Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1883-01-19
THE ORIOLE FAMILY.

1t was a coy, snug, little home, in
which the three young Orioles first
opened their eyes, but it would seem a
very queer house to most of my little
friends. 1t was not built of bricks, or
boards. or logs, but of sticks and
straws, beautifully woven together into
the shape of bag, and hung to the
branch OF large locust-tree.
There was a hole in the side that
| served for door and window, and with
in, the walls, ceiling and floor were
made of the softest down, so that the
little birds needed no feather beds to
sleep on; and while the mother and
father were off hunting something for
them to eat, they would huddle together
in the bottom of the nest, and let the
| breeze rock them into many sweet
| nap.
But it was rather small, and appeared
TO get smaller each day. And as their
wings began to grow. how they longed
for scope to try them! But mother and
father knew best when it would be
time; they never forgot them. And
what q splendidly handsome fellow their
father was, in his new spring suit of
bright orange-color and black velvet!
The mother was pretty, too, with her
dress of more quiet shades. and her
sweet, low voice.
The little ones had no feathers on
them at all, at first. and were very
funny and ugly; but they were CROWN q
in beauty every day, and would soon be
old enough to wear bright gay dresses
like their father and mother. And in
stead of sleeping during their parents
absences, as formerly, they often spent
the time in vague wonderings about the
world that lay outside of their little
home.
This ought to have been a very happy
little family, and would have been but
for the youngest; he was an impatient
little fellow, that was always grumbling
because they were kept at home SO
long, and thought he knew better than
anybody else. This made it very hard
for his mother to teach him anything,
so that she sometimes had to get the
father to come and give him a good
pecking to make him behave.
His waywardness troubled his parents
very much, but they hoped he would
grow wiser as he grew older.
One day, when these little birds were
at home by themselves, this disobedient
one took it into his head to climb up to
the door and look out. At first he was
dumb with establishment, so marvellous
ly beautiful did it all seem; then he be-
gan to twitter with delight, and tell his
brother and sister ali the wonderful
things he saw.
"Pshaw" he said at last, sit dom t
look so far down to the ground; be-
lieve could fly down there, easily.
have half mind to try"
20 don't, brother, don'tr' the other
two cried; something will surely hap
pen to you. Don't you know mother
told US never to venture even to the
door in her absence, and to be content
to stay quietly in the nest until she
taught us how to fly"
Yes" said the little sister; "and
don't you remember she was telling us
only the other day of the cruel cat who
lives down there and pounces upon
every hapless young bird that chances
in her wayP'
And have you forgotten the boys.
the heartless boys" said the eldest
brother, "who often throw rocks at us
birds? What mercy would they show
to poor little fedgling?"
The mothers voice in the distance
put an end to his ambitious designs for
that time, and, hoping he would give
them up altogether. the others did not
tell their mother about his plans.
But the next day, when they were
again left alone, he clambered once
more to the opening. "Ah! what fool
ish children you are" he said, Ito stay
down there in the dark, when YOU
might be up here enjoying the light
and air; why, feel as if 1 should grow
an inch the more for itp' and he fiut-
tered his wings exultingly. II cam
for the life of me see why we should be
kept shut up like a parcel of babies
! just out of the shell. There is not a
thing in sight that could possibly hurt
me, and there are crowds of birds
down there hunting for bugs and
1 things. long to be among them-a and
so iotHi Mother NAV keep her fiyino
lessons for you; / am sure / don't need
them"
Again the brother and sister begged
and pleaded with him, even stretching
up and trying to catch hold of him
with their bills; but jerking away from
them, he spread his wings something
as he had seen his parents do, and let
60 his hold of the nest.
The brother and sister heard him
touch the ground with little thump.
After a while. they heard his excited
twitter of enjoyment as he hoped
about among the feathered tribe, as
strange and new to him as if no kin.
Presently there came cry of alarm,
a great tapping of wings. and then. a
pitiful, helpless wall of mortal terror,
an agonizing scream. and all was still
Fearfully they climbed up to the
opening. holding carefully as they
peeped out, only 10 see a hideous
monsters cat they knew it must be
stalking off with their dead brother in
it mouth.