` How do you do ? ' said I. '' ` Chick-a-dee-dee , ' said he . '' ' A cold day , ' said I. '' ` Chick-a-dee-dee , ' said he . '' ` Are n't you afraid of starving , now the ground is covered and the trees are bare ? ' '' ` Chick-a-dee-dee , ma'am , chick-a-dee-dee ! ' '' answered the bird in the same cheerful tone . And it sounded as if he said , ' I shall be cared for . I 'm not afraid . ' '' ` What will you eat ? There 's nothing here or for miles round . I really think you 'll starve , birdie , ' said I. `` Then he laughed , and gave me a merry look as he lit on a tall , dry weed near by . He shook it hard with his little bill ; when down fell a shower of seeds , and there was dinner all ready on a snow-white cloth . All the while he ate he kept looking up at me with his quick , bright eyes ; and , when he had done , he said , as plainly as a bird could say it : '' ` Cold winds may blow , And snows may fall , But well we know God cares for all . ' '' `` I like that little story , and shall always think of it when I hear the chick-a-dee-dee . '' Daisy sat a moment with a thoughtful look in her eyes ; then she said slowly , as if sorry for the words : `` It is n't a stupid , grown-up world . It 's a very pleasant , young world ; and I like it a great deal better this morning than I did last night . '' `` I 'm glad of that ; and , even if we do n't find our fairy to-day , you will have found some sunshine , Daisy , and that is almost as good . Now put in the berries , and we 'll go on . '' How they hunted ! They climbed trees to peep into squirrel-holes and birds ' - nests ; they chased bees and butterflies to ask for news of the elves ; they waded in the brook , hoping to catch a water-sprite ; they ran after thistle-down , fancying a fairy might be astride ; they searched the flowers and ferns , questioned sun and wind , listened to robin and thrush ; but no one could tell them any thing of the little people , though all had gay and charming bits of news about themselves .
And Daisy thought the XXXXX got younger and happier every minute .
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