ahs

Sa te etn

THE SICK BIRD.

“HE is the stupidest boy in the whole school. He ought
to be ashamed to be in the same class with such little
chaps,” said Rex, one of the brightest boys in the school.
“He isn’t really stupid,” said the other boy; “he knows
all about trees and flowers and animals, too.” Rex looked
up quickly. ‘Does he know anything about birds?” he
said. ‘‘ Of course,” said the other boy. ‘Then you might
ask him if he would look at my sister’s bird; it seems ill,
and she is so fond of it,” said Rex. But the other boy
ran away laughing. ‘You called him stupid,” he said;
** you had better ask him yourself.” Rex did not like to
ask, for he had called George Drayton stupid many and ~
many a time. When he reached-home, however, he found
his sister crying over her sick pet, so he set out with the
cage. George seemed surprised to see Rex, but he looked
at the bird at once. He took it out of the cage, and. it
perched on his finger. Then he fetched some food, and
fed the bird. “You are clever,” said Rex --“ the: bird
wouldn’t eat at home. I'll never call you stupid again.”

George smiled. “But I am stupid at lessons,” he said.