The Carlisle independent., 1907-12-26
The Spectacled
 Eagle | A Veracious II Nature Story
 By | Edwin J. Webster
Copyright. by w. G. Chapman.l

When It grew near the end of the season, the last year I was up in the woods" said the old guide reminiscent ly, Tom Ferguson used to hang around the camp, a mighty saddened and disconsolate man. The winter was coming on, when there would be no more hunters to guide, and, ponder over the subject as he would, Tom couldn't see any escape from going to work. This cut him to the heart
 Here are these woods full of lazy wild animals, Tom said one day bit terly, any one of which would, or at any rate ought, to be proud of the privilege of working for honest old Tom Ferguson. But how to bring that fact home to their benighted minds is a problem. Now, look at that eagle he added in saddened tones, pointing to a big, bald-headed eagle that was circling over our heads, that bird flies out from his nest in the morning, captures a duck, and then does nothing more for three or four hours. Shiftless, worthless creature, he would be happier and healthier if he put in eight hours day steadily and then turned in the extra birds he caught to Tom Ferguson
 The eagle is the national bird I responded severely. Such talk as yours comes pretty near being treason. And it is a islander on the character of respectable eagles Just at this time Of year an eagle doesn't have to work hard But when winter really sets in there isn't a better feathered example of the strenuous life than the abused eagle. Even with his eyesight he sometimes has to fly miles and miles before he can see an unwary duck or heron
 My words seemed to make quite an impression on Tom, and he pon- dered over them in his solemn man. her all that evening. The next day he was hired as guide by man who has quite name as an optician All morning it was evident Tom had some idea in his mind and when they were eating lunch he broke out
 Is there any way in which an eagles eyesight could be improved? Tom asked sort of doubtfully.
 The optician was considerably sur prised at the question
 I live in the city he said, and if you think eagles are in the habit of strolling into my consulting room and asking for a pair of spectacles, or to having their eyes examined, you are off in your calculations. Still, if you know of some ailing eagle who has trouble in reading the Eagles Evening News, send him to me and I will do my best for him. he added sort of sarcastically.
 But Tom was in earnest about the matter and asked if an eagle that had acquired the habit of using field glasses wouldn't be able to see farther than if he used his naked eye.
 Probably he would replied the optician in rather doubtful tones, but have the eagles in these woods ex- hibited any yearning for field glasses? The average eagle is pretty well sat tsfied with his eyesight as it is
 Tom was positive he had hit upon a great labor-saving scheme, so he wasn't the man to give it up. He sent down to the city and ordered pair of small but powerful field glasses. Then he climbed up to an eagles nest that he had had his eye on for some time and caught one of the eaglets. Tom brought the eaglet home and began training it. The first. thing was to