Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1884-02-22

must die ? Why2 Have l not done my
duty2 1 tried to save my little ones, to draw
the dogs attention away from them, and here
am a captive All, me Poor me This
is not just no. no, it Is not Just !"
Papa, perhaps she will not die" cried
trying to caress the little birds head.
My father answered
She'll die. Look In another moment
and her legs will stffen, her body will trem-
ble and her eyes will close"
Indeed, that's what did happen before
| long. When her eyes had closed began to
cry.
"woll, what's the matter p my father e1.
claimed almost laughingly
II pity her." replied. "She did her du-
ty and she has been killed. II is not Just"
''She wanted to play deceitful game"
my father answered, "but Tresor was too
smart for her"
bad dog" thought (at that moment
even thought my father himself was not
good.) There was nothing deceitful in her
action. II was the love for her young that
prompted her to do it. Because she was
forced to dissemblo in order to save her brood
it does not follow that Tresor had to seize
her.
My father wanted to put the quail in his
| game-bag, but begged him to give her to
me. l placed her in my two hands and
warmed her with my breath, hoping to bring
her back to life again but she did not stir.
| You waste your time" said my father.
You cant revive her Don't you see how
her head is dropping 7"
tenderly raised her head by the bill, but
as soon as let go it fell back
do you pity her so much p asked my
father again.
who will feed her young?" replied.
My father looked at me attentively.
| ttnon't worrv nhnuf that ba uaiJ tttLo oIo
bird, the father, will feed them. But listen
| There's Tresor pointing again Perhaps it's
the nest 1t is"
In fact, among tho stalks Of some tall
| grass, two feet in front of Tresor's snout. l
perceived four little quails nestled close TO-
gethcr and with outstretched necks. They
breathed 30 quickly I thought they were
trembling all over. They had already little
feathers only their tails were still very
| short
Papa! papa" cried, "cal back the
dog he'll kill them too :"
My father recalled Tresor, and prepared to
sit down a little way off under a bush to eat
| some lunch. | remained close by the nest
and refused to eat. pulled from my pock-
ct a white handkerchief 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 said it, and
their little bodies seemed to tremble still
more violently.
went to where my father sat.
will you make mea present of this quail?"
l asked.
'If it gives you any pleasure, of course
But what are you goingto do with hery
81 am going to bury her"
"Iiury heri'
"Yes. there right close to the nest Give
me your knife 80 l can dig her little grave"
'You expect the young to go and pray on
her grave, suppose p suggested my father in
astonishment.
NO replied "but the thought pleases
me. She belongs there, close to her nest"
Without adding another word my father
looked for his knife and handed it to me.
set to work at cnce to dig the little hole.
| pressed kiss upon my quaiis breast and
placed her gently in her grave, and then I
filled it with earth. / cut two sticks, and
after removing the bark | made a cross by
tying them together with some dry blades of
| grass and this placed upon the grave.
We started soon atterward to go home. At
each step turned to look back. The cross
was white and l could see it far off,
That night had a dream. 1t seemed to
me was in heaven and there, perched upon
a tiny little cloud. saw my quail-the very
same quail had buried in the morning, only
she was all white like the cross on her grave.
Around her head halo Of gold spread its
lustre no doubt, thought, a reward for
what she had suffered for the sake OF her chill
dren.
Five or SIX days after returned in compa-
ny with my father to tho grave. The cross
had become little more yellow, but had re-
mained in its place. The nest however, was
empty not trace OF the little ones was
left. My father assured me that the male
bird had carried them elsewhere Indeed, at
that very moment, only few steps from
where we stood, the little male flew out of a
bush and my father forbore to fire at him
and l. said to myself mo, no papa is not
bad!"
Strange to say, from that day my love for
hunting left me completely, and never even
thought OF the gun which my father had
promised me. Later, it is true, when had
become a man, l took to hunting too, but
never was true sportsman.
One day was hunting with a friend of
mine. We soon came upon some grouse.
The mother bird rose and we fired. She was
wounded, but did not fall and got away with
her young. proposed following them.
lie. us remain here" my friend said
"Well initiate their cry and the whole flock
will return before long"
My companion knew well how to initiate
the call OF these birds. We seated ourselves
among the bushes and my friend began his
tactics At first O young grouse answered
then another, and before long the mother
herself quite close to us replied in a subdued
and soft voice. raised my head and saw
her approach through the grass with all pos
sible speed Her breast was covered with
blood. The instincts of a mother were
prompting her. she evidently wished to di-
vert our attention. At that moment seem
cd to myself monster of cruelty.
rose and clapped my hands. The mother
flew away and the young at once became ST.
lent My companion was furious he looked
at me like madman.
''You have spoiled our entire sport" he
said.
But from that day on, to kill, to shed blood,
became more and more painful to me.