-considering your last most condescending words, and I
find that I have been hasty. You are so good as to express a belief that
I should make a pleasant companion. So I should! so I should! And as for
you," he bowed gallantly, "one can readily imagine the charm of your
society. Come, then, Miss Heron, why should we not make a happy couple,
if we can only arrange this one little foolish matter? Be my wife: come
live with me in my lovely nest."

But at this word Miss Heron uttered a little scream and cried, "Be off
with you, you villain! Leave my premises instantly!" and she waved her
wings so fiercely that once more Mr. Stork took to his and flapped away
to his home.

Now when he had gone Miss Heron found that she had been bad-tempered,
and she thought how pleasantly they might have arranged the matter if
only she had been more moderate. So she spread her beautiful blue wings
and flew to the housetop where Mr. Stork lived, and, perching on the
chimney, she said,--

"Oh, Mr. Stork, I was bad-tempered and impolite, and I beg your pardon.
Let us be friends once more. Leave this hot old stupid house-top and
come live in my cool, moist, wady-shady swamp, and I will be your very
loving little wife."

But the Stork arose in his nest, flapping his wings crossly, and cried,
"Be off, you baggage! Don't come here to insult my beautiful house. Be
off, I say, to your mushy-squshy, rheumaticky bog. I want no more of
you!"

So the Heron flew back disconsolately to the watery swamp, where she
began to feel very lonely indeed. And the Stork, too, began to feel very
lonely indeed; and he was sorry that he had been rude to a lady.
Presently, once more he came flapping to the mushy-squshy marsh, where
he found Miss Heron just ready to go to sleep.

"Oh, dear Miss Heron!" he cried. "I made a great mistake, and said
things for which I am truly sorry. Do come to be my loving wife, as you
promised, and we will live happily ever after on the chimney-top, far
above the other birds. And I will never be cross again."

But the Heron answered, "Away with you! I want to go to sleep. I am
tired of your croaking voice. Leave me alone!" So the Stork flew away in
a huff.

But the Heron could not sleep, she was so lonely. So she rose, and,
flying through the still night air, came again to the Stork's high-built
nest.

"Come, Storkie dear," she said in her sweetest tone, "come home to your
dear wife's house in the wady-shady, mushy-squshy marsh,