| Vol. II.—No. 75. | Published by HARPER & BROTHERS, New York. | Price Four Cents. |
| Tuesday, April 5, 1881. | Copyright, 1881, by Harper & Brothers. | $1.50 per Year, in Advance. |
THE BLACKBIRDS' NEST.
BY MARY CECIL HAY.
"Put it back, Jim. Do put it back."
"Why?" Jim whispered, with a startled glance along the wood path. "Isthe master in sight, Ned?"
"We are in sight of the Master, Jim."
Jim drew a long breath of relief, and put his finger into the open mouthof one of the unfledged blackbirds. "You frightened me for a moment," hesaid, "but I see you were only talking Sunday-school stuff. Of course,as Squire's forbid us to touch the nests here, we must mind he doesn'tsee, that's all."
"Put it back, Jim, lad," pleaded the elder boy, without resenting hiscompanion's sneer. "It's as much a home, you know, as your own cottage;and those four little blackbirds can no more live and grow if youdestroy it, than your baby sisters could live and grow if they had nohome and no mother."
"I ain't harmin' the mother," muttered Jim.
"Suppose your mother came home one night, after her work, feeling happy,and thinking of the rest she should have in her own snug little h