River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1892-02-04

on MS arm, began the ascent In the
meantime the light wind that had
helped them over had died away and
been succeeded by an almost I'M
natural hush. with hardly a ripple TO
break its surface. The lake stretched
before them as far as the eve could
reach, and up the sandy beach the
little waves crept softly towards the
great trees bare and knotted roots,
while overhead the leaves hung mo-
tiOnless in the still sunshine. Up the
great bole pressed the young climber.
higher and higher; the branches were
reached. and he was lost to the gaze of
the eager watchers below; higher.
still higher, and then loud. exultant
shout told that the goal was reached.
Soon Martin was on his downward
way. carefully picking his steps with
his iron-shod feet, and swinging and
ste ing himself by the aid of his
re 20 till he reached the ladder, and
then the ground, with his proud and
hardly-won trophy, not one bird, but
two, for, having found three fee BILE lit
tie eaglets in the nest, he had deter
mined to bring Grace and Clara each
one For, YOU see," he explained.
that leaves the old birds one. just as /
intended"
Al that moment steps were heard.
and turning. they saw MackwOrth, the
old hunter. who had repeated the In
dian tradition to the Van Fleets, and
who from a not distant field had seen
enough of the movements at the old
oak TO rouse his suspicious. AS he saw
the eaglets in the childrens hands his
face darkened with anger. Martin
Van Fleet, what have you been guilty
off" he demanded, sternly. I'm all the
years have lived here never before
has soul, boy or man, disturbed the
eyrie. You ought TO be shot for il,
you had, aud il you have brought a
curse on yourself, it is no more than
you deserve"
But / have left one in the nest for
the eagles" protested Martin. his high
spirits over his success suddenly fall
ing under this sharp arraignment
Il don't care il you have; you have
broken the prohibition; you have tam
pered with the nest But yonder, Z"
pointing to a black speck in the sky,
comes one of the old eagles; IL she
eats you up 10 pay for what you have
done, / shan't care" and turning on his
heels he strobe wrathfully away.
With the old eagle so near. the chill
dren did not dare to escape. but hastily
hid under the low thicket where Mar
tin had concealed his ladder. Wheel
ing round and round in great circles,
the mother bird drew near her nest
There was moments silence after she
reached il, and then a hoarse cry of
disappointment and rage told the
trembling listeners that she had dis
covered the robbery; then. stretching
her wide wings, the powerful bird flew
rapidly away again. 1t was but lit
tie while till she returned with her
mate. when both. with loud calls,
swept round and round searching for
for their little ones; while Martin, be-
ginning to realize as he had not at first
the seriousness OF his act. crOuched be-
side his sisters under the bushes, with
the eaglets held close to his breast,
lest by a sound they betray them.
Finally. with last cry, the old birds
turned and flew away over the lake.
their dark forms growing more and
more indistiuct against the darkness
Of swift-rising stOrmcloud, till final
" they were lost to sight, just as a
flash OF vivid lightning zigzagged
across the Notwithstanding sky.
20 Martin. what have You done?''
sObbed Clara, breaking the almost
spellbound silence that had held them.
THE old eagles will never come back,
and what viii become of that poor,
little bird in the nest?"
Il can't help it if they don't" re-
piled Martin, dOggedly. though his face
wore a troubled. anxious look: I'm
sure / didn't mean 20 brighten them
away; maybe they will come back yet
and IL they don't l can get the other
little eagle tomorrow. But we must
hurry home before that storm comes
on
There was no citation now over their
trophies. Fold on fold the black
clouds were rising in the north; an out
ward expression il seemed to Martin
OF his own overcast spirit, Already
lines of foam could be seen Ticking the
surface of the lake; the close brooding
stiffness was broken by the mutter of
distant thunder; the rush of the rising
wind filed the forests, and just before
their little skifP reached the shore a
strong gust struck, and but for the
shallow water would have over
turned il.
But not till the night and darkness
were closely gathered did the storm
break in its full fury. Then the great
waves came laundering in to break far
up on the beach beyond the remem-
brance of the oldest settler; the rain
beat in swirling. binding sheets, and
the gale swept with terrific force over
the whitened, water-leveling fene s.
unroOfing buildings and swapping
strong trees as though they had been
but saplings- From old Mackworth
the news OF the spelling of the eyrie
had rapidly spread through the neigh
bOrhood, with a general indigna-
ton at the act, arising even
to threats of violence; and dur
ing the hours of the brief but
awful tempest, wherein they that slept
were few indeed, the thoughts of more
than one turned TO the disasters pre-
dicted to follow the touch of hands on
the old eagles nest While at the