Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1906-05-03

On, gee, anu XIII EN-, tnat would |
be great! Wouldn't them girls be-
fierce, thought" Mamie was enthusedi
with joy that was inexplicable to in:
nocent Burrick. j
In an instant she was off the models |
chair, had gone to the cupboard and |
gathered a handful of doughnutl |
crumbs. She scampered out Of the
window suddenly, and when Burrick]
looked she was crouchins behind al
brick chimney. A snare of doughnut |
remnants was alluring rash pigeon
beneath the girls hand. There was
furry of wings, desperate tanning of
the air and Mamie scrambled into
the room again, holding a beautiful
pigeon in her hard little hands. She
swung the bird by one leg Shall l
wiring it's neck?' she asked calmly
Lord! Stop-don't-you'r hurt
ing it,
why not? It belongs to them girls
there" replied Mamie, superiorly.
making face across the canyon which
intervened. She had that infalliDle
logic which only comes to savage little
girls.
Let me have it," cried Burrick,
making a sudden grab He held the
trembling thing so tenderly that it's
duttering ceased. He caressed the
bird and then slipped it into the huge
pocket of his jacket, while he fumbled
among his papers and uncovered a
calling card rather fresh On it he
,scrawled, ''How dye do!"
Give me piece Of your hair rib
bon, Nannie," he pleaded. The girl
obeyed automatically.
Having acquired the ribbon, Bur-
rick mercilessly slashed Off it's clean
est edge, and by that thread attached
the card to the birds pink leg. Nan
ME. in rage, nearly fell out of the
window as she made dash for the
escaping homer. She stamped her
foot and said a naughty word, a very
! naughty word for a seventeen-year-
! sold little girl to say in the presence of
| a young man. She slammed the door
| 'fiercely as she went out.
| . Without thought of the girls ir
ritable departure Burrick gave his
| ;eyes to the fight of the pigeon. 1t
winged a direct way to the window
!where the other art students were at
| their work. Covertly peering across
the abyss the young man saw the bird
sreceived in the arms of its patron
,esses. He knew that the engraved
name upon his card would be effective.
With great self-restraint Mamie
did not refer to the pigeon nor the
pigeon girls when next she came. Bur-
rick was afraid she would not return
at all, but she did appear the next
morning, and after much coaxing and
f1attering agreed to pose. In fort
night she was herself again.
Then Fate grew careless. One
morning a white pigeon flew into the
window. From one of it's legs flut-
tered red ribbon and a card. Nan
ME pounced on the bird and endeavor-
ed to read the message. A portion OF
it was clear enough. 'Miss Vandane'
was engraved decently on the paste
I board. But in a corner, in the sprawl
ing confusion of the art nouveau OF
chirography was written, Thursday
evening -pinochle.'
"What does that stuff in the corner
say?" asked the puzzled Mamie.
Thursday. evening -pinOchle.' Thai
means come around Thursday evening
and we will feed you on pinochle,
Burrick explained.
"Oh," said Mamie. Then she lapset
into deep thought and later wen
home.
While preparing for the pinochl'
function Burrick discovered unm1s
taxable signs that his room had bee1
ransacked during the afternoon. III
found that all his belonleings wer
) | intact, with the possible exception
some stationery and doughnut. II
:. put the offence at the door OF som
friend and was undisturbed. He foI