear Molly.' +She looked so cunning, that I hopped up and nestled her head in my +breast. The little girl then ran and called a tall boy, and talked very +loud and fast to him; but though I turned up first one ear and then the +other, I could not understand a word she said. + +"They kept scattering crumbs, and we, without once thinking of danger, +advanced farther and farther, as they retreated, until Katy and I were +within the room. But we were scarcely inside the door, when, with a loud +slam, it was shut to, and we were made prisoners, though neither of us +at first realized this. + +"The tall boy opened another door very cautiously, and stepped through; +but presently returned with a cage similar to that in which Canary is +confined. He came softly toward Katy; but at the same instant a +dreadful fear darted through our minds--a fear of being made prisoners +for life. + +"'Take care, Katy,' I cried; 'don't let them catch you;' and I flew to +the top of the door. She flew away too; but they chased and chased from +one side of the room to the other, while all the time she uttered the +most piteous cries, as if she were pleading for her life, until the +cruel boy caught her by the tail and pulled the feathers out. The girl +then sprang forward, and, throwing a cloth over her, held her until her +brother brought the cage, when they thrust her into it. + +"She lay so still upon the bottom of it that they thought she was dead; +but as soon as she began to moan, they directed all their attention to +catching me. I suppose they would not have found it very difficult, for +I was so full of anguish at the thought of being separated from my +beloved mate, that I cared little what became of me, had not some one +entered the room just as I was flying toward the door, and so I escaped. + +"Molly had witnessed all the scene from the window, and was crying +dreadfully when I joined her." + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +JACK ROBIN'S LOVE. + + +All the while her brother had been relating his sad tale, poor Molly +stood on the side of the nest, shaking from head to foot. In the course +of an hour she was so ill that her parents feared she would die, and +thus that they should be deprived of two children in one day. + +"To think," cried Mrs. Robin, "that we were singing so gayly while our +loved ones were in such danger and trouble!" + +"We must contrive some means to rescue her," said Mr. Robin, sternly. +"I, for one, will perish before I will leave her to so horrible a fate." + +Jack at this remark gave a cry of joy. He had the greatest confidence in +his father's capacity, and wondered he had not thought of this before. + +"Why can't we go at once?" he exclaimed. "Mother will nurse sick Molly, +and I will show you the house." + +Mrs. Robin and Molly added their entreaties, and the birds flew away. +When they reached the house, they found the cage already hung on a hook +over the front piazza. + +Poor Katy was uttering the most piercing cries, and striking her wings +against the wires of the cage. As soon as she saw her father and +brother, she gave a scream of delight, and fell to the floor of her +prison house. + +Jack alighted on the wires, and called her by the most endearing terms. + +Mr. Robin perched on a bough hanging over the piazza, and contemplated +them with strong emotion. "O, how cruel!" he exclaimed, "to separate +such loving hearts." + +At this moment the tall boy, with his sister, came to the door, and the +father listened earnestly to their voices, to learn whether they would +be friends to his imprisoned child. + +"Good by, father; bid mother and Molly good by for me," cried Jack. "I +have determined to remain in captivity with Katy, rather than leave her +to pine and die alone. Yes, darling sister, I love you better than +freedom, or even than life. Here I will stay to comfort you with my +affection." + +Dear little captive, how her heart beat and her bosom swelled when she +heard this! She flew to the upper perch of the cage, and put her beak +lovingly to his. + +"I cannot deny such a wish, my dear Jack," said Mr. Robin, "though it +will pierce your mother's heart with sorrow to be deprived of two +children. I love you better for your ardent affection; but I do not at +all despair of your release. Good by, dear ones; I go to consult our +friends at the cottage." + +As soon as he was fairly out of sight, the tall boy brought a stool, and +stood upon it, to take the cage down from the hook, and carried it into +the house, Jack still remaining perched upon the wires. + +There were poor Katy's tail feathers still lying on the floor; but the +heroic bird cared not for those. He only longed to have the door opened, +that he might feel his sister's soft head nestling once more against his +own breast. + +He did not have to wait long, for as soon as the room doors were +carefully secured, the cage was opened, when he flew in. + +"Now, darling," said he, "we must be all the world to each other. Let +us forget every thing else in the joy of being reunited." + +Katy was so happy, that she could only flutter her wings, and give +gentle cries of delight. + +As soon as they became somewhat composed, Jack hopped down from