presentable　to　Maria。　　He　started　to　the　house；　but　had　only　gone
  a　short　way　when　he　stopped；　and　after　standing　in　thought　for　a
  time；　turned　back　to　the　barn　and　gave　Nancy　another　ear　of　corn。
  〃After　all；　it　was　all　you；　ol'　girl；〃　he　said；　patting　her
  shoulder；　〃I　never　on　earth　could　a…made　it　on　time　afoot。〃
  He　was　so　tired　he　leaned　for　support　against　her；　for　the
  unusual　exertion　and　intense　excitement　were　telling　on　him
  sorely；　and　as　he　rested　he　confided　to　her：　〃I　don't　know　as　I
  ever　in　my　life　was　so　riled；　Nancy。　　I'm　afraid　I　was　a　little
  mite　fierce。〃
  He　exhibited　the　gun；　and　told　the　story　very　soberly　at　supper
  time；　and　Maria　was　so　filled　with　solicitude　for　him　and　the
  bird；　and　so　indignant　at　the　act　of　the　hunter；　that　she　never
  said　a　word　about　Abram's　torn　clothing　and　the　hours　of　patching
  that　would　ensue。　　She　sat　looking　at　the　gun　and　thinking
  intently　for　a　long　time；　and　then　she　said　pityingly：
  〃I　don't　know　jest　what　you　could　a…said　'at　'ud　make　a　man　go
  off　an'　leave　a　gun　like　that。　　Poor　fellow！　　I　do　hope；　Abram；
  you　didn't　come　down　on　him　too　awful　strong。　　Maybe　he　lost　his
  mother　when　he　was　jest　a　little　tyke；　an'　he　hasn't　had　much
  teachin'。〃
  Abram　was　completely　worn　out；　and　went　early　to　bed。　　Far　in　the
  night　Maria　felt　him　fumbling　around　her　face　in　an　effort　to
  learn　if　she　were　covered；　and　as　he　drew　the　sheet　over　her
  shoulder　he　muttered　in　worn　and　sleepy　tones：　〃I'm　afraid　they's
  no　use　denyin'　it；　Maria；　I　WAS　JEST　MORTAL　FIERCE。〃
  In　the　sumac　the　frightened　little　mother　cardinal　was　pressing
  her　precious　babies　close　against　her　breast；　and　all　through　the
  night　she　kept　calling　to　her　mate；　〃Chook！　Chook！〃　and　was
  satisfied　only　when　an　answering　〃Chip！〃　came。　　As　for　the
  Cardinal；　he　had　learned　a　new　lesson。　　He　had　not　been　under
  fire　before。　　Never　again　would　he　trust　any　one　carrying　a
  shining　thing　that　belched　fire　and　smoke。　　He　had　seen　the
  hunter　coming；　and　had　raced　home　to　defend　his　mate　and　babies；
  thus　making　a　brilliant　mark　of　himself；　and　as　he　would　not　have
  deserted　them；　only　the　arrival　of　the　farmer　had　averted　a
  tragedy　in　the　sumac。　　He　did　not　learn　to　use　caution　for
  himself；　but　after　that；　if　a　gun　came　down　the　shining　river；　he
  sent　a　warning　〃Chip！〃　to　his　mate；　telling　her　to　crouch　low　in
  her　nest　and　keep　very　quiet；　and　then；　in　broken　waves　of
  flight；　and　with　chirp　and　flutter；　he　exposed　himself　until　he
  had　lured　danger　from　his　beloved　ones。
  When　the　babies　grew　large　enough　for　their　mother　to　leave　them
  a　short　time；　she　assisted　in　food　hunting；　and　the　Cardinal　was
  not　so　busy。　　He　then　could　find　time　frequently　to　mount　to　the
  top　of　the　dogwood；　and　cry　to　the　world；　〃See　here！　See　here！〃
  for　the　cardinal　babies　were　splendid。　　But　his　music　was　broken
  intermittent　vocalizing　now；　often　uttered　past　a　beakful　of
  food；　and　interspersed　with　spasmodic　〃chips〃　if　danger
  threatened　his　mate　and　nestlings。
  Despite　all　their　care；　it　was　not　so　very　long　until　trouble
  came　to　the　sumac；　and　it　was　all　because　the　first…born　was
  plainly　greedy；　much　more　so　than　either　his　little　brother　or
  his　sister；　and　he　was　one　day　ahead　of　them　in　strength。　　He
  always　pushed　himself　forward；　cried　the　loudest　and　longest；　and
  so　took　the　greater　part　of　the　food　carried　to　the　nest；　and　one
  day；　while　he　was　still　quite　awkward　and　uncertain；　he　climbed
  to　the　edge　and　reached　so　far　that　he　fell。　　He　rolled　down　the
  river　bank；　splash！　into　the　water；　and　a　hungry　old　pickerel；
  sunning　in　the　weeds；　finished　him　at　a　snap。　　He　made　a　morsel
  so　fat；　sweet；　and　juicy　that　the　pickerel　lingered　close　for　a
  week；　waiting　to　see　if　there　would　be　any　more　accidents。
  The　Cardinal；　hunting　grubs　in　the　corn　field；　heard　the
  frightened　cries　of　his　mate；　and　dashed　to　the　sumac　in　time　to
  see　the　poor　little　ball　of　brightly　tinted　feathers　disappear　in
  the　water　and　to　hear　the　splash　of　the　fish。　　He　called　in
  helpless　panic　and　fluttered　over　the　spot。　　He　watched　and
  waited　until　there　was　no　hope　of　the　nestling　coming　up；　then　he
  went　to　the　sumac　to　try　to　comfort　his　mate。　　She　could　not　be
  convinced　that　her　young　one　was　gone；　and　for　the　remainder　of
  the　day　filled　the　air　with　alarm　cries　and　notes　of　wailing。
