The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-08-21
q NJ az &c. L

PUSHES, or the restless twitterings OF the
few still wakefui birds.
There was an old corncrake lived near
US. and the way he used to disturb all the
other birds. and keep them from going to
sleep, was shameful. Amenda, who was
toyn-bred, mistook him at first for one OF
those cheap alarm clocks and wondered
who was winding him up, and why they
went on doing it all night; and above all,
Why they didn't oil it.
He would begin his unhallowed per-
formanee about dusk, just as every re-
spectacle bird was preparing to settle
down for the night. A family of thrushes
had their nest few yards from his stand,
and they used to get perfectly furious
with him.
There's that fool at it again." the fe-
male thrush would say; "why can't he do
it IN the day time if he must do it at all ~
(She spoke, of course, in twitters, but
am confident the above is correct trans
lation.)
After while the young thrushes would
wake up and begin chirping, and then the
mother would get madden than ever.
Cant you say something to him." she
would cry Indignantly to her husband.
"How do you think the children can get
to sleep, poor things, with that hideous
row going on all night? Might just as
we'll be living IN saw MILL"
his head over the nest and call out in a
nervous, apologize manner:
Il say, you know, you there, wish you
wouldn't mind being quiet bit. My
wife says she can't get the children to
sleep. It's too bad, you know, pom my
''Gor on" the corncrake would answer.
surlIly. "1ou keep your wife herself
quiet; that's enough for you to do" And
ON he would go again worse than before.
Then a mother blackbird, from q little
further off, would join in the fray.
"Ah, it's good hiding he wants, not a
talking to; and if was cock I'd give it
him." (This remark would be made in a
tone OF whitening contempt and would ap-
pear to bear reference to some previous
discussion.)
you're quite right. ma'am," Mrs.
Thrush would reply. That's what tell
my husband, but" with rising infection,
SO tt at every lady in the plantation might
hear) The wouldn't move himself, bless
you--no, not if [ and the children were to
die before his eyes for want Of Sleep"
All, he amt the only one, my dear, 7"
the biackbird would pipe back, they're
all alike" Then, in a voice more of sor-
row than OF anger, ''but, there, it amt
their fault. suppose, poor things. If you
amt got the spirit of bird you can't help
yourself"
would strain my ears at this point to
hear II the male blackbird was moved at
all by these taunts. but the only sound
could ever detect coming from his neigh
borhood was that of palpably exaggerated
snoring.
By this time the whole district would be
awake, expressing views concerning that
corncrake that might have wounded less
callous nature.
"Blow me tight, Bill, some vulgar little
hedge sparrow would chirp out, in the
midst of the hubbub, ''if I don't believe
the gent thinks 'e's e. singing
""Tain't is fault" Bill would reply,
with mock sympathy. Somebody's put
a penny in the slot and e can't stop
ITSELF"
Irritated by the laugh that this would
call forth from the younger birds, the
corncrake would exert himself to be more
objectionable than ever, and as means to
this end, would commence giving his mar
vellous imitation of the sharpening of q
rusty saw by a steel file.
But at this an old crow, not to be trifled
with, would cry out angrily:
stop that, now. If | come down to
you, FL peck your cranky head off, I
will"
And then would follow silence for a
quarter of an hour, after which the whole
thing would begin again.
JEROME X. JEROME.