“Theycannotseebyday；andiftheygetoutintothelight，theygoflappingroundhalfblind，andtheotherbirdschaseandpeckatthem，asiftheyweremakingfun。Thehornedowlisverybig，’mostasbigastheeagle。Iteatsrabbits，rats，snakes，andbirds；andlivesinrocksandoldtumble-downhouses。Theyhaveagoodmanycries，andscreamlikeapersonbeingchoked，andsay，’WaughO!waughO!’anditscarespeopleatnightinthewoods。Thewhiteowllivesbythesea，andincoldplaces，andlookssomethinglikeahawk。Thereisakindofowlthatmakesholestoliveinlikemoles。Itiscalledtheburrowingowl，andisverysmall。
　　Thebarn-owlisthecommonestkind；andIhavewatchedonesittinginaholeinatree，lookinglikealittlegraycat，withoneeyeshutandtheotheropen。Hecomesoutatdusk，andsitsroundwaitingforthebats。
　　Icaughtone，andhereheis。“
　　WiththatNatsuddenlyproducedfrominsidehisjacketalittledownybird，whoblinkedandruffledhisfeathers，lookingveryplumpandsleepyandscared。
　　“Don’ttouchhim!Heisgoingtoshowoff，“saidNat，displayinghisnewpetwithgreatpride。Firstheputacockedhatonthebird’shead，andtheboyslaughedatthefunnyeffect；thenheaddedapairofpaperspectacles，andthatgavetheowlsuchawiselookthattheyshoutedwithmerriment。Theperformanceclosedwithmakingthebirdangry，andseeinghimclingtoahandkerchiefupsidedown，peckingand“clucking，“asRobcalledit。Hewasallowedtoflyafterthat，andsettledhimselfonthebunchofpine-conesoverthedoor，wherehesatstaringdownatthecompanywithanairofsleepydignitythatamusedthemverymuch。
　　“Haveyouanythingforus，George？“askedMr。Bhaer，whentheroomwasstillagain。
　　“Well，Ireadandlearnedeversomuchaboutmoles，butIdeclareI’veforgotteneverybitofit，exceptthattheydigholestolivein，thatyoucatchthembypouringwaterdown，andthattheycan’tpossiblylivewithouteatingveryoften；“andStuffysatdown，wishinghehadnotbeentoolazytowriteouthisvaluableobservations，forageneralsmilewentroundwhenhementionedthelastofthethreefactswhichlingeredinhismemory。
　　“Thenwearedoneforto-day，“beganMr。Bhaer，butTommycalledoutinagreathurry，­；
　　“Noweain’t。Don’tyouknow？Wemustgivethething；“andhewinkedviolentlyashemadeaneye-glassofhisfingers。
　　“Blessmyheart，Iforgot!Nowisyourtime，Tom；“andMr。Bhaerdroppedintohisseatagain，whilealltheboysbutDanlookedmightilytickledatsomething。
　　Nat，Tommy，andDemilefttheroom，andspeedilyreturnedwithalittleredmoroccoboxsetforthinstateonMrs。Jo’sbestsilversalver。Tommyboreit，and，stillescortedbyNatandDemi，marcheduptounsuspectingDan，whostaredatthemasifhethoughttheyweregoingtomakefunofhim。Tommyhadpreparedanelegantandimpressivespeechfortheoccasion，butwhentheminutecame，itallwentoutofhishead，andhejustsaid，straightfromhiskindlyboyishheart，­；
　　“Here，oldfellow，weallwantedtogiveyousomethingtokindofpayforwhathappenedawhileago，andtoshowhowmuchwelikedyouforbeingsuchatrump。Pleasetakeit，andhaveajollygoodtimewithit。“
　　Danwassosurprisedhecouldonlygetasredasthelittlebox，andmutter，“Thanky，boys!“ashefumbledtoopenit。Butwhenhesawwhatwasinside，hisfacelightedup，andheseizedthelongdesiredtreasure，sayingsoenthusiasticallythateveryonewassatisfied，thoughislanguagewasanythingbutpolished，­；
　　“Whatastunner!Isay，youfellowsareregularbrickstogivemethis；
　　it’sjustwhatIwanted。Giveusyourpaw，Tommy。“
　　Manypawsweregiven，andheartilyshaken，fortheboyswerecharmedwithDan’spleasure，andcrowdedroundhimtoshakehandsandexpatiateonthebeautiesoftheirgift。Inthemidstofthispleasantchatter，Dan’seyewenttoMrs。Jo，whostoodoutsidethegroupenjoyingthescenewithallherheart。
　　“No，Ihadnothingtodowithit。Theboysgotitupallthemselves，“
　　shesaid，answeringthegratefullookthatseemedtothankherforthathappymoment。Dansmiled，andsaid，inatonethatonlyshecouldunderstand，­；
