So, with this suggestion, they brought it to the house and placed it in a small basket. The basket was one they used to carry their dinners to school in, and, of course, this could not be used to keep it in all the time. John said, “It will be best to make a cage for it. We can, with our knives, soon whittle out sticks for bars and with the saw and some boards make a cage.” They labored on this for two days, and then, with Uncle Ben’s help, for he could drive nails better than they, the cage was completed. Some cotton was shaped into a nest and the bird was placed in it and the cage was its home.
They fed it on berries and crumbs and it grew rapidly. It soon learned to perch on one of the boy’s fingers and pick its food from his hand. When it had eaten enough it would fly to his shoulder and seem quite contented. In due time it became full grown, and though it seemed to know and appreciate the attention given it by the boys, yet it seemed to long for more freedom than the little cage afforded. The boys noticed this, and with sad hearts concluded it would be cruel to keep it confined and so gave it its freedom. For some time it lingered around the house, in branches of the trees, but finally it flew away to the woods.
HAYMAKING.
Many a long hard-working day
Life brings us! And many an hour of play;
But they never come now together,
Playing at work, and working in play,
As they came to us children among the hay,
In the breath of the warm June weather.
Oft, with our little rakes at play,
Making believe at making hay.
With grave and steadfast endeavor;
Caught by an arm, and out of sight
Hurled and hidden, and buried light
In laughter and hay forever.
Now pass the hours of work and play
With a step more slow, and the summer’s day
Grows short, and more cold the weather.
Calm is our work now, quiet our play,
We take them apart as best we may,
For they come no more together!
Dora Greenwell.