The Savannah morning news., 1901-11-17
BInDVILlE TALES.
I.-Why Mr.. Blue Jays Feathers
Are Blue.
By Raymond Fuller Ayers.

Copyright, 1901, by r. F. Ayers.)
very long time ago Mr.. Blue Jays
feathers were white as snow, and as
popularity in their appearance. he was
then known as Mr.. White Jay. He was
then. and is yet, a great thief, almost
as bad as Mr.. Crew. and none of the
other birds could feel sure of keeping
anything they owned when he was in
the neighborhood. He was so very
white that he could be seen a long
way off in the summer time, and so
when the weather was warm, and the
trees and fields were green, he was
not nearly so successful in thieving.
But in the winter, when the ground
was covered with snow, he could
hardly be seen at all, except where he
was flying, for he was just the color
of the snow, and when he kept still
he looked just like a SNOWFALL, and
anyone could almost step on him with
out knowing he was anywhere in the
neighborhood.
One winter the weather was so cold
that the ground was covered with
snow all of the time, and Mr.. White
Jay stole more things than he knew
what to do with, for he could go d.
rectly up to anyone and not be seen
If he walked carefully. One day Mr..
Woodpecker was going along the road
with basket of groceries, grumbling
a good deal because the walking was so
bad through deep snow when off flew
his hat, clear over the fence, falling
in field on a snowdrift.
My! That was sudden guest of
wind!" said Mr.. Woodpecker. and he
put his basket down in the road and
climbed over the fence to get his hat:
1t was not the wind at all, but Mr..
White Jay, who had snatched MIR.
Woodpecker's hat from his head and
thrown it over the fence, in order to
get him away from his basket of gro
ceries.-
Before Mr.. Woodpecker had recover
ed his hat and climbed back over the
fence, he was surprised to see his bas-
ket travelling UP the road at a great
rate. Mr.. Woodpecker could not see
that Mr.. White Jay was running off
with his basket, for he was just the
snow color. so Mr.. Woodpecker ran
after the basket calling to it to stop.
That made the basket go faster than
ever, but Mr. Woodpecker would soon
have caught it had not Mr. White Jay
cried out in squeeky voice that it was
only taking some exercise and Mr..
Woodpecker need not trouble himself
about catching il, for it would be back
presently. Mr.. Woedpecker thought
that it was the basket which spoke and
he was so surprised that he stood right
still, and the basket soon disappeared
Then Mr.. Woodpecker scratched his
head and said that he had never heard
a basket speak before, nor had be
ever seen "a basket or anything else
slide up bill. He happened to look
down on the ground and there were
Mr., White Jays. footprints, so Mr.
woodpecker knew who the thief was.
The next day Mr.. Cat Birds grand
mother had a party on her birthday
and those invited were promised a
| fine dinner, but the day was so stormy
that very few of them came. The snow
| fell so fast that no one could see more
than two feet ahead out of doors ano
the wind blew terribly. OF course, the
old lady birds that grandmother Cat
Bird had invited to her birthday party
were not strong enough to go out ir
such weather, and when dinner time
came none of the party had come but
old Aunt Fish Hawk and Grandmother
| Wild Goose, they both lived near anc
did not mind the storm very much. The
dinner was all on the table and the
family and the two guests were just
sitting down down when there came q
| loud knock at the door.
| 20! There is some one else come t.
my birthday party" said Grandmother
Cat Bird. do, please, some one, oper
the door quick" Mr.. Cat Bird opened
the door and it came terrible bias
| of wind and a lot of snow that blew
all about the room. The snow came
in a perfect sheet. and the birthday
party could scarcely see. but they were
| all very much surprised when a great
white thing lit on the table and Their
! f1opped out of the door again takine
the birthday cake along.
my goodness, gracious, 1 never saw