　　“It’syouallthesame；“andmakinghiswaythroughtheboys，heheldouthishandfirsttoherandthentothegoodProfessor，whowasbeamingbenevolentlyonhisflock。
　　Hethankedthembothwiththesilent，heartysqueezehegavethekindhandsthathadheldhimup，andledhimintothesaferefugeofahappyhome。Notawordwasspoken，buttheyfeltallhewouldsay，andlittleTeddyexpressedhispleasureforthemasheleanedfromhisfather’sarmtohugtheboy，andsay，inhisbabyway，­；
　　“MydoodDanny!everybodyloveshimnow。“
　　“Comehere，showoffyourspy-glass，Dan，andletusseesomeofyourmagnifiedpollywogsandannymalcumismsasyoucall’em，“saidJack，whofeltsouncomfortableduringthisscenethathewouldhaveslippedawayifEmilhadnotkepthim。
　　“SoIwill，takeasquintatthatandseewhatyouthinkofit，“saidDan，gladtoshowoffhispreciousmicroscope。
　　Hehelditoverabeetlethathappenedtobelyingonthetable，andJackbentdowntotakehissquint，butlookedupwithanamazedface，saying，­；
　　“Myeye!whatnipperstheoldthinghasgot!Iseenowwhyithurtssoconfoundedlywhenyougrabadorbugandhegrabsbackagain。“
　　“Hewinkedatme，“criedNan，whohadpokedherheadunderJack’selbowandgotthesecondpeep。
　　Everyonetookalook，andthenDanshowedthemthelovelyplumageonamoth’swing，thefourfeatherycornerstoahair，theveinsonaleaf，hardlyvisibletothenakedeye，butlikeathicknetthroughthewonderfullittleglass；theskinontheirownfingers，lookinglikequeerhillsandvalleys；acobweblikeabitofcoarsesewingsilk，andthestingofabee。
　　“It’slikethefairyspectaclesinmystory-book，onlymorecurious，“
　　saidDemi，enchantedwiththewondershesaw。
　　“Danisamagiciannow，andhecanshowyoumanymiraclesgoingonallroundyou；forhehastwothingsneedful­；patienceandaloveofnature。
　　Weliveinabeautifulandwonderfulworld，Demi，andthemoreyouknowaboutitthewiserandthebetteryouwillbe。Thislittleglasswillgiveyouanewsetofteachers，andyoumaylearnfinelessonsfromthemifyouwill，“saidMr。Bhaer，gladtoseehowinterestedtheboyswereinthematter。
　　“CouldIseeanybody’ssoulwiththismicroscopeifIlookedhard？“
　　askedDemi，whowasmuchimpressedwiththepowerofthebitofglass。
　　“No，dear；it’snotpowerfulenoughforthat，andnevercanbemadeso。YoumustwaitalongwhilebeforeyoureyesareclearenoughtoseethemostinvisibleofGod’swonders。Butlookingatthelovelythingsyoucanseewillhelpyoutounderstandthelovelierthingsyoucannotsee，“answeredUncleFritz，withhishandontheboy’shead。
　　“Well，DaisyandIboththinkthatifthereareanyangels，theirwingslooklikethatbutterfly’sasweseeitthroughtheglass，onlymoresoftandgold。“
　　“Believeitifyoulike，andkeepyourownlittlewingsasbrightandbeautiful，onlydon’tflyawayforalongtimeyet。“
　　“No，Iwon’t，“andDemikepthisword。
　　“Good-by，myboys；Imustgonow，butIleaveyouwithournewProfessorofNaturalHistory；“andMrs。Jowentawaywellpleasedwiththatcompositionday。
　　Thegardensdidwellthatsummer，andinSeptemberthelittlecropsweregatheredinwithmuchrejoicing。JackandNedjoinedtheirfarmsandraisedpotatoes，thosebeingagoodsalablearticle。Theygottwelvebushels，countinglittleonesandall，andsoldthemtoMr。Bhaeratafairprice，forpotatoeswentfastinthathouse。EmilandFranzdevotedthemselvestocorn，andhadajollylittlehuskinginthebarn，afterwhichtheytooktheircorntothemill，andcameproudlyhomewithmealenoughtosupplythefamilywithhasty-puddingandJohnny-cakeforalonetime。Theywouldnottakemoneyfortheircrop；because，asFranzsaid，“WenevercanpayUncleforallhehasdoneforusifweraisedcornfortherestofourdays。“
　　Nathadbeansinsuchabundancethathedespairedofevershellingthem，tillMrs。Joproposedanewway，whichsucceededadmirably。Thedrypodswerespreaduponthebarn-floor，Natfiddled，andtheboysdancedquadrillesonthem，tilltheywerethrashedoutwithmuchmerrimentandverylittlelabor。
