inside of little jean there lived a naughty imp. his name was "i forgot." one time this imp made jean do a very wicked thing.

jean owned a canary, named goldie because of his golden feathers. whenever jean came into the room where his cage hung, goldie would pour out a flood of song.

but one morning when jean came in there was no flood of song from the yellow throat. the tiny singer lay still on the bottom of his cage. jean slipped in her hand in alarm and drew out her little pet.

"mamma, mamma," she cried, "something's the matter with goldie!"

the imp "i forgot" laughed as he heard her, but jean's mamma did not laugh. she knew about "i forgot," and she laid her hand tenderly on goldie's little body, all thin under the fluff of feathers.

"goldie has starved to death, jean," she said sadly. "why didn't you feed him?"

"i f-forgot!" sobbed the little girl.

"forgot! poor goldie!" jean's mamma stroked the golden feathers. "it's too bad, jean, that you couldn't remember to do that one small thing for goldie when he did so much for you, with his songs and his cheer."

jean's tears fell fast. her mamma looked thoughtfully at the bird. "we can do nothing more for goldie," she said at last, "but i have thought of a way you can help other birds for his sake, jean."

jean wiped her eyes. "how?" she asked.

jean felt happier when her mamma had explained the way to her.

and if you should pass jean's house some morning before breakfast, you could see the way for yourself. for every day jean scatters crumbs and grain on the lawn for the birds and puts fresh water in their drinking bowl.

"for goldie's sake," she whispers to herself, as the birds fly down for their breakfast.

as for the naughty imp "i forgot," he is fast turning into the lovely fairy "i remember."