He's off! O how quickly
And gladly he rose !
I know he will love me

Wherever he goes.

I know for he really

Seemed trying to say,
"My dear little Nelly,
I can't go away."

But just then some birdies
Came flying along,
And sang, as they neared us,
A chirruping song;

And he felt just as I do

When girls come and shout

Right under the window,

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Come, Nelly-come out!"

It's wrong to be sorry;
I ought to be glad;
But he's the best birdie

That ever I had.

THE SPARROWS' CHRISTMAS TREE.

In the great city of New York there are several parks. Shade-trees grow in these parks, and there are many wide walks.

Some years ago, the trees began to die. Worms were eating all

the leaves. Some sparrows were brought from over the sea to kill these worms.

Now there are so many sparrows that the parks seem quite full of them.

The men who take care of the parks, make little houses which they place in the trees.

In these houses the sparrows spend the winter.

Bessie's father lived near one of these parks.

One Christmas morning Bessie looked out of the window, and saw several little sparrows hopping about in the snow.

They were trying to find something to eat, and they looked hungry and cold.

Bessie was a kind little girl, and she felt very sorry for the poor birds.

She would have asked them into her warm home if they would only have come.

Pretty soon she thought of a plan. What do you suppose it was? It was a queer plan. She asked her mother if she could not make a Christmas tree for the little birds.

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How will you do it?" asked her mother.

"O I will take the little Christmas tree you gave me last night, and put it outside the window, and hang little baskets of seed and bread in it for the birdies."

Her mother helped her fasten the little tree just outside the window. Then Bessie put her presents for the sparrows on it.

At first the birds did not think the tree could really be for them.

But by and by two or three sparrows came to it.

They looked at it a while, and then flew off to the park and told the rest of the birds.

Soon there were very many sparrows in Bessie's tree. They thanked Bessie over and over, and wished her a "Merry Christmas" more times than she could count.

It took the birds nearly all day to take care of their presents, and Bessie was happier than they. Bessie was pleased because she had made the

birds happy, and her

Bessie, you see that

the way to be happy yourself, is to

make others happy."

LANGUAGE LESSON.

Why were the sparrows placed in the park?

Where did they live in the winter ?

What did Bessie wish to do for them?

What did Bessie give them for presents ?