, 1897-10-11
LAUGHING FRIENDS.
THEY WERE GuLLs Ano WERE ac-
ouAiNTEo WITH THE PuRsER.


FAsy Had Noises to Which Zach Answered
when Caiied-Hoverine Over the ve~sei
- He Fed-No Wonder thu Passenger
was Intsrestsd.
Tbs air wns filed with strange laughter
-"Ha, hni" In very high notes; .'tu, ba.
haI' in the deepest buss, then q Choir US Of
wild cries that appeared to come from any
where, every where, greatly astonishing u
little boy that stood on the spray washed
deck Of an out bound came
Its the laughing gulls," said the
purser, who noticed his umnzenicnt. Then,
following the motion Of his hand, the lit
tic passenger rilnced upward and saw the
cause Of all the noise On the gilt ball
Tint snrmounted the topmnst Of tho roll.
ing steamer sat a lnrGc white gull, sway
ing to and fro In its efforts to preserve its
balance. On the foremost perched anoth-
er, while ti,e booms and other points OF
vantage were similarly occupied by gulls
Of various colors.
Are they laughing ut uss" asked tho
boy.
mo indeed" replid the good nntured
PoiS0A- All INV 4hito FuhV, II L
Imagine that they are asking me to give
them their dinner"
"Why, do they know you?' said the hoy.
II should think so,' snid the officer.
why, they follow me from San Pedro to
the island and back, 81 miles, every day
except Sunday"
Wont they fly on S%undayss" asked the
boy again.
"Oh, yes" was the reply, but the
steamer doesn't sail on Sunday now. but
every other day they join mo ard fly along.
When thoy get tired. they nliRht on the
steamer, and they NIL seom to be very fond
Of trying TO balance themselves on the
masthead. You seq, 1t Is very slippery.
and when the boat Is rolling about they
have to work very hard. especially Jack,
who has bit one leg"
IL wish I could gee him" said the little
boy, who was greatly Interested In the
birds.
THAT'S very easy matter" responded
the officer. Go into the cabin whore the
birds ant see you and l will have Jack
down here In no tire"
The boy moved into the cabin. where
the other passengers had gone to escape
wind M spray. while the purser stepped
to the eide Of the stenmer.
III, tuciOt bASh uC W bLuppiu
his fingers over tho rail and thrusting his
other hand into the pocket Of his pea
jacket.
The gull on the geld ball slid of, while
. fiuttering cloud of white wings, present
ing q striking contrast to the blue water,
appeared NJ II by magic ut the stern and
over the dcck, all laughing loudly In their
way.
Az the purser held up his hard down
swooped n lnrge and eautiful gull. md
hovertd in the air not seven feet above the
deck, just over him, turning It's head this
way and thnt In eager expectation. 1t
was not disappointed, for the officer tossed
. bit Of ment into the air. which tho gull
ceftly caught.
"That's luck, " the purser called to the
little boy: who was peeping out Of the open
window.
Jack had been shot and one of his legs
was gone, while the other leg. which had
probably been wounded, hung directly
down, as though he were holding 1t out to
shake hands.
"Tbat big brown fellow is old Tom"
said the officer. He rarely misses n trip,
and the one chasing the other l Gull Sinok-
or because he once picked up . cigar that
some one threw over. hut he very soon
utIFt ootr hib III NY
laughing trn velers. ~ continued the purser,
tossing some meat into the mir, which the
birds caught. becausc they travel with
me all day, and ure always laughing.
Whether 1t Ia really laughing l don't
know" added the officer when they ARE
standing ON shore, they how their heads so
that the bill almost touches the ground,
then they raise 1t high In the air, and just
then comes the ia, hal Now, what would
you says"
why, I should think they were hugh.
ing ut something among themselves. WAS
the reply.
"Anywny, continued the purser. "tiey
have a good denl To laugh about, us every
day | bring them some bread and ment,
and give them a feast. and they all know
me-"
Don't you over forget the'ms" asked
the little boy.
II did once was the reply.
And did they laugh just the same that
dnyf"
II think they did, - aAid the officer.
"Thon l think they are very cheerful
birds. - said the boy.
$50 they urc," laughed the purser.
Here, Tom" hs called. holding up HIS
hand Whereupon u gull approached with.
In two or three feet Of It nnd caught the
piece Of meat he tossed, while the other
birds came lowering about.
To the little passenger 1t was q wonder.
full sight. as, despite the fact that the
steamer was moving rapidly, the birds
lowered overbesd Without moving wing
or pinion. seemingly carried along with
the vessel.
Some Of tho guils left the steamer at tho
big island and did not return until tho
pext day, and many were the tricks
pranEs thai they played upon the seals.
the peliosns md the fishermen. II u FISH,
ermnn left IL 18th exposed for a moment,
they would aliaht oil the beach and wink
by 1t with u very innocent air. then finally
grasp 1t dir.ctly from undo the mans
EYES and fly nwuy with II %resounding laugh,
pursued by all the other Rulls, struggling
tor this prize.
The seals were great pests, diving down
and taking out the fish us they became
ailled In the nets, nut they had Una habit
that give the laughing travellers" an nd.
vantage. The seals would combine pleas
ure with work, and when they had taken
4 fall out Of the net they would toss 1t in
the alr, cntching IT like a ball. 1t was at
this time that the Rulls, perhaps Jack.
Tom or Smoker. would dart In and seize
II, and with n chorus Of cries 60 flying
away with che twioe stolen flsh.
Once n year the gulls made . visit 10 u
bleak rock, abous 70 snilss distant, where
they laid their specklsd ssss, which the
sum PATCHED nut. In time the little birds
learned 10 fly and made their way south.
s0nu perhaps joining the Laughing trav-
rlers'' ~jonrneyed daily aoross the San
In Catalina channsl.-Chxfles +. Holdes
In Phiisdelphia Times.