The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-06-06
FOUGHT By A ROBIN.
The plan Of Robbery of q Red
breasts Vest Was Frustrated by
pIEck-The Cat Caught Climbing
Tree and Boldly Attacked by u
Robin which Drove Its B:iI Into
the Feline's Back.

They were very devoted couple just at
this time. though / have reason 10 believe
that az other seasons Of the year they
rarsad AT one another 4 good bit like
other husbands and wives He was a
handsome fellow. and as FOR her. she was
as fond and aTectionats as a ioyesick
little robin redbreast could be. They had
built ard furnished their house in the top
most branches OF the only tree III our
street. close 10 my study window--a pop
lar-and ! enjoyed a splendid view OF their
honey incoming and o. his kindness and
courtesy 10 her-behavior which made ne
sru.le as coming from him, because IL Nas
SO very unlike him he was for eleven
months or 50 OF the year. Well. they built
what appeared TO De a satisfactory home
from their own point of view, and chirped
and congratulated one another endlessly
over the accomplishment. Soon after il
was finished she laid an egg therein. and
presently another. THEN third and
fourth, and think fifth.
Then there came a time o; comparative
quiet; there was less chipping and idle
conversation. She sat and dozed upon her
eggs and he dill much the same upon the
garden paling, or on an adjacent branch
OF the poplar. or anywhere that came.
looking deeply detected. Occasionally
when she left the house in order to get
bit OF dinner or breakfast, he would go
and sit on the edge OF the nest, and some
times hoped in and fused around. and
kept poking the eggs with his beak, turn
ing them over and over and gloating over
them in a way which displeased the mis-
sus. seemingly: for he was always turned
out with personalities on her return, ana
would then sail away to the fence ard
sit there more detected than ever.
AT last the eggs Matched and busy time
began; a time OF innumerable expeditions
On the part OF both parents, foragins ex-
petitions to every part OF the compass; a
time of funny noises from tiny, unseen
personalities among the straws whicG
formed their home: a bad time for the
worms and such like game, for the young
sters were voracious and Unsuitable and
kept their parents on the move all day
and every day.
About a week after the Matching OF the
eggs. Thomas. the cat from No. IL, down
this row, began to take an interest in the
family. He had. apparently made his
calculations as to the Matching OF those
eggs. having watched the parent birds
at their honeymooning and. probably.
taken a note of the date Of the laying.
When the youngsters were a week or 50
old Thomas gave up all his other engage
ments in order TO come and lie In my gar
den and gaze up into the poplar tree, and
blink, licking his lips at intervals. Dur
ing this time nothing could seduce Thomas
from this fascinating occupation, his
friends would come over the wall and
speak 10 him. and try to wean him from
the contemplation of the robins nest, but
he took no notice of them. he hadn't time;
his calculations were too absorbing. 1t
was so difficult. you see, to decide as to
the exact age at which young robin has
attained his high water mark of Sue
cuiency.
So rhomas's friends would come and
shake their heads over him and go and
talk to their other acquaintance about
the deplorable falling away of dear
Thomas and the hope they entertained
that he might still recover his lost ground
when he should have got over that I'M
fortunate craze OF his Some of the COM
munity laughed consumedly over this
phase of Thomas's career: they said they
could not help recalling what happened to
Eliza another member OF the society
n couple Of years ago. when she took to
bird hunting. She had made "A bid for the
seasons brood OF this very couple OF
robins and had Jared badly at their hands
or heads; Il had been killing sight. they
said .-kiling. II might be there would he
4 parallel spectacle on this occasion, Il
Thomas really intended to make a bid for
the youngsters up aloft.
Thomas certainly did intend to do so.
lie WAS only waiting Nhtlt the proper mo-
mcpt; there was plenty OF time, Every
day. every hour. added its quota of sue
culent bird flesh 70 the already rotund
little bodies in the nest! Ha ha, the time
would soon arrive: II was nearly here,
Mr. and Mrs. Robin took no notice what
ever OF Thomas-indeed. they never once
betrayed the fact that they knew he was
there though Thomas lay and blinked Up
at their happy domestic home and calcu-
lated and licked his lips all day long I
thought IL cd that these devoted parents
should feel no anxiety As 70 the proceed
'-~s OF Thomas. To me IL seemed clear