Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-03-12

Mena had laid two large fine eggs in the
nest on the housetop but one day we found
one of them thrown out by the birds, and on
examination discovered it to be added, and
on the very next day, a bit of stone fell from
the chimney top into the nest and broke the
remaining egg.
The birds were very much distressed Hans
seemed to think it was Mona's fault, and
strutted angrily about, making quarrelsome
rafting. We felt very sorry for their dsap-
pointment. The summer would be sad and
lonely one to them, poor things, with no little
ones TO busy themselves about.
In this state of affaiB happy thought oc-
CURED to the pastor. His wife had Just
brought in some goose-eggs, newly laid. Two
of these he took, and ascending to the roof by
means of short ladder, deposited them in
the stork's nest. He had hardly done so
when Mena returned, and with o great fuss
| and fiutter proceeded to take her place upon
the nest, evidently under the impression that
these eggs were the original ones, and that
she must have been mistaken in supposing
them destroyed. Hans, too, evinced great
satisfaction, and the two were again happy
| and satisfied.
| But one morning. before we were all fairly
awake, what an awful clatter on the roof !!
| The eggs were Matched; but what strange
| little monsters were those in the nest Not
storks no, indeed but two round, broad
| billed, splay footed. yellowish balls of down,
such as had never before been seen in a re-
| spectacle stork's nest. No wonder that the
| poor mother-stork was bewildered and dis
tressed. and that Hans after staring with all
his might at the little changelings, stood
with neck-feathers on end. and ratified him
| self nearly distracted.
You will hardly believe what am now 60
ing to tell you; but it is what 1. and the pas
tors family saw with our own eyes
After rafting and stalking about for long
time Hans suddenly became quiet, stood on
one leg, and solemnly surveyed poor Mena.
| He looked exactly as if he were thinking what
ought to be done with those changelings, and
in what manner Mena ought to be punished
for having pretended that the eggs were her
own. Then he suddenly few away, and in
an hour returned with six other storks.
You ought to have seen this company as
they sat on the roof staring at the wonderful
creatures in the nest, and every now and
then rattling, as if to express their astonish-
ment. At length they walked up to the nest,
| pecked the poor little innocent goslings to
DEATH and then falling on Mena pecked and
cut her, and struck her with their strong
wings, and would no doubt have killed her
outright if the pastor had not hastilyascended
to the roof and driven them off. Hans went
| away with them, nor did he return the whole
summer. He could not forgive Mena the
trick which he fancied she had played upon
| him.
As to Mena herself, we took her up torn
and bleeding; and the pastors good wife ten
derly bound up her wounds, and made her a
| bed in the poultry coop, where we nursed
and fed her until she got well. She soon be-
came very tame, and would follow us about
like dog. and at meal-times stand at the
door to receive the choice morsels thrown to
her by the children. At length she was quite
well and strong, and then she grew restless
and suddenly one day, was missing. A neigh.
Dor had seen her flying toward the north
east in the direction Of the woodland marshes,
where the storks congregate before taking
their departure in body for the South
Neither Hans nor Mena ever returned
| Wide iiedke.