Page 29 - Fairbrass

animals, birds, trees, flowers and insects,

but introduced him to them, and, timid
though most of them were of making* the

acquaintance of a human being' (in truth
they had some cause to be frightened at the

species), the child’s manners were so sweet
and winning, and he seemed so anxious to

do 110 harm, that one and all took him to
their heart of hearts, and made him their

close companion and dearly-loved friend.
But happy as he was in the garden,

Fairbrass could not understand why he was
not spoken to in the house. For a long,

long time the poor little fellow felt so
sensitive about it that he did not like to say

a word to his outdoor friends ; but one day,
when he was about eight years old, he felt

that he could bear it no longer, and he
asked the Poplar-trees to tell him the reason.

For a moment they swayed away from
each other, as if in distress and desirous to
avoid the question ; but then they quietly

kissed each other, and after a little whis­
pering the taller of the two said :