Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1892-07-22
COOKIE"

s'Cuckoo. cuckoo!" who has listened
to those bold notes sounding across
the lanes and meadows without de-
light? The verdure of spring e,nom-
passes the listener with it's fresh
beauty, the skies are bright with
warm sunshine. the larks sing rap
turously, N everywhere there is the
promise of coming summer. Now
loud and near: now far off and FAINT
as an echo, and the ear is strained to
catch once more the familiar refrain.
Not thus, however, reflected two
hedge sparrows who were perched ON
twigs-one on either side of their
nest-in a high hedgcrow. They
looked disparagingly at the nest, and
chirped to each other in an animated
manner. They were evidently dis
cussing an exceedingly serious ques-
tion, and n upon which they could
not readily come to a decision. The
cock sparrow might have made up his
mind, but the hen was apparently
irresolute. and her mate .'chirped'
vigorously at her with a view to con-
vincing her OF the soundness of his
arguments. Then they stopped chirp-
ing for a while, and contemplated
their nest and its contents in silence,
said contents being composed of one
bird fast asleep. Il bird of much larger
size than sparrows have ever been
known to attain.
Only this morning there had been
two birds in the nest; one a tiny
little sparrow not properly grown for
its age, with eyes always wistful, and
scarcely strong enough to open it's
little beck for the food 1T could but
rarely get: the other this big, clumsy
thing, with greedy eyes and capacious
nav. The big bird wanted all the
room in the nest for itself, and so it
had pushed the wee sparrow out, and
it had fallen to the ground and was
plead; and it lay motionless at the
foot of the hedge the parent birds
chirped to each other, and %sorrowfully
pondered uheir experience of life.
Such a happy time they had had in
building their nest-such sweet an
ticipations-and nov they were con-
fronted by this burdensome monster,
who appeared to completely own
their home and them as we'll.
By-and-by the cock sparrow chirped
at his mate again with greater vigor
than ever, and then at last she de-
ferred to his wishes, and taking a
loose strand from the nest between
her bill as a memento, they flew away
together, never to return.
AS to young Mr.. Cuckoo-for that
was the name of the monster-he
slept peacefully on for some time,
having recently digcsted a very good
morning meal which the sparrows
had laboriously supplied to him.
Then, awakine, he turned his head
to have a peck at the little COM
panion with whom he had shared the
nest, but lot finding him anywhere,
remembered that he had pushed him
out.
ga good thing, too" quoth young
Mr.. Cuckoo. ..He was a perfect
nuisance, always wanting the food 1
had. Hello. where are those two
lazy sparrows? I'm hungry" and he
began to '.cah-cah'' at the ton of his
voice.
There was no response, however.
He could hear any amount of chirp-
ing and whistling and humming go-
ing on at some little distance, but in
his part OF the hedge everything
seemed strangely silent. Young MI.
Cuckoo stumbled to his feet and
looked around and thinking he saw
the familiar coat of the hen sparrow
a little way off, commenced to make
an uproar. But it was of no use.
Nothing came near him except a
wasp, at whose wicked appearance he
was very much frightened, and made
a peck at him to drive him away,
w%hcreupon the yellow.coated warrior
sailed aggressiycly around the nest a
few times. but ultimately resolved to
save his sting for a higher order of
creation than cuckoos.
: 1t took some time for Young Mr..
Cucko6 to recover his accustomed
equanimity after this terrifying oc-
%aurrance. and he kept very quiet for
fear he might attract the attention
of another wasp whom he observed
lowering about. However, his
thoughts soon reverted to his appe-
tite, and as by this time it was get
ting dusk. he made the air resound
with the most dismal .cah-cahs."
An owl came lifting lazily by, and
was attracted by the noise. He
perched himself near the nest, and
blinked meditatively at the cuckoo,
who lay painting with terror, and not
daring to move.
.sIf you carry on like this" said
the owl, sharply, '.you'll meet your
death in no time. Why don't you get
out Of that, you overgrown baby?"
And he fitted off.
"How am l to get out?:" thought
young Mr.. Cuckoo, helplessly. 81
don't want to get out, I want some.
thing to eat"
He made no more noise, however,
and as night came on managed to go
to sleep again.