MRS. POLLY looked seriously from the sparrow, who sat pluming his
ruffled feathers, to his little wife, who looked as fresh and
bright-eyed as ever.
“I want to have a little talk with you,” began Mrs. Polly in a serious
tone, “and I take it that this is as good a time as any.”
“Delighted, I’m sure,” said the sparrow indifferently, as he continued
his toilet.
“I’ve noticed,” said Mrs. Polly severely, for she was not pleased with
the sparrow’s frivolous manner, “that you neglect your family a good
deal. I’ve seen more than you are aware of.”
“Flattered, I’m sure, by the attention,” replied the sparrow, carefully
picking out a particularly rough feather and drawing his beak through
it.
“My friend,” said Mrs. Polly in the same serious tone, “you won’t deter
me from doing my duty by such frivolous remarks. I have lived in the
world long enough to see many generations of sparrows come and go, and
I shall _not_ see a young couple beginning life start out on such a
mistaken course as you have chosen, without making an attempt to set
them right. Pray, what were you married for, I should like to know?”
The sparrow considered a moment and then said waggishly,--
“Give it up.”
“I can tell you,” answered Mrs. Polly. “You saw that pretty bright-eyed
sparrow, and you made her think there never was such a handsome,
wonderful fellow as you were, and you married her without a thought of
the future. It never occurred to you that you must take care of her
and protect her. She has done her part, and has been a faithful mother
to your children; but how have you done yours? Flying around here and
there, flirting with this one and rollicking with that one. I know your
ways. Your family would have starved long ago if it had not been for
your little wife there.”
“He has been a very good husband indeed,” said the bright-eyed sparrow
warmly. “I have nothing to complain of.”
“It is very loving of you to defend your husband, my dear, but he
doesn’t really deserve it. I saw you, last evening, looking out for him
so anxiously, and I heard him, too, come home this morning just before
daybreak, and I knew you had words about it. You make up, I know, and
are very affectionate until the next outbreak occurs; but you may take
my word for it that every quarrel you have weakens the love you bear
each other, and by-and-by there will be no makings up, and a feeling of
bitterness will take the place of the love you now have for each other.”
Both her listeners were silent, as Mrs. Polly paused for a moment and
looked seriously at them; then she continued,--
“I have seen many young couples begin as you have begun and grow apart
from each other; but I take too much interest in you, my friends, to
see you go wrong without a word of warning. Think of your young family
and the responsibility of setting a good example to them; their young
eyes are keener than you think they are.”
The sparrow had thrown aside his indifferent manner, and listened
attentively to the last part of Mrs. Polly’s remarks; and as she
concluded, he hopped on the bough beside the bright-eyed sparrow and
nestled affectionately against her.
“You are right,” he said; “I am a worthless vagabond, and don’t
deserve such a good little wife as I’ve got; but with all your wisdom,
Mrs. Polly, haven’t you learned that you can’t teach an old dog new
tricks?”
“Nonsense!” said Mrs. Polly decidedly; “the idea of a bright young
fellow like you talking in that style! You’ve got sense enough, and
you’re good-hearted and brave; now don’t throw away all those good
qualities, but use them to make of yourself a useful member of society.”
“I’ll be shot if I don’t try,” said the sparrow, with an affectionate
glance at the bright-eyed sparrow; and judging from the manner in which
she nestled against him, it was very evident to Mrs. Polly that there
was plenty of love left.
Meanwhile Graywhisker sat in his hole, laying plans for the future.
“It’s provoking,” he said to himself, “that they found the gray
kitten so soon. However, I caused them some trouble, and it couldn’t
have been very pleasant for her to be penned up over night in the
hay without food; there’s some comfort in that. Then I’ve got Posy’s
amber necklace all safe. She didn’t think the ‘great ugly rat’ that
frightened her so when she was playing in the barn knew enough to pick
it up when it dropped off. Well, that’s encouraging too; and then
Hannah’s thimble,--here it is, safe and sound, and here it will stay;
and then, my dear Mrs. Barn-cat, here’s your fine collar that you were
so fond of. You were in such an excited state of mind when you lost
it off that you didn’t know it had gone. Here it is, and here it will
remain too. I should like to see you venture in here again, my fine
young cock-sparrow; you wouldn’t get off quite so easily the next time,
I can tell you. I shan’t go out again without leaving somebody here on
guard. Hallo! who’s that?” he exclaimed, as his quick ears caught a
faint sound. “Oh, I know your light step, Mrs. Silverskin; come in.”
