Part 5

"'Chick-a-dee! Chick-a-dee! Chick-a-dee!' called back my wife happily."

All this time Phyllis's eyes were growing rounder and bigger.

"Why," said she, "I never knew there was but one bird performing on the fence. I thought the other flew away!"

"That was because Mrs. Chickadee and I look so much alike," replied Mr. Chickadee.

"But we did find your nest a few days later," said Phyllis. "In it were six small white eggs covered with tiny red specks. We went to look at the nest every day until the eggs hatched. Then we went several times a day until the baby birds learned to fly and left the nest empty.

"But you did not disturb us," said the chickadee, "though we were dreadfully frightened at first."

At that moment a great soft snowball went plump! against Phyllis's red cap.

"Jack!" she cried, scrambling off the fence and running after the boy with the scratch on his nose. "Jack, take me for a ride on your sled!"

Then she looked back. The chickadee now sat in the tree-top.

"Tell Mrs. Chickadee," called Phyllis, "that I shall spread some more crumbs and seeds on the white table-cloth this afternoon. We'll hang another bone in the cedar-tree, too!"

"Chick-a-dee-dee-dee!" cried the little bird in a flutter of delight.

TWENTY LITTLE CHICKADEES

Twenty little chickadees, Sitting in a row; Twenty pairs of naked feet Buried in the snow. I should think you'd fly away Where the weather's warm, Then you wouldn't have to be Out there in the storm.

Sorry little chickadees, Don't you know the way? Can't you find the road to go Where 'tis always May? Robins all have found it out, Wrens and bluebirds too, Don't you wish you'd thought to ask Ere away they flew?

THE SNOWBIRD'S SONG

The ground was all covered with snow, one day, And two little sisters were busy at play-- A snowbird was sitting close by on a tree, And merrily singing his chick-a-de-dee!

He had not been singing that tune very long, When Emily heard him, so loud was his song. "Oh, sister, look out of the window!" said she, "Here's a dear little bird, singing chick-a-de-dee!

"Poor fellow! he walks in the snow and the sleet And has neither stockings nor shoes on his feet, I wonder what makes him so full of his glee, And why he keeps singing, his chick-a-de-dee.

"If I were a barefooted snowbird, I know, I would not stay out in the cold and the snow. I pity him so! Oh, how cold he must be, And yet he keeps singing his chick-a-de-dee.

"Oh, mother, do get him some stockings and shoes, And a nice little frock, and a hat, let him choose. I wish he'd come into the parlour, and see How warm we would make him, poor chick-a-de-dee!"

The bird had flown down for some sweet crumbs of bread, And heard every word little Emily said. "How funny I'd look in that costume!" thought he, And he laughed, as he warbled his chick-a-de-dee.

"I am grateful," said he, "for the wish you express, But I have no occasion for such a fine dress. I'd rather remain with my little limbs free, Than to hobble about singing chick-a-de-dee.

"There is One, my dear child, though I cannot tell who, Has clothed me already, and warm enough, too. Good morning! Oh, who are so happy as we?" And away he flew, singing his chick-a-de-dee.

From "The Second Reader--of the Rational Method In Reading."

HOW THE BIRDS GOT THEIR FEATHERS

(IROQUOIS MYTH)

That evening, as the family sat beside the hearth, Phyllis thought of the brave little chickadees out in the fir-trees.

"I wonder if they are really warm enough," she said. "Do feathers make a warm dress, mother? Why do birds have feathers instead of fur?"