　　Tommy’ssixweeks’beanswereafailure；foradryspellearlyintheseasonhurtthem，becausehegavethemnowater；andafterthathewassosurethattheycouldtakecareofthemselves，heletthepoorthingsstrugglewithbugsandweedstilltheywereexhaustedanddiedalingeringdeath。SoTommyhadtodighisfarmoveragain，andplantpeas。Buttheywerelate；thebirdsatemany；thebushes，notbeingfirmlyplanted，blewdown，andwhenthepoorpeascameatlast，noonecaredforthem，astheirdaywasover，andspring-lambhadgrownintomutton。Tommyconsoledhimselfwithacharitableeffort；forhetransplantedallthethistleshecouldfind，andtendedthemcarefullyforToby，whowasfondofthepricklydelicacy，andhadeatenallhecouldfindontheplace。TheboyshadgreatfunoverTom’sthistlebed；butheinsistedthatitwasbettertocareforpoorTobythanforhimself，anddeclaredthathewoulddevotehisentirefarmnextyeartothistles，worms，andsnails，thatDemi’sturtlesandNat’spetowlmighthavethefoodtheyloved，aswellasthedonkey。Solikeshiftless，kind-hearted，happy-go-luckyTommy!
　　Demihadsuppliedhisgrandmotherwithlettuceallsummer，andintheautumnsenthisgrandfatherabasketofturnips，eachonescrubbeduptillitlookedlikeagreatwhiteegg。HisGrandmawasfondofsalad，andoneofhisGrandpa’sfavoritequotationswas­；“Lucullus，whomfrugalitycouldcharm，AteroastedturnipsattheSabinefarm。“Thereforethesevegetableofferingstothedeardomesticgodandgoddesswereaffectionate，appropriate，andclassical。
　　Daisyhadnothingbutflowersinherlittleplot，anditbloomedallsummerlongwithasuccessionofgayorfragrantposies。Shewasveryfondofhergarden，anddelvedawayinitatallhours，watchingoverherroses，andpansies，sweet-peas，andmignonette，asfaithfullyandtenderlyasshedidoverherdollsorherfriends。Littlenosegaysweresentintotownonalloccasions，andcertainvasesaboutthehousewereherespecialcare。
　　Shehadallsortsofprettyfanciesaboutherflowers，andlovedtotellthechildrenthestoryofthepansy，andshowthemhowthestep-mother-leafsatupinhergreenchairinpurpleandgold；howthetwoownchildreningayyellowhadeachitslittleseat，whilethestepchildren，indullcolors，bothsatononesmallstool，andthepoorlittlefatherinhisrednightcap，waskeptoutofsightinthemiddleoftheflower；thatamonk’sdarkfacelookedoutofthemonk’s-hoodlarkspur；thattheflowersofthecanary-vineweresolikedaintybirdsflutteringtheiryellowwings，thatonealmostexpectedtoseethemflyaway，andthesnapdragonsthatwentofflikelittlepistol-shotswhenyoucrackedthem。Splendiddolliesdidshemakeoutofscarletandwhitepoppies，withruffledrobestiedroundthewaistwithgrassbladesashes，andastonishinghatsofcoreopsisontheirgreenheads。Pea-podboats，withrose-leafsails，receivedtheseflower-people，andfloatedthemaboutaplacidpoolinthemostcharmingstyle；forfindingthattherewerenoelves，Daisymadeherown，andlovedthefancifullittlefriendswhoplayedtheirpartsinhersummer-life。
　　Nanwentinforherbs，andhadafinedisplayofusefulplants，whichshetendedwithsteadilyincreasinginterestandcare。VerybusywassheinSeptembercutting，drying，andtyinguphersweetharvest，andwritingdowninalittlebookhowthedifferentherbsaretobeused。Shehadtriedseveralexperiments，andmadeseveralmistakes；soshewishedtobeparticularlestsheshouldgivelittleHuzanotherfitbyadministeringwormwoodinsteadofcatnip。
　　Dick，Dolly，andRobeachgrubbedawayonhissmallfarm，andmademorestiraboutitthanalltherestputtogether。ParsnipsandcarrotswerethecropsofthetwoD。’s；andtheylongedforittobelateenoughtopullupthepreciousvegetables。Dickdidprivatelyexaminehiscarrots，andplantthemagain，feelingthatSilaswasrightinsayingitwastoosoonforthemyet。