down into the yard, and
there distributed a plentiful meal to the starving wanderers without.
What an important trust had she now taken on herself!--nothing less
than the support of a hundred dependants within doors, and a still
greater number without! No wonder that her dolls and other playthings
should be now totally forgotten.

As Louisa was putting her hand into the seed-bag, to take out of it the
afternoon food for her birds, she found a paper, on which were written
these words: "The inhabitants of the air fly towards thee, O Lord! and
thou givest them their food; thou openest thy hand, and fillest all
things living with plenteousness."

As she saw her papa behind her, she turned round and said, "I am
therefore now imitating God."--"Yes, my sweet Louisa," said her father,
"in every good action we imitate our Maker. When you shall be grown to
maturity, you will then assist the necessitous part of the human race,
as you now do the birds; and the more good you do, the nearer you will
approach the perfections of God."

Louisa continued her attention to feed her hungry birds for more than a
week, when the snow began to melt, and the fields by degrees recovered
their former verdure. The birds who had lately been afraid to quit the
warm shelter of the houses, now returned to the woods and groves. The
birds in our little Louisa's aviary were confined, and therefore could
not get away; but they showed their inclination to depart, by flying
against the windows, and pecking the glass with their bills. These
birds, perhaps, were industrious, and wished not to be troublesome to
Louisa, since they could not procure their own living.

Louisa, not being able to comprehend what could make them so uneasy,
asked her papa if he could tell the cause of it "I know not, my dear,"
said her papa; "but it is possible these little birds may have left some
companions in the fields, which they now wish to see."--"You are very
right, papa," replied Louisa, "and they shall have their liberty
immediately." She accordingly opened the window, and all the birds flew
out of it.

These little feathered animals had no sooner obtained their liberty,
than some were seen hopping on the ground, others darting into the air,
or sporting in the trees, from twig to twig, and some flying about the
windows, chirping, as though out of gratitude to their benefactor.

Louisa hardly ever went into the fields, but she fancied that some of
her little family se