Orange County observer., 1903-07-09

"AouSu part OF the FlOrida
.'eisiades. The members had heard
.nat about five miles from their camp
lee was nesting colony Of scarlet
1Dlses. The scarlet ibis Is a rare
enough bird in the United States to
make the fact of its nesting one of sci
entlnc interest. The Government oh
servers were determined to get details
VI. the nesting habits, the size o. the
colony and some other data for Smith
sonlan Institution use When they lad
reached a place near which they sup
posed the nesting colony to be they
heard the reports Of guns. ''Plume
hunters after the ibises,' said Philip
Ledyard's friend.
They are butchers" said Philip.
Let's push on and see if we can't
stop their devilish work.
They broke through the tangled bar
ners of the swamp and came upon
the scene. Heaps of beautiful scarlet
creatures with their feathers dyed a bit
deeper than the hue of nature in places
where shot had done it's cruel work
were scattered about in the open forest
glade. The slayers had finished their
work. The last mother bird, lingering
in the hopeless defense Of it's nestlings
had just fallen stricken to the ground.
The air was filed with the cries of
the young in their nests.
Ledyard, with no attempt to conceal
his anger and loathing, asked one Of
the human brutes how he could do
such work
ut pays, mister. ASK the women
folks; they wear EN-
Ledyard turned away. His friend
said: Phil, the man spoke truly. The
women wear them, and they know
about this cruelty, for it's been pub
lished broadcast. The scarlet ibis
brings more money than the white
egret because it is scarcer. This is the
first colony I ever saw in Florida.
Hear the young clamor for food.
They'll call for two days. Then they'll
be silent enough, because they'll be
dead-dead from starvation"
Philip Ledyard's year was up and he
was at home again. Josephine Battels
was there. She was beautiful. He
admitted it himself half reluctantly.
He. had seen Mary Martin twice. His
heart troubled him a bit when he saw
that she had grown pale and serious
since he last saw her. There was an
indecision in his heart for which he
reproached himself sharply. One, day
when he met her she was tending q
wounded robin. Her eyes We're full Of
tears-SzEPKiIiD @Ledyard went home
thoughtfully
That afternoon Josephine Battels
was to go driving with him. She start
ed for her room to get ready. "Jo-
sephine, DEAR" said Mrs Ledyard, "do
wear your new hat. I wish Philip to
see it. It is admirably suited to your
style Of beauty" Mrs. Ledyard added,
smiling.
Josephine Battels stood in the door,
way ready for the drive with the after
noon sun full upon her. Philip Led
yard looked at her with warm admira-
ton in his eyes. She was q beauty,
this girl. His gaze went to her hat.
with brilliant bit of color at its side.
Philip Ledyard looked again. The
striking fame-colored trimming was
the wing of a scarlet ibis.
It was only three days later when
Mrs. Schuyler Ledyard found a letter
on her plate at the breakfast table.
"Dear mother" it ran, "only two weeks
ago you told me had come into my
own You meant money. 1 did not
really come into my own until yester-
day when Mary Martin married me. 1
overheard you say to Mrs. Ganzevoort
I was so undecided that feather
would turn me either way. I don't
fatter myself Josephine would have
married me, but you prophesied better
than you knew when you spoke of the
feather. 1t was a feather, a red
feather, and when you ask me to bring
Mary home I'll tell you all about it.
Your loving son, Philip"
And Mrs. Ledyard, being a woman
and curious, and forgiving withal,
knew all about the feather within a
week.-Edward 3. Clark, in Chicago
Record Herald. 49,