the +perch to examine the cage. Like that in which Canary was confined, it +had conveniences for eating and drinking, and a nice bath tub. In +addition to this, the little girl soon stuck between the wires a piece +of cracker and a large lump of sugar. + +"This stone, my dear," said Jack, "is, I suppose, for us to sharpen our +beaks upon." + +"O, how sweet!" exclaimed Katy, as she tasted the sugar; and before they +left it, they had diminished it about one half. + +When the tall boy thought they were a little wonted to their new home, +he hung them out in the sun again; and here we will leave them while we +return to their parents. + +Mrs. Robin was indeed sorely grieved when her husband returned alone. +Molly still continued to suffer so much from the shock she had received, +that she could scarcely fly to the ground for her food. + +"I still have hope," cried Mr. Robin, "that our friends may find a way +to relieve us, if we can make them understand what our trouble is." + +It was in vain, however, that he chirped, and cried, and flew from the +door off in the direction of his distressed children; and thus day after +day and week after week went by, and still Jack and Katy remained in +captivity. + +Mr. and Mrs. Robin, with Molly, visited them many times in a day, and +carried them fine worms. Nor did they wholly forsake Canary, whose fate +was even worse than their own. They carried many tender messages from +one cage to the other, thus enlivening the imprisonment of both. + +Dick, to his parents' great sorrow, had expressed little sympathy for +his brother and sister, and had never once visited them, though he gave +as a reason that he feared himself being captured. He was joined now +almost wholly to Mrs. Bill's family, and seldom returned to his parents' +nest. + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +THE RESTORED ROBINS. + + +One morning, Mr. Robin, his wife, and Molly, came, as usual, to the +cottage for crumbs. They were very much excited, and hopped hurriedly +about the room, flapping their wings and jerking their tails +incessantly. + +"What can they want?" exclaimed Annie. "There is something the matter, I +am sure." + +Grandpa gazed thoughtfully at them, and then said, "The little one has +never been as cheerful since the loss of her companions; perhaps they +are intending to leave this part of the country." + +"O, I hope not!" exclaimed Annie, almost ready to cry. "I should miss +them dreadfully." + +This was indeed the case, Mr. and Mrs. Robin having long given up all +hope of procuring the release of their children; and finding that they +were well fed, had concluded to leave for a time, in the hope that +change of scene would restore Molly to health. + +Fred and Annie were sincere mourners for their pretty birds; and though +many others came and sang on the old elm tree, they insisted that no +songs were so sweet as those sung by their old friends. Their school +commenced, however, about that time, and this somewhat diverted their +minds. + +On rainy days, Annie begged her grandfather for a story about birds; and +he smiled as he related the account of a stork who refused to be +comforted when separated from his mate, until a looking glass was placed +in his house, that reflected his own image, which he took to be his +mate, and was thus pacified. + +He also told her about the blind woman who was led to church every +Sunday by a tame gander, who took hold of her gown with his bill. + +He related to them the story of the strange attachment which was formed +between a goose and a fierce dog, so that she made her nest in his +kennel, and sat on her eggs with her head nestled against his breast. + +To these incidents of birds he added that also of the raven who +regularly travelled over the stage road in one coach, until at a certain +town he met another coach of the same line in which last he took passage +and returned to his home. + + * * * * * + +We must now pass over several months, and relate an adventure which +occurred late in the fall. Fred and Annie one morning received an +invitation to a party given by one of their schoolmates, on the +afternoon of the same day. + +As they entered the house, dressed in their Sunday suits, their +countenances glowing with pleasure, Fred heard the familiar chirp of a +robin, and, glancing to the window, saw a large cage containing a pair +of their favorite birds. + +"O Fred!" cried Annie, suddenly, growing pale with excitement "there are +our lost robins." + +Jack and Katy (for it was indeed they) instantly recognized their young +friends. They flew rapidly from one side of the cage to another, +striking their wings against the wires in their vain efforts to fly to +her. + +Mrs. Jones, the lady of the house, at that moment entered the room. Fred +advanced toward her, and fixing his frank eyes full on her face, said, +"Those are our robins, ma'am." + +"Do you think so?" she asked, with a smile. "If you can prove that they +belong to you, you shall have them, cage and all; but they have been +here a long time." + +"If you will please open the cage, I will show you that they know us," +said the boy, earnestly. + +"What is it?" inquired Mr. Jones, coming forward and joining