FOR YOUNG FOLKS.

Franklin Times, Volume 9, Issue 691, 9 December 1921, Page 3

FOR YOUNG FOLKS.

THE BIRD’S NEST. Emperor Charles lived in Spain many years ago. One tcold, rainy spring he marched with a large army against the French. The soldiers set up their tents in an old town. One dajfwhen the soldiers were near the Emperor’s tent, what do you think they saw? Why, on top of the tent was a little bird’s nest! A swallow had made her home there. Day after day she had brought bits of straw and horsehair. from these odd bits she had made a snug little nest on the top of the tent. Around her was the sound of guns and the tramp of soldiers. But the swallow was not afraid. When the Emperor heard what the Khy little bird had done he was very pleased. “The swallow is my guest," he said. “Let no hand hurt her.” So the little bird stayed <fn day after day. In her nest were some tiny eggs. At last the time came for the army to go away. The soldiers took® down tfieir tents and made ready to march. All was ready except the Emperor’s tent. ' _ -■ Emperor Charles thought of the little bird’s home on the top of his tent, and of the tiny birds that were too small to take care of themselves. He said to his men: “Leave my tent standing.” So the army went away, and left the tent standing alone on the great battlefield. There were hoies in the sides of the tent where the bullets had torn it. Sometimes the wind nearly blew it down. But the mother bird lived there until her little family had grown up.

LOTTIE’S FAIRY,

A Fairy used to come and talk to Lottie every night, but no one else knew anything about it. She used to tell the little girl wonderful stories about Fairyland, and when Lottie wanted to see anything very much she would wave her wand three times, and then the nursery wall faded away and Lottie could look right into tfye Mountains of the Moon, or the Forest of Tiger Lilies, or even into the great Palace of Fairyland itself. One night Lottie’s father came and found them there, and was so surprised that he nearly dropped the' lamp he was carrying.

Now the kind Fairy knew that Lottie’s father meant to send her away to a hoarding-school, and that Lottie, who was only six years old, was frightened at the idea. So what do you think the Fairy did? She sprang into the air and flew about, waving her wand, and the nursery turned into a great big schoolroom, and the father thought he was a little "boy of six, and that the Fairy was a very cross school-mistress who was going to send him to bed without any supper.

So then he knew exactly how Lottie felt about the boarding-school, and when the Fairy had disappeared he took her in his arms and kissed her. and decided ’ not to send her away from home at all.