Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1886-06-18
ISLAND POND, VERMONT, JUNE IS, 1885,

his only brother died. The bird was not |
dead, It was stunned badly and one eye
protruded slightly. The lower bill was
was also out of place. seeming to be dis
located. Cold water soon revived the
tiny sufferer. Then Imade weak wash
of iodine and bathed the brusied parts
with soft sponge. / also set the in-
jured number the best l could. Dick
appeared to be conscious of my attempts
to a,d him. He would lay his head
against the cool, damp sponge, and
yielded manfully to all l did for him, but
kept up a continuous peeping. After an
hours tender nursing we fixed him up
for the night in small basket, lined
with cotton. He looked very comical, in-
! deed, with a bandage about his head.
When l applied this, Mr. Doubleagle
smiled for the first time since the ac ident.
" I'm afraid he'll die, Mrs. Cleanie
he said. And then he bent down and
kissed the bird, and brushed his cheek
with his hand. 1t was all could do to
persuade the man to let his pet remain
behind the stove in the parlor. AT last
he consented, after cautioning me over
and over again to take the best care
imaginable of the bird. / never saw
man demOralized as was Mr.. Doubleagle.
The loss of wife could not have
been apparently a more poignant grief
to him. | thought a great deal more of
Aonzo from that moment | said to N.Y.
self that we must be mistaken about his
sympathies and the size of his heart. We
might have been so far as fowls went, but
as to manufacturers. Sol fancied then,
l think differently now.
'GOu wouldn't believe it, but it's so,
Mr.. Doubleagle came down stairs three
times that night to take look at Dick
When morning came he was the first to
make his appearance. Then another
hour was spent in doctoring. Dick
however, would not eat. Many induce
ments were made; all were of no avail"
"'He'll starve, limited Alonzo.
No he won't starve, said l. rather
impatiently, at the mans persistence to
take The dark side of the case.
"Now Dick had habit of drinking
ink from his masters pen. In fact, he
would sip ink by the penful, and, to all
appearance, seemed to thrive on the mix
ture
$50 went and got the big, gold pen,
and filled it with fine cracker soaked in
milk. This plan worked beautifully.
Dick let me feed him without any resist
ance.
d" You see, I remarked, he's got to
be humored, just like sick folks Mr..
Doubleagle smiled family.
"Tll give you $40 if the bird lives,
Mrs. Cleanie, was his response"
"He'll live,' was my reply, not ex.
t pecting what Mr.. Doubleagle would do.
Why, he actually reached into his pocket
and brought out gold piece and gave it
: to me--and l took it, at which the giver
showed unfeigned relief. A wonder to
me2 Well, yes, it was-and it was a
wonder. As slid the yellow coin into
my purse, said Ten dollars for poor
. family in the north part of the town;
they like to live as we'll as birds He
| didn't appear to hear the gentle insinua-
ton, but guess he did. During the day
5 the banking business must have been
r very light. The president came over
four or five different times to view the
s patient.
v And you say, Mrs. Cleanie, there is
e poor family somewhere that needs at
f tention? Can you give me the number?
| gave it to him, much to my surprise
v When | went to visit this family tha
V afternoon, found load of coal had pre-
il ceded me to the house: AS l entered tn,
It gate, man was also unloading some hou
!? and vegetables. Mr.. Doubleagle ha(
o surely turned over a new leaf.
n "Well, Dick improved rapidly, al
though it was two weeks before he wa
e as clipper as ever As the bird mended
: its master regained his appetite. H
. really had no desire to eat if Dick re
/ fused his food. You may say that al
e this has the stamp of fiction, but it
}. true, nevertheless. As you know, it i
: always the unexpected that is happening
e at least have ever found 50.
n ''It soon leaked out tEat the miserl
|. Alonzo was doing penance for his wicke'
g ways-had reformed. Twas told tha
d he had resolved to do some good wit
II his surplus wealth. He had been see
c to enter several huts in the surburbs wit
If large basket ON his am. One grass
" hopper sufferer was greatly overjoyed t
,e to have the exorbitant interest on hi
d mortgage cut down to reasonable figure
d From all sides came good words of MI
9 Doubleagles kindness and charity. Th
II secretary of the w. CT. U. acknowledge
4 through the locals of the FlOunder that
= Owing to the thoughtful consideratio
+ and li5erality of one of Fitzboro's mos
O. prominent and respected citizens, the sc
r Getty had been able to remove to ne'
b. and pleasant quarters, and also to max
Is a number of donations of charity TIL
n neighborhood was delighted. The pres
q dent also seemed to delight in h
m new reputation, entering with muc
spirit into his recent Departure Il
ne became truly enthusiastic.
,d "Not church sociable, festival {
is fair but he was present. 1t was at one
w. these meetings that Alonzo met the se
he retary above referred to- Amanda Sol
a. lid was her name, a id she captured thi
os time tossed craft, Mr.. Doubleagle hear
a. at sight And when the pretty officer
id the order thanked the bank president fl
n his Gift to the formers treasury, Il
Iv heart lust mentioned fiuttered as it hs
ar. not futtered since early manhood fiusht
en- the cheek of the now gray whiskerc
,e, man.
- Mr. Alonzo Doubleagle fell deeply
1st love at the age of tifty-three. With
de one month from that momentous e.
est counter, Miss Soalid was busily engage
with the making of her wedding ga
inf ments. Another month and the hap
his couple were walking up the aisle
- the music of an appropriate marc
IAN while the eyes of all Fitzboro we
mo strained to see the sight.
vas "That new house you see up there