The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1907-09-20
Wa Mr. RIuelax At Home.


away. Down the country road We
walked in the warm sunshine, through
the woods and up a steep hillside,
covered with low bushes, over which
climbed tangled ropes of wild grape
vines and green briars.
About halfway UP we stopped and
looked around for our feathered
friend. and for few minutes it
seemed as though we were to be dis
appointed in our search. A catbird
trilled merrily in the underbrusjh and
a wood robin hoped out at our very
feet, but in all the trees about US we
discovered not sign of Mr. Blueiay.
Perhaps he had moved, or we had
mistaken the way to his dwelling.
But just then, In front OF US, built
about five feet from the ground in a
leafy bush we discovered a ragged
nest loosely woven Of things and
roots, with here and there a rag or
bit Of string hanging from it. This
surely must be his home. SO soft
ly we tiptoed nearer till we could
see inside where, not quite hidden by
the dull blue wings Of the mother
bird, three ugly little birds with wide
open mouths pesped out
AS we looked a little further up the
hill fash Of bright blue at the foot
of a large oak tree showed us that
Mr. Bluejay himself was not far away,
and as we watched him we saw that
he was burying something doubt
an acorn, which he was prudently
laying by for a rainy day
The dry leaves rustled and scattered
in all directions, as he dug and
scratched among them, not seeming to
notice us as we admired his hand
some coat and thought what an indus
trious fellow he was. Then suddenly
we were started by shrill, harsh cry
overhead: Jay jay, fSy!" 1t fairly
rang through the woods.
Mr. Blueiay stopped his work and
listened with his crested head cooked
on one side and his beautiful tail wide
" spread like blue fan, and when
the call was repeated he left his acorn
half buried and flew off to a hollow
oak close by.
Two other blue1ays were there be-
fore him, and it seemed as though they
tried to see which could make the
most noise as again and again they
flew few feet away from the tree
and, shrieking, swooped down on a
dead limb, What could it all mean?
Had some enemy appeared, and was
all this confusion meant to brighten
him away? It was not long before
we discovered the cause of the excite
ment A sleepy old owl had crept out
on his hole in the tree and blinded by
the daylight, sat blinking on the bare,
dead limb while the bluejays, like
some naughty small boys, were
amusinglng themselves at his ex-
pense. Screaming till the whole
woods echoed with the noise, the
little birds, circled above him,
darting down again and again and al
most knocking him from his perch;
while he, poor fellow, could only
blink and hold fast 1t was fine
sport for the bluejays, but at last
they grew tired Of it, and with a
parting Shrek dropped to the bushes
below to wait for some other amuse-
ment, leaving the owl find his sleepy
way back to his safe dark hole.
Our friend. Mr. Bluejay, soon re-
turned to his nest, and there the
hooking, jeering rascal of a few min
utes ago became again the model head
of the family as he hoped about
from branch to branch, chirping
proudly to the babies in the nest. Just
what he said l am afraid we shall
never know, but it was surely some
thing pleasant, for his mate answered
his remarks with quiet little chirps of
admiration
Soon he flew away, but almost before
we could wonder where he had gone
he was back, bringing dinner to his
hungry family, A grub and a fuzzy
caterpillar soon disappeared, while
the wide mouths opened for more;
but the third morsel was evidently
intended for Madam Bluejay, who
ate it with a relish. No; it was
neither grub nor a caterpillar, for
instead. as a special dalicacy, Mr.,
Bluejay had brought home limp
body OF a poor little undedged song
sparrow, which he had stolen from its
nest while the parent birds futtered
and cried with terror
Little feathered cannibal! Do you
suppose he knew that he had been
guilty of both robbery and murder?
Let us hope that he did not, for when
this cruel meal was ended he set
tied himself on the edge of his nest
looking innocent Of anything wrong.
And now the time had come when