The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1897-07-25
THE STOLEN
MARTIN-nOUSE
A Good Reason Why the Birds Did
Non Occupy It.

II was Aunt Susan that insisted ou
putting up the house Tor thc martins
They eamo 81 early IN the spring, she
said. and their notes were SO chccrtuli
and then. they kept tho hawks away, and
were protection TO the chickens, We
all thovght u pleasant 10 watch thvly
swift ilght about the place. aud 20 see
how every one oi them knew his own
room of the little tenement
Most ol our nriEhhors had martins, hU'
they gavc them nothing 80 prCtcnIicuu a.
a houaA They mcrrly SGT Ions pap'
ling In the sround. with It's branches
cut on 20 as TO lcaNr a number OF short
spikes at the top. and then they huns
gourds ON those spikes; sourds with hoier
cut In one side No matter every martin
knew his own gourl and was perfectly
satisfied.
hut We determined TO have something
exceedingly anc In the way OF house
| and We induced Uncle Jack 10 help Us, a.
We explained our ideas TO him The re-
suit was that IN Few days We bad an
elegant little villa, with balconies all
around Il aud ak rooms IN each side
and Bert and Ned and ! took turns
painting Il from the paints tina, had been
lofi over when the house was rcnoyat,d.
As there were several colors, aut as We
used them with unspartng hand, the re-
sul may br hcttcr imagined than dcserth.
sd We admired IL, however. and Ned
said. with the greatest enthusiasm. that
the martin who wouldn', like house OF
that kind didn't have sense enough 10
come IN out OF tho rain,
We set the houS, nrmly on the end of
tall pole In the middle ol III, lawn bt
the hack Of the house and We knew that
we had !, up In good season for the
martins hid not yet made their appvar.
ance.
II was nearly month afterwards that
We heard the rrst note Of the familiar
song and then We all rushed TO look
su." enough. thrrr were half dozen
martins circllng abolt the new house
nnd We watched them cSulingiy True
not think of looking further after seeing
that house, what martin would b. sat
lsacd with gourd. when he could live
In villa with galleries an around Il. aud
with all that paint TO make Il beautiful
Every day for a week or 30. they few
around the house and sometimes they
pcrchcd on the roof, We had no doubt
that they were building. for there seemed
to b. the greatest cxcltemnt among
them Perhaps they were telling one an.
other that they had never seen anything
80 iine as thar house, and wondering how
amy scnsiblc martin could endure life IN
a gourd hut. all 40 once. Il seemed that
there were no martins anywhere around
Had they all left The country. Had some
dreadful calamity ovcrtnkcn them. and
killed every oneg
The question answered Itself. A. We
drove to church. the next sunday We
passed tho Foster place. and :here was
the tall pole with It's cluster OF gourda.
ana every gcurl was swarmlng with mar
tins.
Aunt Susan came home looking OK.
hecdlngly thoughtful.
There's something the matter with
that house" she declared Il believe you
children have put too much paint on II.
It's enough to frightcn martin into
spnsms TO look at taai paint. ana l,'a
no wonder they all went away"
Now we thought this very rngraieful,
after all our trouble; mud we told Aunt
Susan that martins need 10 have
their taste cultivated. nnd that nothing
helped TO cultivate ones taste like colors
And then. after Aunt Susan had said
''Nonsensel' We sat down dlsconsolnteiy
on the steps nnd looked at the martin.
house. the beautiful house, which the
birds had left tennntiew.
All at once Ned started up hurrle,ny
I'm going TO peep into thnt house and
&c u there Is anything the matter with n. -" 4,
ne declared; and without moments de- |
Iny we had the ladder ana were pushing
i up against the pole.
II wns not n very safe proceeding. for
ibe pole shook and wavered under ,he
weight; but It was firmly set In the
and we determined 10 rlsk n
Slowly and carefully Ned climbed ana
lrew himself up until his eyer were level
With the row Of rooms on that side.
An exclamation OF astonlshment burst
rom him. and he shouted with delight:
What do you think? Flying squirrels.
IS sure MS I'm llvnRl They're keeping
lots'e In this room; the old ones and
wo little ones!
Weal' this was discovery. II would
ave been very pleasant TO have hnd
he martins, Of course but what were
lartlns compared with flying saulrrelsg
'ur cries OF delight brought out the
lmily, including Aunt susan. who want
y to know II flying squirrels could keep
10 hawks away from her chickens.
Another wild shout from Ned, who q
'S '''' h'7 bhidilCt hh HOfnftflTik new ] !
VI swiftly and silently, almost brushing
ls face with its wings. and .Huttcred >
indly Into the hodge AT the back Of the ,
ard Z
"A screechowlH he cried jubiantly. d
Here's It's nest In one Of the upstairs n
IONS. We'll II this isn't nnel We've Il
happy family here. all our own" -
Filled With delight Ned came down h
ON the ladder and moved It around 10
G other side. n
There's no telling what we may find c,
re-" nc said, as he climbed back TO his 81
rch' Just as like az not, thereTl be q
eat American eagle or a roc, or some qt
ing Of that kind"
ust then his eyes we're opposite to the ~
oms OF the lower series. and then with HI
wall OF "ow!7 Ned came tumbllng pf
wn the ladder and few around the ar
use as fast as his legs would carry u
n. The rest Of US ran too not because at
saw anything, but because It seemed