St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1878-03-16
the soldiers of the Mexican war pension
similar to that now given to the soldiers
of the war of 1872.
The Cruel Turtle Dove.

That trim, gentle.looking, drab- colored
bird, enormously called turtle dove by
jewellers in the United States, and gen.
orally deemed so innocent and pure that
to kill it for the table or any other use is
branded as heinous in the extreme, is not
SO innocent after Ill. It's moaning, sad
sounding voice is } mockery and cheat;
its eoft, dark eyes are sham its sober,
Quaker garb is calculated to deceive its
| timid movements are not to be trusted.
When once it has been insulted or injured
by one of its kind, the dove becomes as
cruel and outrageously heartless as any
murderer can be. Some years ago l wit
messed a fight between two female moan
ing doves which Cor utter righteousness
could not be exceeded. was angling in
brook for sun perch, half prone on a
grassy bank, lost in brown study, with
cigar between my lips, when hap
pened to see dove alight on gnarled
bough of plane. tree few yards distant.
Immediately it began to COO in that
dolefully plaintive strain SO we'll known
to every lover OF nature, and was soon
joined by a m4le, who perched himself
within a foot or two of her. espied
their nest, not yet finished, in the fork
of an iron-wood tree near by. The
birds made very expressive signs to each
other with their heads by series of
bows, mods and sidewise motions, ofwhich
understood enough to know that some
intruder was near-perhaps they meant
me. The fish were not biting any too
we'll, but the shade was pleasant and the
grass fragrant, the sound of the water
very soothing and the flow of the wind
steady and cooling, so did not care to
move just to humor the whimof q pair Of
billing doves. 1t proved, however, after
all, that | was not the cause of alarm.
Another female dove presently dropped
like hawk from dark, dense of leaves
above the pair: and struck the first on the
back With beak and wings. A fight en-
sued, witnessed with calm interest by
myself and the male dove. At first the
combatants struggled desperately to-
gether on the bough, 6ercely beating
each other with their wings, and plucking
out the feathers from breast and neck,
all the time uttering low, querulous
notes, different from anything had ever
before heard: Pretty soon they fell off
the bough, and came whirling down upon
the ground, where they continued the
battle with constantly increasing fury,
their eyes fairly flashing fire, and cutting
and thrusting with their beaks like
swordsmen. Blood began to show itself
about their heads, and in places
tteir necks were quite bare of feathers.
When at last one of them became SO
exhausted that Iurther struggle was
impossible, the other proceeded to take
its stand upon its helpless opponent, and
would have quickly made an end of it
had | not interfered. The vanquished
bird was minus on eye, and was un-
able to fly for some minutes. The secret
of the battle was jealousy. The male
sat by and watched in nonchalant way
until it was all over, when he very
lovingly strutted up to the victorious
dove and began cooling in a low, soothing
tone. From that day to this have
repudiated the figure innocent as a
dove" and, Whenever opportunity Of
fered, have sped a two ounce arrow full
at the breast of the bird, widow or no
widow. VIII En- properly cooked by par.
boiling, stufling and baking, dove is
a choice bit for the table.