The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-10-12
SPARROW AGAINST CAT.
How Little Creature Was Saved from
Avaricious Maws.

How y Little Creature Was Saved from
Avaricious NIaws.
Twas sitting at my desk ono morning
not long ago when my attention was sud-
denly arrested by the loud screaming Of n
sparrow proceeding from the yard of an
unoccupied house to the rear of mine The
cries were responded to by at least fifty of
her companions, who answered her call by
such prodigious chatter that enc whole
neighborhood was aroused. The cause Of
this disturbance was this: One of the eel
lar windows was protected by wire graf
ing, which in some way had become loose
at the top; through this opening, in
moment of recklessness, had fallen a
young sparrow while taking it's first les
sons in learning how to ily
Now this yard, the house being empty,
has all summer long been the rendezvous
for several large cats. When the sparrow
fell into the window he found Il glass shut
Ter behind him, and was thus II prisoner.
Two of the cats saw his lluttcrings TO geJ
out and ut Onsc made Il fierce rash for the
window grating, and although they fright
ened almost to death young Mr.. Sparrow.
who had never seen the wicked eyes and
spiteful teeth of cat before i'll his Ike.
they could not get at him with their wick
ed claws But his danger was very real
TO the mother bird, and it was her cry OF
distress that brought her fcathered friends
to her help and rescue. And how did they
set about it, do you think!
We all know that the sparrow-the feath-
cred street arabs not only an mpudent
little fellow, but exceedingly pugilistic
and courageous. Upon this occasion two
large male sparrows at once alighted upon
the yard pavement, and not more than
three feet away from the cats, who were
still intent upon the nuttering youngster
hnlt NIL
mother bird tluttered in the air just over
the cats. screaming and scolding and being
answered vehemently by all her friends.
The two sparrows on the pavement kept
hopping about dangerously near to the
cats, chirping and scolding also Their
little game OF course was to distract the
cats attention from the young birds, and
this they succeeded in doing so well that
the cats alternately chased them and then
attacked the bird behind the bars.
This performance was continued off and
on for two whole days. the cats giving up
the contest from time to time. "When tho
cat is away, the mice will play" the old
saying goes. In this case, when the cats
were away, the mother bird flew in behind
the grating and fed her offspring and also
gave him lessons in flying until the young
bird could fly high enough to reach the
opening he had originally fallen through,
and then assisted by the parent birds lie
managed to reach n vine that trai;ed from
the fence to the extension windows. and so
he was saved.
Don't give up the ship" were the dying
words of the immortal Lawrence on boa I'd
of the Chesapeake. Don't give up the
birdP' was the motto of Mr.. and Mrs. Spar
row, and right gallantly did they wage
their battle for their offspring. Next time
TINT IA n,-ip b,,, h.,,
of cats, and not fall down behind cellar
windows without his parents permission.
Harry p. Mawson in Harpcr's Young
People.