"I hope my little daughter is not afraid of a gentle cow."

"No, indeed," cried Prudy, clinging fast to her mother's hand. "Poh! if
I was afraid of a cow I'd be a cow--ard. I'd as lief he'd see me as not,
if you'll shake your parasol at him, mamma."

Prudy breathed more freely when the cow was out of sight.

Soon she saw something which caused her to forget her terror. Peeping in
among the branches of a small tree, she espied what she called a "live
bird's nest." Never having seen any young birds before, she wondered at
first "who had picked off their feathers." The wee things seemed to be
left to themselves while their mother was away providing supper.

"Haven't they very big stretchy mouths, for such small birdies?" said
Prudy. "Aren't you afraid they'll crack their mouths in two, gaping so,
mamma?"

"They are only hungry, child. Suppose you feed them with a bit of a
berry."

Prudy nipped a strawberry into three parts with her thumb and
forefinger, and dropped the pieces into their mouths.

"O, mamma, they swallowed it whole! they swallowed it whole! Their teeth
haven't come!"

Prudy's fresh delight and surprise were so pleasant to witness that her
mother allowed her to linger for a while, mincing berries for the