The evening times., 1898-03-18
The Farmer and the Eagle.
(From the Mhittier.l

There interested crowd before a large
glass front. Everybody that came along stopped
either TO make inquiries or elbowed in toward
the window to see what the attraction was In.
side was a magnificent white-headed eagle
There chain from its right foot TO a huge
piece of iron, some water in a pan, an untouched
piece of fish, a few sods and large card with
the words, For Sale
The big birds wings dropped, on either side.
TO its feet Its eyes were glazed and dim-look-
ing. 1t opened and shut them now and then,
but never once turned them to the jostlng.
noisy crowd that stood just outside the glass
There were no marks of violence to he seen but
the dull pathetic eyes, the dropping wings, the
soiled white about the head. and the ruffied
feathers over the body showed that the captive
had been in chains much longer than it had
been in the window l--l'
One of the crowd in the street was a sturdy
young farmer who had come into town early
that morning. lie had pushed his way to the
front and stood looking in silence for a long
time at the great helpless bird He was sure
he had seen il before. II had been captured, he
learned from what some of the crowd said, in
the country from which he had come. That set
tied it; it was the same bird.
He had seen it on the mountain wehere be
sometimes had hunted for a stray sheen He
knew the big pine in the top of which II mad its
nest. He had noted it soar majestically and
free about him as he worked in the valley and
had seen it sit motionless for hours on the top
OF some tail, distant ranplke. Now and then he
had had suspicion that it had carried off an
occasional lamb, and had more than once tried
TO shoot the bird, but had never succeeded in
getting enough.
The young farmer elbowed his wav along
the window to the door of the store; then he
went in. -''
What dye want for that bird?' said he. ''Pd
Ike to buy inn
1.-TWO dollars was the reply.
very well; III take 'im.''
He paid over the money, and the bird was
handed out to him.
The crowd at the window watched eagerly as
the farmer came out with the big eagle under
his arm, and went straight across the street to
where ladder leaned against billboard that
was some ten twelve feet high At the foot
of the ladder he stopped and took the chain from
the birds leg; then he went slowly up and
placed his old friend-or enemy, he was not sure
which, but no diference-on the top of the bill
board and came down.
The great bird had been a prisoner so long
that il seemed for a time 10 have forgotten how
to be free. 1t sat for while as it had sat in the
window, But gradually 1T, osme to. itself 1t
lifted first one dropping wing and tucked it
closely to its side, and then the other 1t raised it.
self slowly to its full height, and stretched out
its great head toward the, sky. The dulness
flashed in; then, nervously stretching out its
huge pinioDs either side and taking step or
two forward, it rose with hoarse scream and
swept out toward the sum- q ''e
burst of applause from the crowd met the
farmer as he recrossed the STREET. % ,'f .
Il had seen him on the mountain" he said,
"an' +! couldn't bear to see him there He
pointed TO the window; then, in a moment, he
was gone.