Abby and Alice took a seat on an old trunk; Mark and Jimmie sat on the floor; and Mr. Bondy got an old chair, with the back broken, and took his seat on it, holding Maggie in his arms.

When they were all quiet he began:

"A little girl named Jane Clark once went with her mamma to visit her grandma in the country. During the night Mrs. Clark was several times wakened by strange noises about the chimney of the room where she slept. But Jane was so tired that she slept too soundly to hear anything.

"Once Mrs. Clark sat up in bed as the noise came louder than usual, and she saw, by the light of the night-lamp, a bundle of straw tumble down from the chimney into the fireplace. The straw had been put into the chimney, which was never used for a fire, to keep the cold wind from blowing down.

"The noise now stopped, and Mrs. Clark went to sleep. Early next morning Jane jumped out of bed, and as she touched the floor a little bird started from a corner of the room, and flew frightened toward the window. But it could not get through, for the window was shut.

"After flying all around the room until it was tired, the bird was caught by Mrs. Clark, who let Jane hold it carefully in her hand.

"Its nest was near the top of the chimney, and somehow or other it had fallen down during the night upon the straw which stopped up the chimney. It tried to fly up again, but could not. Each time it tried it fell back on the straw, until it loosened the bundle, which fell with it to the floor.

"Mrs. Clark looked at it very carefully, but could not find any bruise upon it. Jane at first wanted her mother to get a cage, and let her take it home. But when her mother told her that the poor little thing would die if shut up in a cage, Jane was willing to let it go.

"She took it again in her hand, and gently smoothed down the feathers on its head and back. She then opened the window, and kissing it on its bill, said: 'Go, little birdie, go, and find your nest again.' And the swallow spread its little wings and soon was out of sight."