  The　two　that　remained　were　surely　the　envy　of　Birdland。　　The　male
  baby　was　a　perfect　copy　of　his　big　crimson　father；　only　his
  little　coat　was　gray；　but　it　was　so　highly　tinged　with　red　that
  it　was　brilliant；　and　his　beak　and　feet　were　really　red；　and　how
  his　crest　did　flare；　and　how　proud　and　important　he　felt；　when　he
  found　he　could　raise　and　lower　it　at　will。　　His　sister　was　not
  nearly　so　bright　as　he；　and　she　was　almost　as　greedy　as　the　lost
  brother。　　With　his　father's　chivalry　he　allowed　her　to　crowd　in
  and　take　the　most　of　the　seeds　and　berries；　so　that　she
  continually　appeared　as　if　she　could　swallow　no　more；　yet　she　was
  constantly　calling　for　food。
  She　took　the　first　flight；　being　so　greedy　she　forgot　to　be
  afraid；　and　actually　flew　to　a　neighbouring　thorn　tree　to　meet
  the　Cardinal；　coming　with　food；　before　she　realized　what　she　had
  done。　　For　once　gluttony　had　its　proper　reward。　　She　not　only
  missed　the　bite；　but　she　got　her　little　self　mightily　well
  scared。　　With　popping　eyes　and　fear…flattened　crest；　she　clung　to
  the　thorn　limb；　shivering　at　the　depths　below；　and　it　was　the
  greatest　comfort　when　her　brother　plucked　up　courage　and　came
  sailing　across　to　her。　　But；　of　course；　she　could　not　be　expected
  to　admit　that。　　When　she　saw　how　easily　he　did　it；　she　flared　her
  crest；　turned　her　head　indifferently；　and　inquired　if　he　did　not
  find　flying　a　very　easy　matter；　once　he　mustered　courage　to　try
  it；　and　she　made　him　very　much　ashamed　indeed　because　he　had
  allowed　her　to　be　the　first　to　leave　the　nest。　　From　the　thorn
  tree　they　worked　their　way　to　the　dead　sycamore；　but　there　the
  lack　of　foliage　made　them　so　conspicuous　that　their　mother　almost
  went　into　spasms　from　fright；　and　she　literally　drove　them　back
  to　the　sumac。
  The　Cardinal　was　so　inordinately　proud；　and　made　such　a　brave
  showing　of　teaching　them　to　fly；　bathe；　and　all　the　other　things
  necessary　for　young　birds　to　know；　that　it　was　a　great　mercy　they
  escaped　with　their　lives。　　He　had　mastered　many　lessons；　but　he
  never　could　be　taught　how　to　be　quiet　and　conceal　himself。　　With
  explosive　〃chips〃　flaming　and　flashing；　he　met　dangers　that　sent
  all　the　other　birds　beside　the　shining　river　racing　to　cover。
  Concealment　he　scorned；　and　repose　he　never　knew。
  It　was　a　summer　full　of　rich　experience　for　the　Cardinal。　　After
  these　first　babies　were　raised　and　had　flown；　two　more　nests　were
  built；　and　two　other　broods　flew　around　the　sumac。　　By　fall　the
  Cardinal　was　the　father　of　a　small　flock；　and　they　were　each　one
  neat；　trim；　beautiful　river　birds。
  He　had　lived　through　spring　with　its　perfumed　air；　pale　flowers；
  and　burning　heart　hunger。　　He　had　known　summer　in　its　golden
  mood；　with　forests　pungent　with　spicebush　and　sassafras；
  festooned　with　wild　grape；　woodbine；　and　bittersweet；　carpeted
  with　velvet　moss　and　starry　mandrake　peeping　from　beneath　green
  shades；　the　never…ending　murmur　of　the　shining　river；　and　the
  rich　fulfilment　of　love's　fruition。
  Now　it　was　fall；　and　all　the　promises　of　spring　were
  accomplished。　　The　woods　were　glorious　in　autumnal　tints。　　There
  were　ripened　red　haws；　black　haws；　and　wild　grapes　only　waiting
  for　severe　frosts；　nuts　rattling　down；　scurrying　squirrels；　and
  the　rabbits'　flash　of　gray　and　brown。　　The　waysides　were　bright
  with　the　glory　of　goldenrod；　and　royal　with　the　purple　of　asters
  and　ironwort。　　There　was　the　rustle　of　falling　leaves；　the
  flitting　of　velvety　butterflies；　the　whir　of　wings　trained
  southward；　and　the　call　of　the　king　crow　gathering　his　followers。
  Then　to　the　Cardinal　came　the　intuition　that　it　was　time　to　lead
  his　family　to　the　orange　orchard。　　One　day　they　flamed　and　rioted
  up　and　down　the　shining　river；　raced　over　the　corn　field；　and
  tilted　on　the　sumac。　　The　next；　a　black　frost　had　stripped　its
  antlered　limbs。　　Stark　and　deserted　it　stood；　a　picture　of
  loneliness。
  O　bird　of　wonderful　plumage　and　human…like　song！　W　hat　a　precious
  thought　of　Divinity　to　create　such　beauty　and　music　for　our
  pleasure！　　Brave　songster　of　the　flaming　coat；　too　proud　to　hide
  your　flashing　beauty；　too　fearless　to　be　cautious　of　the　many
  dangers　that　beset　you；　from　the　top　of　the　morning　we　greet　you；
  and　hail　you　King　of　Birdland；　at　your　imperious　command：　〃See
  here！　See　here！〃
  End