Frank and Fanny | Page 5

house, they did not see her, and so they carried the bird up stairs,

into Fanny's room, and made a nest out of soft wool, and placed the
little bird in it; but it fluttered out, and Frank saw that one of its wings
was broken. Then he knew that he must have broken it when he fell,
and the tears came to his eyes, as he laid it in the nest again, and
covered it over with the wool.
"Let us go and tell grandmother all about it," said he, "for, perhaps, she
may know how to mend the broken wing."
Just then they heard Sally calling them to supper, and they went down
stairs, and sat down at the table. But the bowls of new milk remained
untouched. They felt too sad to eat, for Fanny could hear the low plaint
of the bird, in the room above; and still louder sounded in Frank's
memory, the sad, "chick-a-dee-dee-dee," of the mourning mother.
"Why do you not eat your supper, children?" inquired their
grandmother, kindly.
Fanny burst into tears, but Frank answered:
"I have done something very naughty, grandmother, and we both feel
too bad to eat. We did not want to tell you to-night, for we knew it
would make you unhappy to hear that we had done wrong, but we
cannot keep it to ourselves any longer."
"Frank would not have done it, if it had not been for me, grandmother,"
sobbed Fanny; "but I wanted a little bird so badly, and I forgot that it
was wicked, and I teazed Frank to go back to the woods, and get me
one, and now I am so sorry."
Their grandmamma looked very grave, but she answered,
"You have done right, my children, to tell me about it. I should have
been still more grieved if you had concealed it from me. As it is, I feel
sorry for you, for I know how much you are both suffering for your
thoughtlessness: now, try to eat your supper, and we will take good
care of the bird to-night, and to-morrow morning, before church, I will
send Sally with Frank, to carry it back again, for it will be an errand of

mercy to the poor little bird."
The children were very much relieved by their grandmother's sympathy.
After supper, they brought the bird down, and showed her the broken
wing, and Frank told how he feared he had broken it. Sally tried to feed
it, but it would not eat; and the children felt very sad again, when they
found that the wing could not be mended. After carefully laying the
bird, with the wool, in the basket, Sally prepared the children for bed.
Then their grandmother read to them a chapter from the Bible, after
which they sung, in sweet tones, this little evening hymn, which I will
copy here, as it is such a good one, for all little children to repeat:
EVENING HYMN.
"LORD, I have passed another day, And come to thank thee for thy
care; Forgive my faults in work and play, And listen to my evening
prayer.
Thy favor gives me daily bread, And friends, who all my wants supply;
And safely now I rest my head, Preserved and guarded by thine eye.
Look down in pity, and forgive Whatever I've said or done amiss; And
help me, every day I live, To serve thee better than in this.
Now, while I speak, be pleased to take A helpless child beneath thy
care, And condescend, for Jesus' sake, To listen to my evening prayer."
Then Frank and Fanny kissed each other 'good night,' and Frank went
to his little room, which was close to the one where Sally slept with
Fanny.
CHAPTER III.
THE BIRD'S FUNERAL
The next morning was a beautiful one. The air seemed full of fragrance,
and the sunshine rippled down through the leaves of the old elm tree,
falling in little golden waves of light upon the vines, that were twined

about the doorway and casements of the cottage.
Fanny was awakened from her sleep, by the joyous notes of a robin,
that had perched close beside her window, and was shaking the dew in
showers from the leaves, with every motion of his restless little wings.
She sprang out upon the floor, fancying for a moment, that it was her
chick-a-dee, that was singing so merrily; and she hastened to the basket,
and carefully lifted the wool. She was grievously disappointed, for the
poor bird lay stretched upon its back, and when she lifted it, she found
it was quite cold and dead! Her little bosom swelled, and large tears
gushed from her eyes. It was more than she could bear, and when Sally
came into the room, a few