The Portland daily press., 1899-08-29
sToR s on THE ORIENT.
Their interesting way. and Their
Care for nfaimed Comrades.


right on the snoro OF the beautiful sen OF
Marmora. IL was charming place for a
war worn veteran TO enjoy the quiet eyen-
ing Of life. In all that region north OF the
sea Of Marmora extending beyond the
Balkan mountains to the Danube the
stork Re favorite bird. Along the north
Of Marmora whore there are very few tall
trees the stork builds its nest on the tops
Of ohimneys which In the East are always
covered. the smoke issuing from side
windows or openings. Tho nests are very
rude in appearance, about as large as q
two bushel basket. Sticks rs large as your
finger are skilfuily woven into them.
They are made soft and nice with moss
skillful bird thinks will make her parlor
comfortable. The stork has two long
legs, but for some reason or other gen.
orally stands upon one, the other drawn
up among his feathers. / think | have
So en- as many as 60 in a row on a rive
bank. each one standing on one leg. When
thus standing In repose 10 Is about three
feet high the chief part OF the height be-
ing leg and neck. 1t stalks over the field
with an awkwardsgait. its neck alert, and
its lightning stroke finishes the race of
uhS Shdhts lishfut buuus Dug OF OG0br
'vermin' on the ground. From kitchen
refuge IL selects what suits its taste and
is bold In claiming It. IL has no voice.
The strange chatter OF its broad Hat bill, Is
understandable. IL seems to play rough
tunes to Its mate.
Commodore Porter had storks' nest
on the chimney OF his kitchen, build
ing separate from the house and connect
ed by covered way. The chimney was
tall. round like a column, and very pic
turesquely covered by this rough nest.
The commodore took great delight In
Watching the social life Of his storks. es-
pecially when they came to teach the
youngsters to fly. The young, awkward.
iong-legged thing would stand ON the
rim Of the nest and flap it's wings, hrs
fear to launch away, while the old stork r
would career around and chatter theie
bills ruprovingiy and coaxingly, but
vainly. At length. patience exhausted,
push and topple him off, He wonld then
uso his wings TO purpose and the parent
birds would be filled with pride and ex-
ultation. IL the untried wings showed
signs of failure in returning 20 the nest
one of the parent birds would come be-
meath him and lift him with powerful
wing to height that would make his
return sure and easy.
Unhappily, gone of the comnodore's
dogs, who knew better, seized one Of the
storks by the wing, and injured 1t so
that tt dragged, and OF course, the bird
could not iiy. The commodore, finding
that the wing was only laosrated, but
not broken, bound 1t up in place, put
the stork in large cage In the. night and
had 1t out to feed in the day time. Its
companions stayed by 1t in anxiou sym.
pathy all the day, and only when Ii was
housed would they return to their nest.
IL seemed so much like human sym pathy
hat Enrr. .RfxdsN AArfoe sod IL
good feeding would save the wounded
bird, he should he ready for the flight
south ward when all the storks would
lsave. The stork at length began to use
It's wing for Tying down, but 1t was
longer In getting abls 10 rise even six or
eight feet. aud nothing would tempt 1t
to regain Its nest. 1t had lost courage
and confidence. and was satisfied with Its
condition, and had evidently formed an
attachment to thelcommo6ore.
But now the case assumed another as.
pect. A Gathering and knocking and
scraping was heard high up in the heav-
ems, and behold, thousands of storks were
careering about, calling out all the storks
from river, brook and sea shore, from
tree top and chimney-top, to prepare for
the southwark flight. large body
swept down low over San S6efano and
a deputation OF four alighted to examine
the disabled companion. After time
they rose into high air. made their report,
and all the storks went home. Their re-
appearance for their final flight was ex-
peoted in about three or four Gays, when
they would gather. inEfull force, and, fol-
lowing one solitary leader. th,v would
take q lofty flight for tropic fields. Day
after day, for two whole weeks, the com
modore waited for them, wien, at length
they came in gathering CLOCKS, as far as
the eye could reach, probably from all
Roumelia, Macedonia and it may be from
the banks OF the Danube.
A large tiook lowered low over the
wounded mate, with a tremendous clat-
tering of their big red bills. A few
alighted and, after due examination and
consolation, all departed but two stal-
wart fellows, who were commissioned to
remain and share tho fate of the wound
ed. They were the "Christian commits
sion" OF the storks Then one stork led
oil in lofty, steady flight, with out
stretched 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 not their purpose at all
to stay. 1t was already very late for their
migration. When the wounded was again
ahle to mount to his native home, the
chimney-top, 1t Was evident that his two
attendants were preparing for flight.
A great Gathering OF bills called out
the commodore, and the news ran through
the village that the birds were going TO
take leave. livery one turned out to
view the start. Never were storks before
thus honored They put of In direct
line, the wounded one second. He could
not quite maintain the level of their
flight, He woullcertaInly fall into the
sea of Marmora. The kCommodore fol-
lowed 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 disappeared.
"Ihey will havs about fifty miles to fly
on that line before they can find rest and
fodder said the commodore. "but those
gallant fellows will do it, They will do
IL or all nerish torether -