She took several of them into the house to show to her mother. The mother, thinking the little girl might hurt the birds, put them out of doors. But the little birds were not to be cheated in this way. No sooner was the door opened than they flew into the room again, and alighted upon the girl's head, and began to chirp.
The birds staid about the house all winter. Whenever the door was opened, they would fly to the little girl. The parents feared that this might be a bad omen, and that the little girl would die.
But she kept her health, and did not die. She still makes pets of the birds, and they come and play with her. She handles them so gently, that even a humming-bird has been known to come to her several times.
Last winter a whole flock of birds kept near the house all the season. She would feed them, and then play with them for hours at a time. Every morning the birds would fly to her window, and chirp, as much as to say, "Good-morning, little mistress! Wake up, wake up!"
I think the child must be a near relation of that "Little Bell," of whom the poet Westwood sang,—
"Whom God's creatures love," the angels fair
Murmured, "God doth bless with angels' care:
Child, thy bed shall be
Folded safe from harm; love deep and kind
Shall watch around, and leave good gifts behind,
Little Bell, for thee!"
EMILY CARTER.