the group. + +His wife repeated what Fred had said. + +"What makes you think they are yours?" asked the gentleman, kindly. + +"Their parents came and built a nest in our tree," said the boy. "When +the little ones were hatched, we always fed them, and they grew so tame +they would eat crumbs from our mouths, hop about the room, and alight on +our heads." + +"Yes!" cried Annie; "and one we tackled, that largest one, into a paper +cart, and he drew it all round the room, and then flew with it to the +top of the mirror." + +"How many young ones were there?" asked the lady. + +"Four," answered Fred; "but one was a naughty bird, and his parents had +a great deal of trouble with him. The other was a little darling; but +after these went away, and did not come back, she pined, and at last +the old robins flew away with her." + +Annie then related how Molly was fastened to the nest. + +The whole party of children were standing about eagerly listening. +"Well," said the gentleman, "I will close the doors of the room and open +the cage. If they fly to you, or seem in any way to recognize you, I +will restore your property." + +"And the cage too," said the lady. + +"Birdie, birdie," called the little girl. + +Katy hopped quickly from her perch, and flying over the heads of the +others, alighted on Annie's shoulder. + +Jack quickly followed, and perched on her head. + +"If you will please give me some crumbs," said the happy girl, tears of +joy standing in her eyes, "I will show you how they eat from my mouth." + +"Here, birdie," she cried, placing a piece between her teeth. + +Jack alighted on her finger, then flew forward and caught the crumb in +his beak, after which both he and his sister repeated the feat many +times. + +Mr. Jones laughed heartily, as he called his little girl to his side, +and putting a piece of sugar in her mouth, told her to call the robins +as Annie had done. + +She did so; but though Jack and Katy turned their bright eyes toward the +sugar, of which they were very fond, and chirped loudly for it, yet they +would not leave their old friends. + +Mr. Jones bade Fred take the birds, while Annie left the room, to see +whether it was not accident which had led them to alight on her head. +But the moment she returned, they flew to meet her, and showed the +greatest pleasure when she caressed them. + +"I'm afraid," said the gentleman to his daughter, "that you'll have to +give up your pets." + +"I don't care for them now," answered the child. "They never play any +tricks for me; they only stay cooped up in their cage." + +"When you go home, then, you may carry them," said the lady. "But how +will you get them back to the cage?" + +There was some difficulty in this, to be sure; for Katy and Jack, having +once tasted the joys of liberty, did not like to return to captivity +again. But at length by coaxing they succeeded in making them enter the +door, which was quickly closed upon them. + +"O mother! O grandpa! what do you think Fred is bringing?" shouted +Annie, running forward and opening the cottage door. + +Now, being so near the end of my book, I can only tell my young reader, +in a few words, how delighted the robins were to return to their old +home;--how in pleasant weather they flew around the nest in the elm +tree, but always returned to the cage at night;--how during the cold +winter they learned to warble forth their thanks to the dear children +who had proved such loving friends;--how the old robins returned with +the warm breath of spring, and were welcomed with delight by Jack and +Katy, who had begun a nest of their own;--how Molly had found a mate, +and built a nest on a bough near her parents;--and how sweetly at +sunrise and at sunset they all carolled rich music, until the whole air +resounded with their song. + +Of Dick nothing was known by his parents, until their new brood was +hatched, when one day a robin perched on a bough of the elm tree, and +after gazing around for a moment, was recognized as the lost bird. Then +were loud chirpings and great rejoicings, especially after he told them +he had reformed from his old habits, and was trying to train up his +young family as he had been taught by his parents. + + * * * * * + + +THE LITTLE FRANKIE SERIES. + + LITTLE FRANKIE AND HIS MOTHER. + LITTLE FRANKIE AT HIS PLAYS. + LITTLE FRANKIE AND HIS COUSIN. + LITTLE FRANKIE AND HIS FATHER. + LITTLE FRANKIE ON A JOURNEY. + LITTLE FRANKIE AT SCHOOL. + + +THE ROBIN REDBREAST SERIES. + + THE ROBINS' NEST. + LITTLE ROBINS IN THE NEST. + LITTLE ROBINS LEARNING TO FLY. + LITTLE ROBINS IN TROUBLE. + LITTLE ROBINS' FRIENDS. + LITTLE ROBINS' LOVE ONE TO ANOTHER. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Little Robins' Love One to Another, by +Madeline Leslie + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LITTLE ROBINS' LOVE ONE TO ANOTHER *** + +***** This file should be named 35047.txt or 35047.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/5/0/4/35047/ + +Produced by The Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images +generously made available by The Internet Archive/American +Libraries.) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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