Mrs. Silverskin appeared in her usual timid manner. “I have heard
something I thought you would be pleased to know,” she said in her
little weak voice. “I was hiding behind the kitchen door yesterday,
where I picked up a few crumbs the children had dropped from their
lunch, and I heard Hannah tell Mrs. Winton that Nancy was a thief, and
had stolen Posy’s amber necklace and Hannah’s silver thimble and the
cat’s collar.”
“Good!” exclaimed Graywhisker, with a disagreeable chuckle that
displayed his broken front tooth very unpleasantly; “nothing could be
better! and what did Mrs. Winton say?”
“She said she didn’t believe it,--that she should believe her innocent
until she had proof of her guilt.”
“She _shall_ have proof of it,” said the old rat maliciously, “and
before long too.”
“How so?” asked Mrs. Silverskin.
“It’s easy enough to bring that about,” replied Graywhisker. “Don’t you
see that if Hannah’s thimble is hidden among Nancy’s things it will be
sufficient proof of her guilt?”
“But who will put it there?” asked Mrs. Silverskin, who had a secret
misgiving that the task would fall upon her.
“You!” said Graywhisker; “haven’t I done favors enough for you?”
“I came very near being caught by the house-cat when I stole Hannah’s
thimble,” said poor Mrs. Silverskin, “and I am afraid to go there so
often.”
“Very well, Madam, then you can take the consequences,” replied
Graywhisker fiercely.
“I suppose I must,” answered the little mouse sadly; “but if anything
happens to me I hope you will see that my family are provided for.”
“You need have no fears for them,” answered Graywhisker. “To-night,
when all is still, you take the thimble and hide it among some of
Nancy’s things in her chamber. Hannah will find it before long, and
then we’ll see how long they will believe Nancy innocent.”
A little later the sparrow was flying by Major, who was hitched to a
post in the yard, ready to go to the depot for Mr. Winton, when he
neighed to him to stop.
“Come here a minute and sit near me while I tell you something very
important,” he said.
The sparrow did as he was bid, and perched on top of the post, close to
Major’s nose.
“A little while ago, while I was taking my after-dinner nap,” began
Major, “I heard voices, and I can tell you my ears were wide open. I
soon discovered that the speakers were Mrs. Silverskin and a friend of
hers. Mrs. Silverskin said, ‘I am all of a tremble, for I’ve just had
an interview with Graywhisker, and he insists on my taking Hannah’s
silver thimble and putting it among Nancy’s things, to make them think
she stole it.’
“‘Well, what is there to tremble about?’ said the other mouse; ‘I don’t
see anything alarming in that.’
“‘Just think of the danger I run in passing the house-cat,’ said Mrs.
Silverskin; ‘she very nearly caught me the other day when I stole the
thimble.’
“‘She isn’t half so bad as the barn-cat,’ said the other mouse.
“‘I know she isn’t quite so quick, but she’s too quick to suit me.’
“‘I wouldn’t go, then; tell Graywhisker to go himself.’
“‘Dear me! you don’t know him as well as I do. I _must_ go!’
“‘Well, then, why need you go through the kitchen at all?’
“‘How in the world can I get into the chamber without? I can’t climb up
the side of the house,’ said Mrs. Silverskin.
“‘Don’t you know the way through the shed? You just go through the
shed, and up the stairs that lead to the loft above, where they keep
stores, and you’ll find a little hole down at the right-hand corner
that leads into the chamber. I helped gnaw it one night, and I know all
about it. I’ve bitten off pieces of Hannah’s tallow candle more than
once.’
“‘It’s a great relief to know that,’ said Mrs. Silverskin; ‘thank you
for the information.’”
“And I thank her for the information too,” said the sparrow. “I can’t
attend to it myself,” he added, with an air of importance, “because
I’m a family man and don’t like to be knocking around nights; but our
friend the house-cat will be on hand, I’ve no doubt. The sooner I
inform her of the matter the better;” and he flew off in search of the
house-cat.
[Illustration: “The sparrow perched on the top of the post.”--_Page
223._]