The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1904-05-04

that sparr0ws would eat a worm or
a bug rather than starve, but those
who have closely observed their
habits have never caught them in
the act. Robbins are diligent hunt
ers after worms but sparrows,
in the cities, live upon the buds of
trees and shrubs, the crumbs about
the back door and the grain picked
from horse manure in the streets.
One of the class who thinks it bar
barous to kill sparrows and crows
recently contributed an article on
the subject to one of the city papers.
After defending the sparrows on
account of the worms which he APP
peared to suppose they destroy (he
never saw them destroy any he
said he had, while riding through
the country, seen hundredso of crows
in a corn field, all digging for
worms!
And all this makes very apropos
the story of the schoolma am who
was explaining to her class OF iuve-
niles what caused the sparrows to
be here in such great numbers. She
said they were originally brought
here from England in order to eat
the worms and bugs, but that they
had multiplied so fast and become
SO numerous that it was a question
II they were not a greater nuisance
than the insects they were brought
to destroy. Then turning to tow
headed boy she asked him which
he thought was the worst-the
sparrows or the worms After a
moment S hesitation the boy re-
piled: II dunno; / never had
sparrows.
What serious embarrassment and
inconvenience may be caused by
inexcusable stupidity was recently
illustrated in function of Triune
lodge of Masons at Merriam Park.
This society had a candidate for
initiation, and the presiding officer
asked the past masters of the So
ciety to fill all the positions, as
there were enough to reach from
the master down through all the
chairs to the tyler. This was
unique procedure, and was looked
upon as one of the most memorable
events in Triune's history. The
society invited all the past masters
OF the different Masonic bodies of
st. Paul to be present, and the pro-
gram included an elaborate ban
quet and addresses by the promi-
nent members of the order. About
two hundred and seventy in
vitations were sent and it was
thought that those who would re-
spond, together with the member
ship OF the society, would exhaust
the seating capacity and make as
great a number as could be conveu-
iently entertained. So far SO good.
Through courtesy an invitation
they were in printed form-was
sent to the editor of the twin city
Masonic publication. This astute
individual published the invitation.
and that in such a way as to make
it appear like public invitation to
every Mason, without regard to
rank or station, in the twin cities.
The result was that such crowds
came from st. Paul and Minneapo-
lis, as to nearly flush the street car
service, and as soon as the doors
were open they poured in until the
chairs, platforms and all the stand
ing room clear to the ante-room
door were occupied. Others who
could not get in turned back. When
it came time for the banquet the
visitors were given the first chance
1t the table, and before these had
all eaten the dishes were all dirty
md there was nothing left but the
salt and pepper. The members of
The society, who had expected as