W. E. Watt, President &c.,
Fisher Building,
277 Dearborn St., Chicago, Ill.
My dear Sir:
Please accept my thanks for a copy of the firstpublication of “Birds.” Please enter my name as a regularsubscriber. It is one of the most beautiful and interestingpublications yet attempted in this direction. It has otherattractions in addition to its beauty, and it must win itsway to popular favor.
Wishing the handsome little magazine abundant prosperity,I remain
Yours very respectfully,
Please mention “BIRDS” when you write to advertisers.
LITTLE BOY BLUE.
Boys and girls, don’t you thinkthat is a pretty name? I camefrom the warm south, where Iwent last winter, to tell you thatSpringtime is nearly here.
When I sing, the buds andflowers and grass all begin towhisper to one another, “Springtimeis coming for we heard theBluebird say so,” and then theypeep out to see the warm sunshine.I perch beside them andtell them of my long journeyfrom the south and how I knewjust when to tell them to comeout of their warm winter cradles.I am of the same blue color asthe violet that shows her prettyface when I sing, “Summer iscoming, and Springtime is here.”
I do not like the cities forthey are black and noisy andfull of those troublesome birdscalled English Sparrows. Itake my pretty mate and out inthe beautiful country we find ahome. We build a nest oftwigs, grass and hair, in a boxthat the farmer puts up for usnear his barn.
Sometimes we build in a holein some old tree and soon thereare tiny eggs in the nest. Ising to my mate and to the goodpeople who own the barn. Iheard the farmer say one day,“Isn’t it nice to hear the Bluebirdsing? He must be veryhappy.” And I am, too, for bythis time there are four or fivelittle ones in the nest.
Little Bluebirds are like littleboys—they are always hungry.We work hard to find enoughfor them to eat. We feed themnice fat worms and bugs, andwhen their little wings arestrong enough, we teach themhow to fly. Soon they are largeenough to hunt their own food,and can take care of