Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1893-06-15
PIGEONS OR PEAS.

pigeons. There they sat; one, two
! three, four, FIVE. Five pigeons in row
on the roof, with their little bright eyes
shining.
Once upon time Fritz loved them
now he could not bear them; aud this
was the reason.
Fritz had garden of his own-a
| very nice little garden, with pink dai
sizes and mignonette, and one beautiful
rose tree. But this did not satisfy him
What he wanted more than nything
else was to have a big row OF sweet peas
like those under mothers window.
They did smell so sweet and all their
different colors were so pretty.
lie asked mother for some seeds and
planted them very carefully. 1t took
long time to do, poklng holes with
his small fat fngers-one hole for each
pea. Then he covered them up and
pressed the earth down very tightly.
But nurse told him thepe would never
grow if he squeezed them down like that
so Fritz dug them all up again and be.
gan afrcsh. This time nurse helped
him, and at last they were nicely plan
ted.
Then Fritz sat down with sigh OF
relief, and looked at his garden; for he
was rather tird being only little boy
of six. At present there was not much
to see, only II piece of smooth brown
earth; by and by there would be little
grean shoots, then a bunch OF sweet
smelling peas for mother.
Next morning he visited them again
but someone had been there before him
A few marks of tiny claws scratching
betrayed the visitors. The pigeons had
been there and eaten up every pea.
There nasty horrid things, sobbed
Fritz, IN his first outburst of grief. i
saw them yesterday, they watched me
the whole time They did 1t on pur-
pose.
Mother was very sorry for her little
boys disappointment. She gave him
some more seeds and sad she would not
mind one bit waiting little Longer for
her flowers.
Its no use putting them IN when the
pigeons are looking, sad Fritz to him
self, as he trotted down the path hold
lug the seeds in his hot little hands.
lie was thoughtful little boy and
quite old enough to understand that 1t
would he no use doing the same as he
had done yesterday. His mind was
very busy thinking.
How could he hide the peas from the
pigeons? If he put them down Il long
way into the ground perhaps the pig
cons would not be able to find them
but chen nurse SAID they would not
grow if they were put down 50 far.
lie must plant them when the pig
cons were not looking.
Very cautiously Fritz looked round
w on the roof in row sat the tive
pigeons.
Why did they stay there:
Shoe, shoe, erred Fritz; but they
did not move, and he could not reach
them. Perhaps they knew this, for
there they sat With II provoking don t
care look on their faces.
At least that is what Fritz was
thinking.
1 should like to whip you, he said
shaking his small fist at them.
Still the pigeons did not care or stir
Il single feather. They could see all
over the garden from their lofty posi-
ton. 1t Is useless trying to hide from
them.
Fritz sat down to think
He wondered if the pigeons ever
went to sleep in the middle OF the day.
He had to lie down an hour before
luncheon, perhaps they had little nap
too. They had been up 50 early that
they must be getting sleepy. But no
hasty glance showed them remarkably
wide awake, watching him with their
bright beady eyes, in which there was
not shadow of sleepiness.
Fritz determined to wait He played
about until 1t was time to so in, while
nurse sat working. When he woke
from his sleep it was just five minutes
before the luncheon bell rang. Mother
gave him leave to 60 out, and he scam
pered down the path and round the
corner to the shrubbery. Here be
came to sudden pause.
Three pigeons were walking up and
down the path. 1t was really too bad
They we're waiting for him; he could
do nothing but go quietly back to the