The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1879-04-10
NO. l..
a Pet Robins WAYS.

have pet robin nearly eight years old
which fell from its nest before it was fleged.
1t never has been known to beat agair st the
wires OF Its cage in any way. On the con-
trary, when allowed TO fly out, 1t Is i'll at
ease, permitting itself to be caught without
difficulty, and seems as glad to get back as
child to return home from boarding.school.
At first we fed him on spiders, earth-worms,
! and such larvae as could be obtained, but
very soon he manifested marked prefer
ence for eef-steak, and took very kindly to
bread, crackers, bread and milk, cake, etc.
For the last seven years, his s'iiving" has
been ordinarily found upon the family table,
ne having become altogether too aristocratic
to stoop to common robins food. During
the first winter, whenever the cook was fry
ing doughnuts, we noticed a peculiar, teas
ing note, uttered only when he was special
ly anxious for some new kind of food. This
led us to try his taste for doughnuts, when
we found they exactly suited him, and the
more voraciously did he eat. As further
test Of his power OF scent and peculiar taste,
we found that as soon as paper of raisins
or any such fruit was brought into the room,
though it had not been opened, he began
teasing, just as cat perceives the arrival Of
fresh meat while it is stilled wrapped in the
paper. For any kind of meat, fresh or salt,
boiled Or fried (save mutton), he shows evil
dent pleasure, and though retaining his re-
gard for flies and spiders, he is not at all
anxious for them. In the summer when his
cake becomes toodry to suit his palate, he
dips the whole bit into his bathing. dish to
moisten it; nor is this merely accidental,
cage, and it is custom with him to carry it
and dip it in.
When hung out of doors during the sum-
mer, other robins are attracted to his cage,
frequently alighting upon it, but he never
seems to pay the least attention to them.
If, at any hour Of the night, be it ever SO
dark or light, member of the family passes
through the room, he always greets the foot
step with cherry welcome; but leta stran-
ger do the same, he gives no sign of recog-
milton. For persons, also, he has marked
changing his first Inn
even upon acquaintance, and upon
being courted to do so by many tempting
His dislike is manifested by pc
culiarly sharp quip, and by running into the
farthest corner of the cage and turning his
back upon the interloper-not in manner
indicating fear, but rather defiance. More
over, if he is singing ever so merily, the en-.
trance of the person he dislikes checks it all,
and he even refuses to eat, unless starved to
(, until he leaves the room.-Mary Holmes
in Science Meas.
How a Dakota Judge keeps Order.
From the Yankton Press and Dakotaian.l
Mr.. Webster's attorney (rising and adj
dressing the attorney on the other side). L
ca l you coward and liar.
The Court-Sit down, sir.
Mr.. Webster's attorney-He is a coward
and liar.
The Court tell you to sit down and be
quiet.
Mr.. Webster's attorney-He is coward .
and liar.
The Court-If you don't sit down and
keep quiet you'll be sorry.
Mr.. Webster's attorney. He is
In the subsequent proceedings the Court
took hand. 1t swiftly glided from its seat
and placed its powerful grasp upon the coat
collar of the attorney for Mr.. Webster
There was momentary void in the UNDER
standing of that gentleman. The morn
ing stars began to sing together in his
ears and danced before his confused vision.
Then he found himself outside the building
without any hat and the dusty zephyrs
playing through his luxurious moustache.
Parties present in the room as innocent
spectators aver that the feet of the attorney
for Mr.. Webster did not touch the floor af
ter the muscles of the hand OF the Court had
contracted upon his collar.