The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1903-08-22

liASIN DelHS OIL seasoned OAK and mex
! DRY which the birds had taken from
cord-wood piles.
Il had cut my channel up the side Of
the nest nearly half way when came
to forked branch that could neither
break nor push aside | soon found
| that it was not loose, but that it be-
longed to the oak tree itself. 1t ran
out through the nest horizontally, ex-
tending little more than a foot beyond
the rough walls.
Backing down, I saw that this fork
was the support Of the bulge which
had given the nest its lOpsided appear
alcc. A few large timbers had been
rested across it, small loose pieces had
gradually lodged upon these and thus
in time brought about the big bulge.
Pushing off this loose stuff and the
few heavy timbers, | discovered that
the fork would bear my weight. 1t
row projected a little way from the
wall Of the nest | got a firm hold on
the forks out at their ends, swung clear
and drew myself up between them
After a lively scramble, l got care
fully to my feet, and clutching the
sticks protruding from the side stood
up. with my eyes almost on level
with the rim of the great nest. This
was better than cutting a channel, GER
tainly, at least for the ascent.
Over the protruding sticks Of the
-; 7 nj nj of
large dull-white eggs.
EGGS of shining gold could not
have so fascinated me. There were
Thousands of people who could have
gold eggs if they cared. But eagles
eggs! Money could not buy such a
sight as this.
Il was more than ever eager now
to get into the nest. Working my
fingers among the sticks of the rim
fer a firm grip, stuck my toes into
the rough wall and began to climb. At
some considerable hazard ana many
rents in my clothing wiggled up over
the edge into the hollow Of the nest
where the coveted eggs lay!
"The eagles were wheeling and
screaming overhead. The weird cac-
cac-cac! of the male came down from
far above me, while the female, circl-
ing closer, would swoop and shrill
her menacing, maniacal half-laugh al
most in my ears.
Their wild cries thrilled me.
seized the eggs, rose to my feet, and
stood upright in the nest. AS the
eagles hovered and swept over me
came perilously near trying to fly N.Y.
self. r.. tls,.." e. s
''The level marsh, the blue, hazy
bay. the far-off, unblurred horizon roll
ed wide and free about me. The wild,
free winds from the sea blew on my
face until l screamed with joy at the
screaming eagles.
"The sound of my voice seemed to
infuriate the birds. The male turned
suddenly in his round and swooped
directly at me. The movement was
instantly understood By his mate, who
thus emboliened, cut under him and
hurled herself downward, passing with
a vicious grab at my face. l lodged,
or she would have hit me.
"For the moment l had forgotten
where I stood, and in lodging the
eagle I almost stepped over the edge
of the nest. l caught my balance and
dropped quickly to my knees, COM
pletely unnerved.
Fear like panic took instant mole
on me. Only one desire possessed m9
to get down. I crept to the edge AMI
looked over. The sight made me
lzzy. Sixty feet of almost empty
air! Far down a few small limbs in
tervened between me and the ground.
But there was nothing by which to
descend.
Il was dismayel, and my express
sion, my posture-something betrayed
my confusion to the eagles. They
Immediately lost all dread of me-
While was looking over, one of them
struck RE stinging blow on the mead,
knocking my cap off into the air.
THAT started me. l must climb
uO" IL VI De hHOChCu ONCl. IL OiIy
had continued with my channel to
the top! If only that forked branch
by which I ascenied were within
reach! But how could back over the
haring rim Of my whole length and
swing my body under against the in
ward slanting nest until my feet could
touch it? But if l ever got down that
was what I must do, for the eagles
gave me no chance to cut a channel
now.
Laying the eggs back for the time
in the hollow, I began tearing away
the rim of the nest in order to clear
a place over which to back down.
II was momentarily in danger of
being hurled off by the birds. for I
could not watch them and work, too.
And they were growing bolder with
every dash. One of them, driving
fearfully from behind. flattened me
cut on the nest. Had the blow been
delivered from the front should have
been knocked headlcng to the ground.
Il was afraid to delay longer.
good sized breach was opened in the
rim of the nest by this time. And
.ow. if the sticks would not pull out,