“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。