West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1879-05-24

Rev. J. ID. Bell, of Tottenrldge Park
Ierts, England, has large school OF
over one hundred boys, consequently u
very large establishment, and the daily
receipts of letters very large he had to
send about mile for his letters so he
obtained permission to have a letter
box fixed i'm his park-palling, at the
nearest point to the house, as the post
man passed this point, and it is on the
side OF large shrubbery of many years
growth. The slip outside the rails was
abo0t six feet high, and, of course, the
box for the letters was a large squar e
one, about eighteen inches by twelve
During the first week of its being put
up, twice each day the letters were
fetched, and each time a double hand
ful of small sticks and straw was
thrown QUO of the box, which was at
tributed to mischievious boys on their
way to school. After two or three
days a messenger was sent round to the
house with two letters found on the
road, next day several more, and this
rubbish continued TO be put i'm the box
although twice a day thrown out The
letters being found on the road, caused
Mr.. Bell to set a watch tor the boys,
but none were seen to gh near. Next
morning the rubbish had been put I'm
the box i'm larger quantities. nest
put i'm one corner and blue egg Now
of course, Mrs. Startling was foundeut;
she continued daily to add to the num-
Der until five, then commenced sitting,
and for several days large number of
letters were thrown upon her, as she
sat, the box door opened and the letters
taken away, but she never lett her nest
as they took the letters off her back
The passer-by on the road must haye
discovered her, for one morning a
stone was found to have fallen and
broken the eggs (no doubt mischiev-
Gus boy, the stone-was thrown out.
and when they went to clear the box
they found sine was covering the broken
eggs with flowers, dog-daisies and
prim-roses. In few days she formed
nest in another corner and laid four
eggs. These were likewise broken and
covered with flowers. Then another
corner and three eggs. These were
broken with stones dropped in, and the
same process of covering up with How
ers. Then the fourth corner, she laid
two eggs, and to save her from the out
side enemy we cut her a piece out of
the door. Here she was for time safe.
She sat, and had woyoung ones; when
nearly ready to fly, he heard great
screaming, as from the letter-boX: he
ran to 1t and caught a boy "iobbing"
with stick through the outside slim.
the mother extending her wings to
protect her young-one killed and the
other slightly injured; the old bird
much bruised she flew into large
cedar tree just over his head, while he
took the young one into his hand and
stroked its feathers into shape; after
some minutes 1t flew into the tree to its
mother, when the noise of a great
quantity of starlings assembled in the
tree was astounding, quite deafening.
Here was the rejoicing over the one
saved Mr.. Bell says, what a subject
Tor an address ON perseverance |
know you 10 take great interest i'm these
matters. | cannot help but forward
you a description of such an event. To
me such is new; to sit without fear
when covered with letters; the same
when the hand took them off her; to
cover the broken eggs with flowers and
persistently to use the four corners of
the letter-box as soon as her nest was
destroyed in the other, and laying re-
spectively five, four. three and two-as
she was no doubt weakened by these
natural efforts.