Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1883-11-23
wounded 50 that the dog might think he

wounded SO that. The ogsmight think he
could catch her easily.' s. 75 g.
why did she do sop 7. 4 A. Ar !: II
In order to divert the dogs attention
from her little ones; after which, if she
had succeeded, she would have flown
away. But this time she missed her
little game. and Tresor has caught
her" a.. s .*#5 a
"Then she is not hit?, inquired
again. "t*@. d.. ss=.=5-4 r.
1"No-but she won't Ave-Tresor
must have injured her with his
teeth" %$@<E~ IL
81 stepped nearer toshave a better
look at,the quail. She rested motion
less on the palm of myafather's hand;
her head was dropping, and her: black
eye looked at me sideways. All at once
a feeling of pity overcame me. It seemed
to me as if the poor little bird regarded
me and thought: "Why must 1 die?
Why? Have l not done my duty? T
tried to save my little ones, to draw the
dogs attention away from them, and
here / am captive! All, me! Poor mel
This is not just; no, no; 1t is not
just!''
Papa, perhaps she will not die"
cried trying to earess the little birds
head. =
My father answered.
"Sheni die. Look! In another mo-
ment, and her legs will stifen, her body
will tremble. and her eyes will cIose.h
Indeed, that's what did happen be-
fore long. When her eyes had closed
began to cry.
well, what's the matter?" my father
exclaimed almost !aughingly.
II pity her." replied. "She did heo
ustv'
''she wanted to play a deceitful
game," my father answered, "but Tres
or was too smart for her"
"Bsd dogw l thought lat that moment
even thought my father himself was
not good). There WIS nothing deceit
full in her action. IT. was the love for
her young that prompted her to do it..
Because she was forced to dissemble in
order to save her brood it does not fol.
low that Tresor had to seize her."
My father wanted to put the quan in
his gamebag, but I begged him to give
her to me. placed her in my two
hands and warmed her with my breath,
hoping to being her back to life again;
but she did not stir.
"You waste your time," said my faith
you can't revive her. Can't you see
her head is droopine?
ten.lerly raised her head by the bill,
but, as soon as let go, it would fall
back.
"'Do you pity her SO much? asked my
father again.
who will feed her young?' Ireplied.
MY father looked at me atteutively.
Don't worry about that" he said,
the male bird. The father will feed them.
But listen! There's Tresor pointing
ayainl Perhapsits the nest. It Is"
IN fact, among the stalks of some tall
grass, two feet in front of Ire sor's snout,
1 perceived four little Quails nestled
close together and with outstretched
necks: They breathed 50 quickly l
thought they were trembling all over.
They had already little feathers; only
their tails we're very short.
Papa! papa" l cried, "call back the
dog; he'll kill them, too"
My father recalled Tresor and pre-
pared to sit down a little way off under
bush to eat some lunch. I remained
close by the nest, and refused to eat I
pulled from my pocket white hand
kerchief. upon which placed the quail.
Look, poor orphaned little ones!
There's your mother! She has sacrificed
herself for you" The young birds
seemed TO breathe more rapidly when I
said it, and their little bodies seemed to
tremb1e still more olently.
l went to where my father sat.
"Will you make me pre- ent of this
quail?" / asked.
IF it gives YOU any pleasure, ofcourse.
But what are you going to do with her?''
u am goinag;, to bury her."
Bury her?"
Eyes, there: right close to the nest,
Give me your knife, so can dig her lit
tie grave"
You expect the young to 60 and pray
on the grave, l suppose?' suggested my
father in establishment.
NO." replied; but the thought
pleases me. She belongs there close to
her nest"
Without adding another word my
father looked Tor his knife and handed
it to me. set to work at once to dig
the little hole. I pressed a kiss upon
my quails breast and placed her gently
IN her grave, and then I filled it with
earth. / cut two sticks, and after re-
moving the bark, made cross by ty-
Of grass; and this I placed upon the
grave.
We started soon after to 20 home. At
each step I turned to look back. The
cross was white and could see it far
off.
That light had dream. It seemed
to me was in heaven, and there,
perched upon tiny little cloud, I saw
my quail had buried in the morning,
only she was all white, like the cross on
her grave. Around her head a halo OF
gold spread lts 1ustre; no doubt, /
thought, reward tor what she had suf-
fered for the sake of her children.
Five or six days after returned in
company with my father to the grave.
The cross had become little more yell
low, but had remained in its place. The
nest, however, was empty; not trace
Dt the little ones was left. My father
assn red me that the male bird had car
ried them elsewhere. Indeed, at that
very moment, only a few steps from
where we stood, the little male flew out
of bush; and my father forbore 10 fire
1T him-and /, sid to myself: ''No,
no; papa is not bad?"
Strange to say, from that day my love
for hunting left me completely, and [
never even tnOuglC OF Tue gun WHICH
my father had promised me. Later, it
is true, when had become man, l.
took to hunting too, but meyer was
true sportsman.
One day was hunting with a friend
of mine. We soon came upon some
grouse. The mother bird rose and we
fred. She was wounded, but did not
fall, and got away with their young. I
nrnnOseA f0tlowiY1p them
"Let US remain here" my friend said.
Wen initiate their cry and the whole
6ock will return before long" -.
Nv companion knew we'll how to imi-
tate the call of these birds. We seated
ou,.oax.o.. on,orn Tho hnshas and my