"I have never read much about it," answered Eliza, "but it surely cannot be so wicked as killing song birds, because the sealskin is an article of clothing which serves to keep the body warm, while a dead bird sewed on your hat is merely for show and doesn"t keep you warm or cool or anything else."
"It is not the use that is made of the sealskin that is wrong, but the cruelty of the hunters in getting it," replied the young lady who had first spoken. "They say when the parent seal is captured the young one cries for it exactly as a human baby cries after its mother. It is most pitiful to hear it wail. The branding of the poor creatures is a most brutal thing."
"Why are they branded?" asked Kathy.
"Well, you know, for some years there has been a great strife between the United States and Canada, princ.i.p.ally over the seal fisheries.
Each was afraid the other would get more than its share. To put a stop to the seals being entirely killed off, as was likely to be the case since so many poachers were in the business, one of our government agents suggested that the seals should be branded. They drive them into pens and burn them with red-hot irons."
"It isn"t likely that any of us will be called upon to deny ourselves the wearing of baby lamb, as it is quite expensive, but we can condemn it by word if not by example," observed Kathy.
The good-nights were said and the company dispersed, not so jolly and noisy as they came, but with thoughtfulness arising from awakened consciences. The humble lame girl had sowed the good seed.
Polly was to come back from her grandmother"s the next week and, though I looked forward with pleasure to being with her again, I felt sorry to leave this peaceful home. The worthy lives and beautiful aims of these obscure girls of whom the world knew nothing was a sweet remembrance to carry with me.
"Thank Polly for me for d.i.c.key Downy"s visit and tell her whenever she wants to go away anywhere I"ll be glad to take care of him for her,"
Eliza said when the time came for me to go.
She gave the cage into Miss Kathy"s hand. I chirped a farewell to her and she whistled back to me and we parted to see each other no more.
CHAPTER XIV
THE COUNTRY SCHOOL
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
--_Bible._
Polly"s welcome to me was most cordial. She was bright as a cricket and full of chat about her visit. With her usual care she examined my cage closely to see that everything was in order and petted and praised me for a little while to my full content, then ran to Miss Kathy to tell her of the new story book which had been presented to her while away.
"And I am going to read you the stories some day," she added.
Her young playmates flocked in to see her and as I listened to their glad voices my heart yearned more than ever for my comrades of the woods, for a thought of spring was in the air.
As the days went by there were indeed signs all around that spring was on the way. The wind no longer bellowed hoa.r.s.ely in the treetops, but had a mellow, musical sound and the raindrops that struck the window pane trickled softly as if glad to come out of the clouds.
Just after school one bright afternoon Polly came to the door on the side porch and called in to Miss Katharine:
"I"ll be playing out in the yard awhile. Louise and Nancy have come to stay till half-past five o"clock, so if mother needs me you"ll know where to find me."
"All right" said Miss Kathy. "Go on and have a jolly time."
And a jolly time they had, judging from the merry shouts that came in through the open door.
"I"ve got your tag! I"ve got your tag!" I could hear Polly say, and then there was a great scampering of feet and roars of laughter as they chased each other up and down the walks. This was kept up for some minutes, then a voice began:
"Intery-mintery, cutery-corn, Apple-seed and briar-thorn, Wire, briar, limber-lock, Three geese in one flock; One flew east and one flew west And one flew over the cuckoo"s nest."
"Oh, Louise, you"re out! It"s your turn first."
"I wonder if we are the geese?" said Nancy. Then they all giggled as if what she had said was very funny.
"Louise, Louise, look, look! You"re going to have good luck,"
presently shouted two voices. "A ladybird has lighted on your shoulder."
"Oh, goody!" said Louise. "I wonder what my good luck is going to be?"
"Shake it off, Louise, let it light on me," said Nancy. "I want good luck to come to me too."
"It is just the color of my new crimson dress," declared Polly.
"Only your red dress hasn"t spots on it," corrected Louise.
"No, but the red is about the same shade as my dress. Oh, girls, wouldn"t a row of ladybirds for b.u.t.tons be pretty on my waist?"
At this quaint conceit the three girls all giggled again.
"I do think they are the cutest little bugs. I never get tired of looking at them," observed Polly.
"Bugs? You wouldn"t call them bugs, would you?" inquired Louise. "I think they are little beetles."
"Beetles? No, no," said Polly and Nancy both in one breath, "A beetle is a big black thing that flies around only at dusk."
"Do you suppose your father would know?" asked Louise of Polly. "Let"s take it in the house and ask him, and so settle whether it is bug or beetle."
And they came running into the sitting room behind the store to show the lady-bird to Polly"s father, who was there looking over his paper.
"Is it a bug or a beetle?" they asked.
He laid down the paper and looked at the pretty little insect a moment.
"It is a ladybird."
"Yes, of course, we know that, papa; but Nancy and I say it is a bug, and Louise says it"s a beetle," explained Polly.
"Louise is right," was his reply. "It is cla.s.sed as a beetle. It is one of the best friends the farmer has, and the fruit grower too."
"How is it useful to him?" asked Nancy.
"Why, it eats the lice that spoil certain plants and leaves and grain.
I notice that the Australian government is--Do you girls know where Australia is?" he asked, interrupting himself.
"Of course we do," they all shouted with much laughing, as if it were a great joke to ask them such a question.
"Well, I was going to tell you that the Australian government is taking steps to encourage the ladybird on purpose to help the fruit farmers of that country. Perhaps they have heard that it brings good luck," he added with a smile.