The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1905-10-06
HUNTINGBIRDS'
NESTS
sIOISCLAIM all responsibility for the
By H. B. MARRIOTT WATSON

'IIOlSCLAlM all responsibility Tor the
events; they were the direct and
immediate outcome of that tempestu-
Gus and careless tomboy, Aline, and, in
way, think may say, of Miss Deigh-
toms imprudence. You see, she should
have known her sex better. l assume
that she also was once as Aline, and
none so long ago. l never was, and
could not be expected to know. Never
theless, did have misgivings. Perhaps
l ought to have communicated them to
but, in any case, how was to guess
The trouble really started when we
entered the park, though the begin
nings were small You can go through
heavy gate or you can cross stile into
the park. Miss Deighton and thought
the gate was locked, and so we mounted
the stile. At least she did, and, pausing,
looked back on the green valley.
How beautiful" said she, in a med
itative voice.
"Charming," l assented, my eyes
drifting with hers. 1t must have been
just then that Aline discovered that the
gate was not locked, but we did not no.
tice her or it, as we were exchanging
some fanciful thought about the view
Miss leighton gracefully, but not too
securely, seated on the gatepost. My
gaze was the first to leave the prospect
and come about. Aline had pulled back
the gate to it's utmost limit and now, in
full sail, was gathering force as she
swung, sweeping home like a circus
The cumbrOus gate creaked into its
place, I gave cry and Miss Deighton
went backward
l caught her just in time as you may
gather when l say that one of her feet
took me on the chin. She was ruffled
and red and little scared when she
came to the perpendicular again.
"Aline!" she cried, angrily. What
on earth-?"
Sorry" said the tomboy, frankly
and her penitence disarmed furthe,
criticism.
THANK you so much" said Miss
Deighton to me graciously l helped
her to the ground and we resumed our
way, but the thread of that admirable
companionship had been enjoying had
been broken. Aline recovered in about
two minutes: at least. she was babbline
of linnets before we had gone a hundred
yards.
II know where there's an owls nest
but it's hard to get at" she remarked
pensively.
Perhaps l could reach it," I sug-
gested, gallantly.
Allne regarded me obviously. lyon
don't look as if But perhaps YOU
could she amended, hopefully. It's
over pool and you have to creep out
on rather rotten branches"
To say the truth, this did not sound
Inviting. l wondered if had enioyeJ
such things when was a boy and whv.
Miss Deighton's discomposure lasted
until we emerged on the heath. with its
blaze of furze bloom.
You can get out just down there ;"
Aline assured us. There's a path there
and there are sure to be lots more lin
nets nests.'
don't think Miss Deighton cared
about the linnets' nests. but she did
care about the path, and we pushed orr
way toward it. The ground was very
uneven, and We stumbled several times
Also the furze was very thick. heard
my name, and found Miss Deiehton
looking at me pathetically over a huge
spreading bush. What am l to do?"
she asked, weakly. I guided her round
1t, took two more followers" off her
dress and pulled her out of a hole into
which she had fioundered.
This is dreadful" she complained
sasping. "Aline, wherever is the
path?'
Allne was our only guide. and we
had to cling to her. She pushed
ahead vigorously: and we followed
through the underground.
For goodness sake. let her find If
and show. it to uz. and thea let's co.
murmured Miss DeigfSon to me. And.
this IS birds nesting
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