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Show AARY GRAHAM. BONNER. THANK-YOU WINGS I want to tell you more about the little girl Eetty who longed to own a beautiful red bird who lived In a cage in a shop in the town where Eetty was. She had wanted that red bird more than anything and now Grandma had come to visit her. Grandma was such a dear. She had not been feeling well lately and she had come for a nice rest. She knew she would be so happy with Betty, and Betty looked forward for-ward to having Grandma come. Then such a wonderful thing hap. pened to her. It was what Grandma said to her that was so perfect "Betty," she said, "I shall be wanting want-ing a good deal of help while I am getting better and I shall pay you as my little nurse. I shall pay you ahead of time as I know you would love to have your bird now. "You can have the five dollars for him and three dollars for a cage." Betty could hardly believe what she heard. But It was true. As quickly quick-ly as she could she went to the shop where the bird stayed. On her way there she felt almost certain that she would find the bird had been sold, but wonder of wonders, won-ders, when she arrived she saw the bird In his cage just back from the window. She looked In the window first ot all. She wanted to do all this very slowly. It was going to be such happiness to say she would pay for the bird and take him along with her. But as she stood looking in the window win-dow some one was speaking to another. an-other. "What a wicked thing to have a scarlet tanager In a cage! A bird which loves the woods and green treea to be kept in a cage!" Betty turned to the woman who had spoken. "But the man says ha doesn't mind any more than a canary does." "What nonsense," said the woman, "Why, it's as bad as to cage a robin." "Oh," was all Betty said. Sadly she went Into the shop. She told At First the Bird Did Not Stir. the man she had come to buy the bird and the cage and that she would take hi in with her. Wheu she came outside the people peo-ple hud gone. She took a street car but not in the direction of her house. It was hard carrying the cage but she managed and at the end of the line she got out. There she walked a little until she came to the edge of some woods, and then she opened the door of the cage. At first the bird did not stir from his perch. His heart was beating from the ride and the excitement, and then suddenly he seemed to renllze his door was open. He looked out. Ahead of him were green trees woods a beautiful wild park. And then he spread his black wings and off he flew to the nearest tree. For a minute he perched there. And then with a gorgeous flight of happiness he flew away into the green trees. All that Betty could see was a flash of scarlet In the green of the leaves. "Dear, dear bird," Betty said, but the bird was too far off to hear her or to pay any attention at all. She was very Into In getting home. Ilor family had Just begun to worry wor-ry about her, and in she walked carrying car-rying the empty cage. Then slve hurst out crying. "Why darling, my darling Betty," her grandmother said, "did the bird got away? You poor little girl." "Oil, Grandma, I'm so happy really. real-ly. Grandma, I am happy." Her family could not understand It at all. She had lost her bird, she was crying, and she said she was happy. "Oh, Grandma, the bird was a scar-lot scar-lot tanager, and he belongs with green loaves and In the woods and I let him go free. "But. oh, Grandma, when he knew ho w:is free he forgot all about me, but somehow, somehow I was sure his wings loft a thank-yon for me ns they carried him away to freedom." "My darling." was all hor grandmother said, but Bony knew she understood understood how s.id It was with the empty cae after having so longed for the bird but also how beautiful It was to fool that the bird was now free and happy. ; "His wings said thank-yon. J "I know they dM." and Grandma ; said she was s;:re that thoy h..d. too! |