a finer pair of children were never hatched, and their father thought them far ahead of all his other broods. "if only mrs. owl were here to see them, how lovely it would be!" he said. yet if she had been there he would never have had the pleasure of hearing their first faint cheeps, and of covering them with his soft breast feathers as he did each day. he forgot now all the weary time when he sat with aching legs, wishing that his cousin would happen along with something to eat. for that is always the way, when we work for those we love, the weariness is soon forgotten and only happiness remains.