The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-09-11

| OIL. lie would tHell use MS wings to
purpose and the parent birds would be
filled with pride and exultation. If the
untried wings showed signs of failure
in returning to the nest one of the par
ent birds would come beneath him
and lift him with powerful wing to a
height that would make him return
! sure and easy
| Unhappily one of the commodore's
dogs, who knew better seized one of the
| storks by the wing, and injured it so
| that it dragged and Of course, the bird
could not fly. The commodore, find
| ing that the wing was ouly lacerated,
| but not broken, bound ii up in place.
put the stork in a large cage in the
night and had it out to feed in the day
time. It's companions stayed by it in
anxious sympathy all the day, and only
when it was used would they return
to their nest. 1t seemed so much like
human sympathy that Commodore Por-
| ter resolved that if good feeding would
save the wounded bird, he should be
ready for the flight southwark when all
the storks would leave The stork at
length began to use its wing for flying
down, but it was longer in getting able
to rise even six or eight feet, and moth
ing would tempt it to regain it's nest.
1t had lost courage and confidence, and
had evidently formed an attachment
to the commodore.
But now the case assumed another
aspect. A Gathering and knocking and
scraping was heard high up in the
heavens, and behold, thousands of
cto a hppt
all the storks from river, brook and
seashore, from tree-top and chimney
top, to prepare for the southwark flight
A large body swept down low over San
Stefano. and deputation of four
alighted to examine the disabled com
panon. After time they rose high
into the air, made their report and all
storks went home Their reappearance
for their final fight was expected in
about three or four days, when they
would gather in full force, and allowing
one solitary leader, they would take a
lofty flight for tropic fields.
Day after day, for two whole weeks,
the commodore waited for them, when,
at length, they came in gathering nocks,
as far as the eye could reach, probably
from all Roumelia, Macedonia and it
may be from the banks of the Danube
A large flock lowered low over the
wounded mate, with a tremendous
CATERING of their big red bills. A few
allghted, and, after due examination
and consultation. all departed but two
stalwart fellows who were commits
stoned to remain and share the fate of
the wounded They were the christian
commission" Of the storks. Then one
stork led off in lofty steady flight |
with outstretched neck, toward the
south; two others followed and three,
and SO on. until the base Of the triangle
thus formed was some hundreds of feet. |
Then flock after flock fell in and the |
long column at length disappeared
Commodore Porter resolved to give |
the three storks the best possible winter
quarters 1t was already very late for |
their migration When the wounded |
was again able to mount to its native |
home, the chimney-top, It was evident
that his two attendants were preparing |
for fight
A great Gathering of bills called out |
the commodore, and the news ran
through the village that the birds were
going to take leave. Every one turned
out to view the start. Never were
storks before thus honored. They put |
off in direct line, the wounded one
second He could not quite maintain
the level of their flight He would GER
tanly fall into the sea of Marmora
The commodore followed them with his
glass, and saw the rear guard at length
come underneath the poor fellow, take
him on his back and bear him high into
the air for another flight So they dis
appeared,
"They will have about fifty miles to
fly on that line before they can find rest
and fodder" said the commodore, but
hose gallant fellows will do 1t, They
will do it or all perish together. Pres
)yterian Banner.