The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1910-12-28
time. BE very quiet now. ne-s get.

time. BE very quiet now. he-s get.
ting ready to MARBLE"
But the bird wasn't. He sat on his
perch and had a puzzled look about
him and finally closed his eyes in
sleep.
Like a tired infant" whispered Mr..
BOwser as he tiptoed away and sat
down.
There was utter silence in the room
for the next five minutes. Then the
bird gaped and uttered a sort Of croak..
That's sign of hunger" was whis-
pered. Mrs. Bowser, have you any
cold corned beef in the house?'
mercy. but he won't eat such stuff!
You'll have to get seed Of some sort"
"Um! forgot that. I'll be out of
bed at 6 in the morning. I'll try him
now with a drink"
Bird Fails to Take Water.
A pint bowl of water was put in the
cage, but it attracted no notice.
Mrs. Bowser. it's you," said Mr..
Bowser after standing and puzzling
for awhile. You and the bird are not
EN- rapport. and he feels it. Birds can
tell when people are down on them"
But I'm not down OH this one"
But he feels a sort of constraint, a
GOODNESS. You had no welcome for
him. l don't want to say anything
harsh to you, but If you SUI an
inimical attitude toward this helpless
and innocent hearted bird ] shall have
t0 h0r.o n tO1E with v-o1, IN (nfo tho
other room for awhile until l get him
to singing. He looks as If he expected
you to hit him with the AK every in
stant."
Mrs. Bowser went upstairs and was
gone twenty minutes. Just as she re-
turned the bird opened its mouth.
tapped it's wings and uttered a sound
between a squawk and a shrek.
by thunder!" gasped Mr.. Bowser.
THAT is one of his songs, l take it,"
she observed.
"He did that as he caught sight Of
you. The poor thing knows you are
ready to murder him the moment my
back is turned. By John, woman, ven
the birds Of the air can read you!'
That's because l used to chase so
many out of the cherry trees when
was a little girl"
"Chase whippoorwills at night?"
"No-blackbirds by day. Mr.. Bow
ser, you have been done for. That is a
blackbird as sure's you're born!"
"Woman, what do you mean""
Species Diagnosed.
"Just what l say. l should have
thought you'd know better. He's no
more a whippoorwill than our cat"
"Woman, this is the last straw" he
said as he came nearer
"And from the looks of it l should
say it was about the last blackbird
as we'll. Blackbirds have been taught
to squawk a little. but never to sing.
A w%hippoorwill is so different
"In my own house l am insulted"
II don't see how"
II an told that I am a fool"
II have simply told you that you
bought a blackbird for a whippoor-
will. Even if you had got the latter he
lever would have uttered q note. That
breed Of birds never sings in captiv-
ity."
Mr.. Bowser lifted up the cage and
left the house with it, going straight
to the family butcher.
"Ill get you hundreds like him from
the farm at 10 cents apiece" was an
swered. Can you leave the bird
here? OF course. Yes, perhaps l can
give him and the cage away. Am l
sure as to the breed? Why, man, your
own wife must know that this is a
blackbird. If you want something to
amuse you during the long winter
evenings get a jewsharp and learn to
play it,"
When the cageless and birdless Mr..
Bowser got back to the house Mrs.
Bowser looked at him in%quiringly, and
he replied:
"As soon as convenient you had best
consult your lawyer as to a divorce.
You must know that things cannot go
on in this way any longer!"