The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1901-01-12

society from growing humdrum. On
thing, however, nettled the young robin
as soon as he was old enough to motto
the behavior of the people around hin
he would not stand teasing. Even j.
some one scraped a foot about on thu
threatening manner, and Viciousl,
beyond endurance, causing him to fluff
up his feathers, spread his wings in {
threatening manner, and viviousls
snap his mandlbles at the supposed of
fender. 1t would appear that the reli
gious training it received at the prayer
service did not exercise all the natura
depravity from his nature; in which re-
spect he seemed to be great deal like
most of his human relatives.
Still, in the main he was a docile pet
and good-natured withal. Perched or
his mistress shoulder he would accom-
pany her to the post-office, distance OF
at least five blocks, and back, apparent
ly enjoying his ride, and showing nc
sign of fear OF course, this was while
he was still too young to be suspicious
of mankind in general Perhaps IL
may be of some interest to know how
he came to be christened 'Rastus His
guardians youthful son, who had been
away from home for several weeks and
had never seen the bird, came into the
room one day, when Master Robin
straightway flew to the boys arm, and
sat there chirping for food. The lad
promptly called out, in the wellknown
slang phrase. Hi, there, Rastus!' and
from that time the name Of 'Rastus was
fastened upon the pet
lady found him somewhat Of burden,
especially as she desired to go away
from home for a time, and had no one
in whose care she could leave him. So
| she telephoned to me- asking whether
would accept him as gift. My reply
was decided affirmative, for so valu-
able a prize was not to be lightly cast
aside. Perched on her shoulder, she
carried the little darling all the way
| from the north to the south side OF the
town, distance of not less than eigh-
teen blocks. and he made no effort
whatever to escape, although by this
time he knew quite well how to use his
wings His little journey in the
world" took him through the busiest
part of the town.
FIe was placed in a large cage with a
brown thrasher Of about the same age,
and at once exhibited his irritable ma
ture by swapping sharply with his man
dibles at his new-made acquaintance,
which showed fear of him and became
quite nervous. 1t was interesting to
note how staid the robin was sitting
quietly on his perch and looking about
wisely, as If he were trying to reason
out the cause Of the change in his sur
roundings, while, in sharp contrast, the
thrasher fitted about in an excited
way. But 'Rastus made the thra sher's
life miserable with the repeated snap
ping of his beak and his threatening
gestures, and so he was transferred to
a cage Of his own. In large part he
still had to be fed by'hand, opening his
yellow-l lined mouth for the dainties
presented to him. BY and by however,
he refused TO take his food in this ju-
venile way, but picked it up in the
manner of adult birds, learning the fine
art by degrees and through his own I'M
folding intelligence
Even before he had learned to dine
in the most approved bird fashion he
began TO twitter a sweet little tune.
with his mandlbles closed, the sound
coming from his swelling throat All
summer long he was one of my bright
est pets, Occupying his cage In ne row
on my front porch. While rot lavish
OF his melody he sometimes delighted
me with solo in loud. CHEEKY tone
that bore some likeness 10 the robins
wel-known outdoor carol.
Ioya ,ro,, a,,a, .oa,, 4, l,;,1 +o1-;,r,
sunbath? 'Rastus was very fond OF
bath of this kind, az were all his feath-
cred comrades of the porch, When his
cage was set in the bright sunshine Of
the morning he would fluff up all the
plumes Of his body sprea1 out his
wings and fail to their furthest limit,
until each feather and Quill stood out
separately, and then bend his body i'll
the most grotesque way at the proper
angle to get the best effect from the lu-
minouh deluge. He and his comrades
made a laughable and pl sasinE picture
when posing in this odd postdre.
Nothing pleased 'Rastus more than
to be given the freedom of my study
He was especially fond of nosing
around on my writing table asld scat
terng my pencils ard pe1holders TO
right and left. He would jab pencil
with his bill, ana il 1t would fly from
him he would follow IT in a aingerly
way, but if it glanced toward hun, as
sometimes happened. he would leap up
and scan1per off IN the mus- ludicrous
style, only to return to the charge the
next moment. II also olcase1 him to
toss articles over the edge of the 6esk
and listen to the sound as they struck
the floor How knowingly lie would |
cant his head and look up at me. as |
much as to say: "Wasn'e thot cute I
trick? Don't you think me a smart +
bird ?" Another of his favorite anuse-
ments was to perch on the top Of my
typewriter and ride back and forth ON |
the carriage while I operated the ma
chine.
It was comica1 to see him try to stand
On the smooth, rounded end If the
cocker Of one of my chairs The sur
face was so smooth that he could not
seep his footing upon Il. How he
scrambled and fluttered and how an
yrily he scolded as he made the futile
,ffort. When I pursued HIM about the
DOM he would try to hide under the
hair seats, perching on tho rungs and
ockers.
In September, the weather being very
pleasant I decided to give him his
reedom in the great outdoors. He
mounted into the trees of the yard or
o the banisters of the roof porch and