The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1876-10-26
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MY STARTLING,

feel very lonely now since my star.
ling is gone. could not bear to look
upon his empty cage, his bath and
Iplaythings, so I have had them all
slowed away; but the bird will dwell
in my memory fer many day. The
way that startling managed to insinuate
itself into my heart and entwine its
affections with mine, can never right
ly tell; and it is only now, when it is
gone, that really know how much it
is possible for u human being to love
a little bird. The creature was nearly
|always with me, talking to me, whist.
ling to mo, or even doing mischief in
a small way, to amuse me; and it was
often the very best relaxation I could
have had to throw down my pen,
straighten my back, and have a romp
with Dick. - =:
The rearing Of nest Of starlings is
always very difficult task, and found
| it particularly so. In fact, one star.
ling would require half a dozen serv.
ants to attend to it. was not master
Of those starlings, not bit of it
they were masters OF me. had to gQt
out of bed and stuff them with grub at
8 O'Clock every morning. They lived
in a band'box In closet off my bed.
room. had to get up again at 4 O..
clock to feed them, again at 5, and
again at 6 in fact I saw more sunrise
during the. infancy of that nest of star.
lings than ever did before or since.
BY night, and all day long, I stuffed
them, and at intervals the servant re.
lieveds mo ofsthat duty. In fact it+waa
nearly all stuf1ng.; but even them they
fwere not satisfied, and made several
Intellectual attempts to swallow my
fingers as well. At length-and how
happy felt! they could both feed
themselves and fly. This last accom-.
|plishment was anything but agreeable
to me, for no sooner would open their
door than out they would all fly, one
after another, and seat themselves on
| my shoulders and head, each one try.
| ing to make more noise than all the
rest.
got so tired of this kind of thing
at last that I determined to set them
all at liberty. I accordingly hung
their cage outside the window and
they all flew, but back they came into
the room again, and settled upon me
as usual. 'Than,' said I, ''I'm going
gardening" by the way they chung
to mel was evident their answer was
"And so:areSwo.' And 80 they did
and as soon as commenced operations
with the spade, they commenced op
erations, too: by searching for and eat
ing every worm turned up, evident
| " thinking l was only working fol
their benefit and pleasure. got tired
of this. "Oh, bother you all, II cried
I'm sick of you!" threw down my
spade in disgust, and before they
could divine my intention, I had leap
ed the fence and disappeared in the
plantation beyond. =
"Now," said to myself as Ientered
the garden that evening after my re-
turn, and could see no signs of star
lings, "1'm rid~ot you plaques at last, .
and smiled with satisfaction. 1t was
short lived, for just at that momen!
'Skraigh, skraigh,. skraigh," sounded
from the trees adjoining, and before
L could turn my foot, my tormentors
seemingly mad with delight, were al
lsttting Oh mo as usual. Two Of then
died about a week after this, and tht
others, being cock and hen, I resolved
to keep.
Both Dick and his wife soon grew tt
be very fine birds. procured them {
large ro0my cage, with plenty of sane
and layer of straw in the bottom .:o1
ut, dish or two, a bath, q drinking
Fountain, and always supply of fresh
|green weeds on the roof Of their domi
cile. Besides their usual food of soak
ed bread etc., they had slugs occasion
ally, and flies and earth worms. Once
Ia day the cage door was thrown open
and out they both would hy to enjo.
the luxury of q bath on the kitche,
floor. One would have imagined tina
lbeinR only two, they would not haYt