The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1900-05-18
YOUNG FOLKS COLUMN.

The Little Sea m 8 tress.

The Little Seamstress.
She sat in her little rocking chair, assigning
and twirling her thumbs;
"Oh, everything for my doll is done, and
never, never to mending comes.
l haven't a mOrsel Of sewing. Dear mother,
in all the town,
Can't you find me one doll, no matter how
small, who will wear out her gown"
Mary +. Wilkins
Which wac Col. Brook 7
In big, sunny barn chamber stood
basket filled with hay. In this soft nest
a proud mother cat was purring her four
babies to sleep.
One was maltese, with sky-blue eyes,
Two were black and white But one
was black all over-not white sock to
his foot nor even white necktie under
the dear little chin. He was the one
chose
l named him COL Brooks. A pretty
big name for a kitty baby, wasn't it?
Well, he was a darling from the very
start. He loved and trusted everybody
You should have seen him step up to
our big dog Rufus, without one sign of
fear, coaxing him to be friendly with the
sweetest of love-making.
And old Rufus, who up to that time
had hated the very sight of cat. fell
in love with the little colonel on the spot.
Col. Brooks had never slept by HIM
self, so he would have been very home
sick if Rufus had not shared his bed
with him. Uncle Will made it his bust
ness to sec that they went to bed early
But one night, when Uncle Will was
very, late i'll coming home, he found
black kitty on the front doorstep, cry
ing to be let in. He supposed, of course,
it was COL Brooks. So he picked him
up, put him on the cellar stairs, and
told him to go straight to bed.
Then Uncle Will seated himself to read
the tn evening evening paper: But no sooner was
kitty, for all the world like the colonel,
jumped into his lap, purring like small
steam engine.
''Is this you, Col. Brooks?'' cried Uncle
Will: Didn't | just put you down eel.
lar! How did you get up here?'
Uncle Will hardly could believe his
arm, and went down the cellar stairs
to have this strange matter explained.
But when Uncle Will reached the foot
of the stairs, the queerest thing hap
pened.
Another black cat came out to meet
him.
And what was the most puzzling of all.
the cat on the cellar floor was just like
the cat in Uncle Wills arms, and the cat
in Uncle Wills arm was just like the
cat on the cellar floor. Not white hair
on either of them, and just the same
size! Oh dear me! How was Uncle viii
kitty?'
Just then snore came from the box
"Oho!' cried Uncle Will, "I'n take
both cats over to Rufus. He'll know
which is Col. Brooks inside of two min
utes! | should say SO! In just one tail
wag, Rufus knew what to do. He gave a
growl that sounded like small clap of
thunder.
And, 10 and behold! the kitty under
Uncle Willis right arm leaped to the top
of the woodpile, kissing with anger and
fright.
But the little black kitty under Uncle
Willis other arm gave spring straight
into the heart of Rufus warm bed, and
began to rub noses with his big friend.
Then Uncle Will knew that this on"
was Col. Brooks. But, if it hadn't been
for that wise old Rufus, he might never
have found out to this very day.-Emily
J. Langley in Youths Companion.
When Eagles Build.
At the tops Of tall old trees in the
heart of swamps and heavy woodland,
situated usually in the vicinity of water.
the bald eagle builds. Its great mass of
tangled roots and decayed branches from
the surrounding trees, or driftwood
from the shores, is conspicuous land
mark for many miles around. Several
carloads of wood are frequently used i'll
the construction, and some of the eyries
are occupied by the same birds for years.
From two to three eggs of a dull white
color and slightly larger than the domes-
+,I t,V~% t,o nn1n
in February and March, and the young
birds come out of the shells in time to
get the benefit of the great run of fish
in the waters Of the bay early in the
spring. The food of the young birds
consists mainly Of fish and fowls and
occasionally small animals.
The eagles habit of robbing the fish
hawk CT its well-earned prey is charac-
teristic of it's foraging propensitics. Ere
qurntly when hungry the great birds fol
low the tishhawk, and as the hawk
arises from the water after Il plunge,
with a cry the eagle sweeps downward
upon the unfortunate fisher and, causing
motion, grasp the fish i'll it's talons and,
soaring upward, leave the Inflated hawk
screaming with rage below him. The
eagles bully the fishhawks to such an ex-
tent that the poor birds are afraid to
meet their tornentors and begin to cry
out in most pathetic manner when the
eagles appear. AS scavengers about the
shores of the bay and it's tributaries, the
eagles are somewhat akin to the vul-
lures, as they appropriate the dead fish
and other flesh which is washed up by
the wares.
Although much of the eagles prey
| comes with but little exertion, there ere
times when it becomes necessary for
them to work for food. The great birds
have been known, when pressed by hun
| ger, to swoop down upon flocks of ducks,
brant and even wild geese. selecting Il
| particular fowl as the flock scattered,
and, giving chase, usually securing the
quarry after fight of several hundred
yards. Wounded ducks and other small
err wild fowl are legitimate prey for tn"
| eagles, and on the fresh water marshes
muskrats which are left in traps after
| sunrise are frequently appropriated. Do
nestle fowls also suffer from raids of the
eagles, and as the farmers are constant
I ly on the watch for shot at the great
BIRDS the species is rapidly diminishing.
Along the watercourses Of the Eastern
Shore are favorite haunts OF the eagles,
and many nests are in the vicinity of the
streams. Marketing the large timber b rs
destroyed many of the best nesting sites
and few very old nests now remain in
| the state :. !. s.-.*> p
| The bird commonly known as black
eagles are the young during their first
year when the plumage lacks the white