The Arizona sentinel., 1888-09-01
A WICKED DEED.

The Happy Home-How It Was Ruthlessly Destroyed by ThOughtleSS Fun-Loying g Boys.
 High up among the boughs of an old
 apple-tree, in farmer Browns Orchartj,
 two robins had built pretty little nest.
 Twigs and straw and leaves had been
 used in making it, and inside it was
 lined with soft bits of cotton and hair.
 Perchcd on high branch of the tree,
 hidden by lovely apple-blossoms and
 by young, tender green leaves, surely a more secluded and more beautiful spot
 could not have been found. In little
 while four cunning eggs appeared in
 the nest, and then four cunning little
 birdies, with wide open mouths and chirping cries, were added to the fam fly circle.
 The parent birds were as happy as the day was long, and in their language for birds do talk, you praised their little ones and rejoiced in their sweet little home.
 Every morning the father bird flew J fast for his family Then he would perch upon the edge of the nest, or fly upon the boughs near 1t. and talk to his little ones, amusing them until the mother bird came back.
 So days passed, each one like the other, until the wee birdics were almost old enough to fly. They were grow ing large and strong, with an increas- ing appetite, and a constant demand for the worms, flies and other choice bits of food brought them by their parents. It was a happy home, but oh! the pity of it that it should be ruthlessly destroyedl
 One morning the father bird said to his wife: My dear, am going some distance from home this morning to get some dainties for you and the little ones. Don't feel worried if I am late" And away he flew, darting swiftly through the bright sunshine, intent upon the surprise he was going to take back to the nest.
 Some grown-up people are just stupid enough to insist that birds and animals have no language of their own, but they are mistaken; every thing that has life has a means of cOmmunica- tion with the species, and it is to them what our language is to us. Birds, and beasts and insects plot and plan, love and hate, quarrel and make up, just as we do, and they also experience sorrow and joy.
 A few days previous. while flying through a swamp below the orchard, Robin had discovered a root birds arc | particularly fond of, and had deter mined to take home a supply | at the very first opportunity; and | on this beautiful morning he in- tended going foraging, to see what nice things he could find. Reaching the | swamp, he began to cut off bits of the | dainty with his sharp little bill, carry ing them one by one to tho high | branches of a tree, near by, so they would be safe until he could put them in the home storehouse. Suddenly he
  the noise of boyish voices. Looking i about sharply with his bright, bead like eyes, he spied group of boys coming around d bend in the swamp, talking and shouting as boys always do when they are in the cOun- try for holiday, or, for that matter, at any time and any where.
 These were not bad bOy5-at least you could not think so after glanGfng at them. They were well dressed, neat, and bright, intelligent little fel- lows, full of fun and mischief, and de- termined to get every bit of pleasure possible out of the day before returning to their city homes. Not wicked boys, yet in few hours they had spread ruin and riot before them and after them, and on every side of them, and left turmoil and trouble in their wake.
 First, they caught a stray dog. tied an old tin can to his tail, and then chased him down the road, hooting- and yelling like a band of Comanche Indians; then they raced d pet kitten up a tree, and frightened the poor lit tle thing almost to death by throwing stones at it; chased the chickens about the yard until they were ready to drop from exhaustion; and finally beat the poor pigs with switches until their 1n- 1ignant squeals brought every body to the pen to see what was the matter. This last exploit secured their banish- nent from the farm until dinner, so they started out to amuse themselves