Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1872-07-25

-
ing the summer, that you Were forced
to play begger III winter2' asked the
squirrel.
q amused myself by cultivating the
beauties OF song, foreboding evils to
come, and entertaining you and others
with the manly melody of my voice,
said the crow.
II know that I have often heard
your note, but MS to your melody, in
spite of the practice You have had, L
wouldn't give a nut shell for the best
song YOU can sing, summer or winter.
One of the chief points in music Is to
keep tlme-in which he is wretchedly
wanting who wastes his precious hours
in attempting rude song before he
has stored his nest with the necessaries
oflife
The Gathered pretender to melody
finding he could get nothing out of the
generosity of his neighbor. hoped to
make something out OF his lnexperi-
ence or his folly. 81 am surprised, J"
SAID the crow, :" that anybody whose
storehouse is so full should tire him
self and risk his neck by skipping IN
that way from tree to tree IN the cold,
and not rather lie down at his ease like
a gentleman, and take a refreshing
nap !"
jumping fir om tree to tree is good
for my health" replied the squirrel,
" and it is not only good exercise, but
it keeps robbers away from my llttle
h ONE. And as to my want of sleep, If
/ was busy in summer gathering togeth-
er my nuts, | mean you always TO find
me alert in wluter to keep them; for
if were to be caught mapping, ! should
soon find some artful nelghbor clever
enough to find out and plumber my
hoard. And if | ever were to die of
poverty, | am afraid, III spite Of your
fine words, you would be cannlbal
enough to feed upon my carcass. y
THE WREN.
One fine spring evening a very cock
tailed wren was sitting on twig 1t
was his birthday; he was twelve months
old; aud feeling every inch wren, he
could not Lelp being proud of himself
and his position in the world.
The first thing that morning he had
had set-to with his wife on the sub
iect of their future nest, which she had
meeklv suggested should be in the box
tree, instead of the thorn bush on
which he insisted-she was afraid that
The branches would prick her sides, she
SAID. He had carried the day, but de-
clared that he was so worn out by the
discussion that he really could not be-
gin building that day. As he flew over
the grass plat, much content with his
victory, he saw large worm lazily
numbering out of its hole, and fell
down upon it directly; but after a
smart tussle and good shaking it sue
ceeded in getting back into its home.
Presently blue tit, hairsbreadth
smaller than himself, came flying down
past him on a fat caterpillar upon which
the wren had just set his eye. CHATS
mine said he, bouncing angrilv up
on it, and successfully driving away
the tomtit. As he sat on his prey
twittering boastfully, an old gar
dener, half blind, passed
by, leisurely eating bit
of dinner, and cutting his bread and
cheese upon his thumb. He hoped
angrily after the mans heels, and pur-
sued him for some distance; the old
gardener, however, did not turn, and
walked quietly on, quite unaware of
the attack of his ferocious assailant
"Well, I've chased away that dread
full monster said the wren, painting
for breath. "What an ugly beast it
is; and when he has all the advantage
of two legs like me why dosent he
learn TO hop prettily, even if he can't
hy2 And then tnose two great awkward
tapping things that hang by his sides,
which he fills his mouth with, how
much better it is to pick up ones food
neatly with bill as [ do
When the evening was come he re-.
turned to his twig and looked back on
his days work with much complacency.
81 gave my wife good set down about
the nest " thoughthe Il frightened
that worm we'll As to that most tire
some, stupid tit, / don't think hen
trouble me soon again. And then |
drove away the great, big, awkward
thing ON two legs which was prying
about where our nest is to bel don't
think hen be back in a hurry To be
sure I'm so great and strong and pow
erful that even if the sky itself should
fall down, | should not be afraid y
He tapped his wings majestically as he
spoke. At that moment in the gloam
ing, a dead leaf which still hung to a
beech tvig above the wren, fell down
upon his head, and in perfect agony
of fright he few away and hid himself.