The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1878-12-05
WHY THE SWALLOWS STAID.

were already flown. There SCENE,
nothing to wait for. The brood wa
fully tiedged and strong. the night
were grown chill: little needles of fros
had more than once found their way t,
the guarded nest. Why should the,
linger? But Mrs. Swallow, needless o
her mates remonstrance, deferred tn,
move for vet another day and another
and still the swallows staid.
1t was Il droll place which they ha,
chosen for their nesting; under tn,
broad stone ledge beneath the Judge
chamber window, and just above tn,
vine-clad balcony, where the famil,
were wont in summer to spend hal
their life. 1t was Mrs. Swallows do
ing: she was a self-willed housekeeper
and usually had her own way. In thi.
case she had certainly reasoned well
for from the very beginning the bic
neighbors had been most tender anC
con>iderate of the rights of the little
ones. No houscmaid was permitted tt
open that blind with Il crash and bang
no child to climb the trellis; even soa,
and water were in a manner frowneI
upon. Better leave the windows un.
"ttSHS'l stii SUliliiltl IouO, lllt OlL
Judge said, than to disturb the swal.
lows nest Mrs. Swallow heard him
say this; she plumcd herself, and
looked at her mate with an "l-told.
you-so' air. and he found nothing to
reply. From that day she identified
herself with the Judges family and its
affairs. 1t was something connected
with them which made her so reluctan,
to fly. Mr.. Swallow was sure; but nc
explanation could he get till near the
end, when at last. in answer to his pee.
wish appeals. she said:
Don't you guess why l wish to stay,
You stupid birda Haven't you noticed
anything new and singular on the bal
cony below?''
Mr.. Swallow put his head one side,
assumed an air of wisdom. and tried to
think. Something new?' he ven
tured. You don't mean the cat day
before vesterdav-'
Cat. no. Why should cat make
me wish to stay? How little intelli-
gent you are. Have You not seen that
sweet Luta, who has been so good to
us all summer, who has fed you with
crumbs and seed So often, with cher
ries even, and ripe Strawberries? -have
YOU not seen how she is changed? Did
she ever use to stand in the balcony in
the moonlight alone? Did she ever
use to cry there, hushing her sobs and
hiding them in the thick vine leaves
Did YOU ever see her do this till with
in the last two weeksp Never. YOU
stupid"'
Hum" remarked Mr.. Swallow.
"Yes, there did use to be somebody's
gentleman, l think
"You think! How dull you are! Oi
course it was 4 gentleman. 1t is al
ways a gentleman when girls cry in the
moonlight among the vine leaves. NV
poor, sweet Luta. | love her best of
all. How can fly away to the South,
as if there were no heart beneath my
feathers. and leave her in tears? 1t is
impossible. HereI stay till she is hap
Ply. if we all freeze for it,
"Oh dear. oh dear:' moaned Mr..
Swallow. But he dared say no more.
Luta had no idea that her trouble
was known to the tiny family above her
head, or that it affected their move
ments in any way. She had been good
to them in the early summer days now
past, when her heart was light, and so
full of sunny tenderness that there was
enough to spare even for the birds.
Now she had forgotten them. Frost
had fallen on her happy June. Win
ter, cold and dreary, seemed already
here, since that senseless quarrel with
Frank-senseless she called it now that
it was past mending. He loved her, she
believed; she loved him, she knew, but
woman could make no sign. Would
he ever come back?
Every day he passed the house. She
knew his hours, and, hidden behind
the following vines, watched him fur
lively as he came and went, never look
ing up to the balcony as he used to
look, but with eyes averted or bent on
the ground. Once with trembling,
nervous fingers she dared to drop a
rose which was in her hand. If She
could only once meet his eyes, she
thought, then she should know. Mrs.
Swallow saw the rose fall, and craned
her neck from her perch excitedly to
see what should come of it. Alas! ii
was just too late. Frank did not see
the rose, passed on unheeding, and
Luta felt as if he had flung it back into
her face. Her little signal was fail
ure: she could never venture to let fall
another. If he had cared, he must have
seen the rose, she thought, bitterly
must have known by some instinct that
she stood there wishing for him. Only
Mrs. Swallow and herself ever knew OF
this little incident.
The balcony stretched across the
whole side of the house, projecting
over the quiet street below. The grape.
vines which shaded it were so thick
that year by year they had to be pruned
away to open the lovely view of bay
and sails and distant shores, which else
would have been quite shut out. Broad,
airy, sheltered from sun and wind, il
made, with its hammock and rugs, rus.
tic seats and little tables, the most
charming of outdoor parlors, and all
day long the busy family life ebbed and
flowed over it from the open windows
within, like bright, noisy, everest.
less sea.
First of all 1.-THE morrino would
come housemaid with broom and
uuoucI. AHcH, dACoI d SnOrC interval,
with dash and rush, out would
bounce three children, two girls and .
small boy just promoted to Knicker
bockcrs. Much pulling up of chair.
and arranging of somewhat tippy'
table would follow; and presently, il
baggy trousers, loose sleeves and un
mistakable pigtail, their nurse woult
appear in the shape of a veritabl,
heather Chinee," bearing Il tray full
of cool cups and smoking saucers, ant
proceed TO tic the three in their bibs
and serve them with porridge AM
tartines." seasoning the mOuthful
with many a coaxing word of broker
English. The little Shanghais, a.
sr'Hdpa called them, could not wal
to- the later breakfast, American al
made them so hungry, and their choic