5.
We picked up the pieces with many a sigh;
Our party broke up, and we all said good-bye.
Do come to our next one:—but then we’ll invite
That very rude pussy to keep out of sight.
ASKING PARDON.
Cissy and Lily are feeding a little tame sparrow. The poor bird had fallen out of its nest, and the gardener picked it up, and gave it to the children. The little creature sits on Cissy’s finger, while Lily feeds it with bread and milk. It is getting quite tame, puts its little head on one side, and looks at Lily out of its pretty bright eye. The children have had it some days: it can fly a little now, but shows no wish at present to fly away.
“I’m the mother of it,” says Lily, “tos I feed it.” Then she adds, after considering a moment: “Cissy can be father if she likes.”