"O my dear papa!" said Louisa, "all those sweet birds, that
sung so charmingly but a day or two ago, are now come into the yard
starving with hunger. Do, pray, let me give them a little corn!"

Her papa very readily granted her so reasonable a request, and away she
ran, accompanied by her governess, to the barn on the other side of the
yard, which had that morning been cleanly swept. Here she got a handful
or two of corn, which she immediately scattered in different parts of
the yard. The poor little birds fluttered around her, and soon picked
up what the bounty of her generous hand had bestowed on them.

It is impossible to describe the pleasure and satisfaction expressed in
the countenance of Louisa, on seeing herself the cause of giving so much
joy to those little animals. As soon as the birds had picked up all the
grains, they flew to the house-top, and seemed to look down on Louisa as
if they would say, "Cannot you give us a little more?" She understood
their meaning, and away she flew again to the barn, and down they all
came to partake of her new bounty; while Louisa called to her papa and
mamma to come and enjoy with her the pleasing sight.

In the mean time, a little boy came into the yard, whose heart was not
of so tender a nature as Louisa's. He held in his hand a cage full of
birds, but carried it so carelessly, that it was evident he cared very
little for his poor prisoners. Louisa, who could not bear to see the
pretty little creatures used so roughly, asked the boy what he was going
to do with those birds. The boy replied, that he would sell them if he
could; but, if he could not, his cat should have a dainty meal of them,
and they would not be the first she had munched alive.

"O fie," said Louisa, "give them to your cat! What, suffer such innocent
things as those to be killed by the merciless talons of a cat?"--"Even
so," said the boy, and giving the cage a careless swing, that tumbled
the poor birds one over another, off he was setting, when Louisa called
him back, and asked him what he would have for his birds. "I will sell
them," said he, "three for a penny, and there are eighteen of them."
Louisa struck the bargain, and ran to beg the money of her papa, who not
only cheerfully gave her the money, but allowed her an empty room for
the reception of her little captives.

The boy, having thus found so good a market for his birds, told all his
companions of it; so that, in a few hours, Louisa's yard wa