The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-12-25
FREEDOM FOB A SONG.

| berger, the bird fa1fItT. re NIikSu up
/ and down the dirty floor of his store and
paused at the door, which looked out on
the little sunlit back yard. where some
disreputable sparrows cluttered III the
| soot-landen branches Of a burgeoning
tree. 1t was April. and the wine Of spring
was in the tlngiing breeze He walked
between tiers OF little cells. in which yeip-
ing poodles and snarling terriers clawed
and cursed at their prison bars.
Schwartzberger stood behind his win
dow. and through the dirty glass watched
the faces Of the people who stopped 10
view mis- living wares. Men, women and
| children paused to watch the grave antics
| of a monkey lOrding it over litter OF bull
pups in the big cage. Boys pressed their
noses against the pane, laughed and went
away Girls with kind eyes pointed at
canaries, linnets, f1nches and bIuebirds
swinging IN small prison cells. but one by
one the gazers went away. hungry
! looking man, smooth of face and pinched,
| fingered longest. His clothes were new
and cheap and fitted badly. 50 that
| Schwartzberger saw little chance OF a
| sale. he doled water and food 10 all
| his prisoners, grumbled as he shortened
their allowance and went back 10 the win
| dow
The blue-eyed. hungry-looking man was
still there. The dealer stepped out and
said:
1T iss someding you wish? Yes?'
How much for that canay there?"
! asked the stranger. That one with the
voice? Hear him. And the fellow lis
tened with a vague smile as # the bird
brave song pleased him.
"Oh, dat yellow. Yust came in ant see
him"
They went inside and the eager
Schwartzberger lifted down the little
wooden cage in which the songster sat.
Scared. isn't hep" nurmured the stran-
ger wistfully. Guess he thinks you're
the taller ard I'm the sheriff"
The dealer explained that the bird was a
Hartz Mountain songster of rare voice
and noble lineage. How much?"
"FoOr tollars, grimaced the merchant,
holding up the cage. "Dere iss few only
of him left"
Too much, too much" sighed the Gus
toner wandering sadly along the tier of
prisoners but lingering some coins in his
pocket, so that Sehwartzberger' cUpidity
kept alert
'.Vell, how much you would spent?"
Two dollars is my limit explained the
customer, pausing before a linnet which
seemed determined TO burst his small
neck with furious roundelay.
Now, dot ISIS q fine songster, vich I will
let YOU hat for two tollar. Hiss tail ISIS
came out ant he ISIS yeti moulting.
aber-'
An right, I'll take him. I guess he can
fly all right?'
The stranger pulled out his money and
counted out s. in small coins. The mer-
chant resumed his solicitude.
Il hat nice leetle cage. vich you must
see ir" he gurgled, bustling about. "for
sefenty-fve cents it iss; all brass ant dose
two leetle glass feeders. So"
Cage, hi scorned the purchaser.
NO cage for my bird"
But dose leetle wooden tings ISIS too
small. it ISIS yust for carry bairds in
"Oh, that's all right, HeiDy," laughed
the stranger. growing merry as he peered
lovingly at his iinnet; I've got a better
scheme than that"
And he walked to the back door. which
looked out on the uingy little yard where
the chattering sparrows frolicked in the
budding tree, and patches OF sun-warmed
grass glorided the coming spring.
Schwartzberser followed him wondering.
but the queer fellow did not pause till he
stood beneath the tree. Then he slipped
out a few Of the wooden bars Of the cage
and, holding it aloof. said:
Now cut for the woods Mr. Linnet.
Hike for tall TIMBER
The song bird hoped into the tree,
whence the frightened sparrows had fed
and. skipping from branch to branch TIL
he sat in the crest OF young, green leaves
stood up. bob-tailed. but TRANSPORTED. and
spouted forth fountain Of triumphant
melody. The scrawney man who had re-
leased the little bird stood beneath in the
cool shadows with eyes aglow. lips laugh
ing and ears fatteTed with the music Of
the freed singer.
Schwartzberger stood in the doorway
with his old brass cage dangling by his
side.
Wy did you did it?" he whned. coming
out and staring at his odd patron; nov,
dot baird viii vent away. He ISIS 70 fly
avay-seer'
And sure enough, the linnet rose lightly
into the blue air and sailed away toward
the sun.
IVY did I did it. Ell. Heiny?" sneered
the fellow, tossing the empty cage into
the ash heap and laughing again. 1T was
my baird, wasn't it,
And he walked out through the store
whistling gaily Schwartzberger looked
after him, examined each coin Of the s..
found them good and muttered in his
beard: DOT yellow is vat you call bug
playhouse. I must told Rachel" and
when the woman came in with his lunch
they marveled much at the queer actions
of the linnet buyer. The following Satur-
day he came again He was better dressed
and his lip was darllened by a growing
from his face and the hunted stare from
his eyes. He laughed in the merchants
face as he came IN, and there was music
i'm his voice as he said;
wei. old Heiny, got any Hartz warb-
1ers LETT"
wy. sure, and also some fingers from
dot Plack Vorest.'
Schwartzberger eyed him askance as he
wandered along the counter peeking at
e0aF-
to the plant Of her scared brood.
Heres a fine fellow. he said at last.
How much for him, HeiHv2
Tree tolIars vifty-A Swiss cock nit.
600 such a voicei
The buyer counted out $3.50. lounged
away 10 the back door and released the
Z bird The merchants bright eyes buiged
with surprise as he watched the pleased
/ face Of his customer. half afraid that the
man was q maniac and might do him
harm. But the odd fellow only stood
smiling aIoft at the yellow chorister en-
the tree tim il spread its golden wings and
darted 70 the roof. and thence away into
the free summer.
And at intervals all through the summer
the STRANGER came and bought birds.
sometimes one. sometimes two; laughing
always - himself end radiant always as
/ he watched the apotheosis Of the liberated
creatures 80 they reese from the yard and
vanished
Neest.r. vat you call e." sad
( Schwartzhcreer ore day after - snd
/ Rachel had watched and wondered az the
delshted prodigaiity. vat iss you name.
( bleaseg'
Goddard. he smiled TON Goddard.
Hcinv; that's me
.Ach. Meester Gottard. dis iss nv von-
an Rachel and the merchant nodded 81
/ dis wife WOW Neester Gottsrd. w g
iss7 ny are gray mix dis p-zness uir
SOU W il lss you tr0w dem haiTts arsEs