The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1904-10-13
A CLEVER BULLFINCH.

Don was very unhappy when l was
out Of sight. His cage was hung at
first in a glass conservatory, where lie
had sunshine. flowers and two canary
birds for company. But he did not care
for them. He wanted something else.
He was silent and Eoping. So the
loving little bird was made happy by
being placed in my room upstairs.
1t was wonderful how soon he
learned to distinguish my step. Often
his clear. sweet tone could be heard
pouring from his dainty throat. Or
perhaps he was silent. 1t was all the
same. The instant my step sounded
in the hall below or on the stairs, the
whistle ceased. or the silence was brok-
en-. "Come he'ere. come he'ere, come
he'cre.' was the eager cry. Of course,
1 always did come he'ere.' And then
the delight OF the dear little fellow was
touching. Down he jumped to the
door of his cage post haste. Then,
puffcd UP like ball. he bowed right
and left, dancing to and fro as II
wound up to run for hours. And such
a sweet piping rs there was, too.
But he never played about the room
when was away. He was too sorrow
full for that. His favorite haunt, next
to my head or shoulders. was my bu-
reau. He loved to hop all over it; but
he loved best Of all to mount the big,
fat pincushion. II was such fine fun
to pull out all the pins and drop them
OH the bureau scarf. Sometimes he
carried them to the edge of the bureau
and dropped them on the floor.
One day I bent the point Of large
pin and twisted it well into the cush'
lon. 1t was rather naughty, to be sure,
but | wished TO see what Don would
do about it. The other pins came out
and were dropped as usual. Then came
the tug OF war. The poor little bird
pulled and pulled and tugged and
tugged. The big pin moved, but did
not come out. He put his head on one
side and eyed it severely. He was not
one of the "giveup' sort. He had made
I'D his mind to conquer that pin. he
worked very hard for at least ten
minutes. Then the plaintive Come
he'ere. come he-ere. come hc-ere! rang
out.
I waited to see what he would DO
next. And what do you think: He
thought little, then mounted the cush-
ion again. and whistled and danced to
that obstinate pin. But it stayed rlght
where it was. Then he seized it once
more, and tugged so hard that his tiny
feet slipped and he sat right down.
Next he got up and stared at it, then
hoppcd to the edge Of the bureau ana
called again, Come he'crc, come
he'ere."
could not tease him any longer ana
went 20 the rescue. The moment that
min WAS loose. Don seized it with Il
happy chuckle. Hopping 10 the pack
part of the bureau, he dropped the pin
down between 1t and the wall. 1t was
in disgrace, you know. -,
One day the dear little fellow had
been very busy indeed. The cushion
had been freshly filled with pins. That
cave him a great deal of work to do'
of course. The pins had all to De car
ried to the edge Of the bureau ana
d.opped overheard. That task mn
i.hed. he went into his house to get
his dinner.
went to work to pick up the pms
telling Don that he was a naughty
bird TO make me so much trouble. Ii
seemed as il he understood every wora.
At once he stopped eating his seeds
came out and peeped at me over the
edge of the bureau. Then down he
came. making steps on my head, shoui-
der and arm until he reached the foor.
And there the dear little bird hurried
around with all his might, picking up
the pins. He flew up to the CUSHION
laid them down and came back Tor
more, until they were all gathered up.
Then he sat on my chair. whistled MS
tune and finally went to sleep.-Helen
Harcourts "Stcries of My Pets IN 81.
Nicbo1oS