Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-07-03
THE wATCHMAN.s COMPLAINT.
How the SParrOws Have Added to His
Troubles by Driving Away His
Friends. The Bugs and Worms. The
Difficulty now Experienced In Clear.
ing Out The Park.

ats them blamed British sparrows!" said the
sleepy Waterman as he chained up the park
gate the other night, and grumbled to himself
He tugged drowsily at the heavy gates
fumbled a long time with the lock, then leaned
against a tree and tried to wake himself UP.
whats the matter with the sparrows?" asked
THE STAR man, who was O little late getting
home and was disguised at having the gate closed
in his face, and the prospect of going all the
way about the square, instead of taking it cross
lots. Half a dozen couples were going reluc-
| family in different directions down the streets
apparently as much annoyed as the scribe at
the early &; shutting h Of the gates Whats the
stopping with both hands hold of the iron bars.
"Nothin's the matter with em. wish there
all get the cholera, or the locusts would eat
them instead of their getting away with the
locusts | d be happy" And he showed the gate,
TO De sure IL was locked, then turned to 60
away.
But isn't it rather late at night to be quarrel
Ing with the birds?" the scribe asked, making
an effort to detain him. "What have they been
"Doing? Why. they have been making me
They've been holding my gates open Before
they got SO plenty could get the parks cleared
and shut up before twelve O'Clock. Now it's as
much as can DO to get them shut at all, and its
all on account of the blamed sparrows." As he
got more talkative he came back to the gate
and leaned against the green bars
"You see 1t is this way" he continued waking
up at the prospect of having some one to talk
| to. These trees used to be full of bugs and
benches the I'd crawl ali over you. like bugs.
When awfuily sweet couples would get
ON bench under one OF the darkest
of bugs to keep em moving. On a very hot
night when the young man would be tanning
himself with MS hat, while he bent over and
talked soft and low to his companion, as ii he
was there for all night, great big ugly green
worms, with long horns and a spear tail,
roll off all in heap down his collar Then great
big mosquitoes would sit all ir row about the
hem of his pants and make pasture grounds Of
the space between them and the low cut shoes.
Great tumble bugs, with sharp claws that
stuck clear through the thin muslin, would pass
over the shoulders of the young lady, while
spider stretched his web from a lower branch to
the end OF her nose. Then used to shut up
early, and never had no trouble. : stss.
bndog ps snarro Is an ad t hese mean te
They are meddlesome little beasts; they won't
let anyone alone when he's dom we'll. They
had to come In and eat up all the worms. There
amt O worm nor a bug nowheres about, and
here am shutting up the gates at this hour:
Why these benches In here are full of people all
come In the morning and trample over the
grass ana cry for the flowers. Then, folks
rest Of the day. In the evenings the couples
begin to stroll in, and as it gets dark they get
thicker, Till every bench has two on it-One In
young fellows and their sweethearts In the
neghborhoOd are here early in the evening,
and as they drop out, about nine or ten O'Clock,
others take their places. At first it's mostly
whites-very sweet couples-who look out
for all the dark shady seats. Later IL
begins to get thicker sprinkling Of black
until along about hali-past eleven it's putty
dark. They're almost as thick as the bugs used
to be, and just about as hard to deal with.
When 1t gets time to lock up, they have just
about settled themselves down to stay. have
to all around looking for 'em to keep from lock-
ing 'em In. Then whenI tell them to 60 some get
mad and say I'd better not try locking 'em In.
it's all on account of those ugly little sparrows
eating up all the bugs and worms"
"Well, Pm kind of sorry can't let Won 20
through the park" and he gave the gate one
more test shake as THE STAR man remembered
it was late to be Out.