They are what make country life pleasant. I wouldn't give a fig
for your pretty woods if there were no living things to be seen there."
This was an aspect of the situation the boys had never before
considered. They did not realize that to a lover of nature the
humblest form of animal life is interesting. Did other people really
prize squirrels and frogs and lightning bugs and such things?
Just at this moment the teacher entered, and the crestfallen pupils
busied themselves in gathering up the scattered books and other
articles used in storming the squirrel.
"My young visitor is quite shocked by such an exhibition of cruelty,"
said Miss Harper, when she had learned how matters stood. "Think what
the woods would be without the song of birds and the chirp and hum of
insects. Your playground teems with happy beings that love the warmth
and sunlight as well as you do. Would not the forests be robbed of
half their beauty and interest if the squirrels and chipmunks and birds
and butterflies were killed off?"
"Wimmen folks are nice ones to talk about cruelty to birds," sneered
the big boy to his neighbor, "when they stick wings and tails and whole
birds on their hats and bonnets whenever they can raise a cent to buy
'em with. Oh, yes, wimmen are awful consistent! They are, for a fact.
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