Thevioletswouldnotopentheirblueeyestillthesunshinewaswarmer,thecolumbinesrefusedtodancewiththeboisterouseastwind,thefernskeptthemselvesrolledupintheirbrownflanneljackets,andlittleHepatica,withmanyanotherspringbeauty,hidawayinthewoods,afraidtoventureout,inspiteoftheeagerwelcomeawaitingthem。Butthebirdshadcome,punctualasever,andthebluejayswerescreamingintheorchard,robinswereperkinguptheirheadsandtailsastheywenthouse—hunting,purplefinchesintheirlittleredhoodswerefeastingonthesprucebuds,andthefaithfulchipbirdschirpedgaylyonthegrapevinetrelliswheretheyhadlivedallwinter,warmingtheirlittlegraybreastsagainstthesouthernsideofthehousewhenthesunshone,andhidingundertheevergreenboughswhenthesnowfell。
\"Thattreeisasortofbird\'shotel,\"saidJill,lookingoutatthetallsprucebeforeherwindow,everyspraynowtippedwithasoftgreen。\"Theyallgotheretosleepandeat,andithasroomforeveryone,Itisgreenwhenothertreesdie,thewindcan\'tbreakit,andthesnowonlymakesitlookprettier。Itsingstome,andnodsasifitknewIlovedit。\"
\"Wemightcallit\'TheHollyTreeInn,\'assomeofthecheapeating—housesforpoorpeoplearecalledinthecity,asmyhollybushgrowsatitsfootforasign。Youcanbethelandlady,andfeedyourfeatherycustomerseveryday,tillthehardtimesareover,\"
saidMrs。Minot,gladtoseethechild\'senjoymentoftheouterworldfromwhichshehadbeenshutsolong。
Jilllikedthefancy,andgladlystrewedcrumbsonthewindowledgeforthechippies,whocameconfidinglytoeatalmostfromherhand。Shethrewoutgrainforthehandsomejays,thejauntyrobins,andtheneighbors\'doves,whocamewithsoftflighttotripaboutontheirpinkfeet,archingtheirshiningnecksastheycooedandpecked。Carrotsandcabbage—leavesalsoflewoutofthewindowforthemaraudinggrayrabbit,lastofallJack\'shalf—dozen,wholedhimawearylifeofitbecausetheywouldnotstayintheBunny—house,butunderminedthegardenwiththeirburrows,atetheneighbors\'plants,andrefusedtobecaughttillallbutoneranaway,toJack\'sgreatrelief。Thisoldfellowcampedoutforthewinter,andseemedtogetonverywellamongthecatsandthehens,whosharedtheirstoreswithhim,andhemightbeseenatallhoursofthedayandnightscamperingabouttheplace,orkickinguphisheelsbymoonlight,forhewasadesperatepoacher。