Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1911-03-09
A Robin Hunt.
Robert looked at his rifle admiringly.
"Isn't it a beauty2"


Gle, taking it out OF the boys hands.
"Now suppose those robins will let
our grapes alone," said the boy, giving
the weapon little flourish.
"You are going to shoot some birds
with it, are you, Roberto" asked his
uncle.
eyes, sir; think I'll 60 out now and
see if | can't get enough to make pie"
"a robin pie is not as good as chicken
pie," said the uncle, thoughtfully.
"Why, no; | don't suppose it is"
"And do you know, Robert, | think a
live robinis lot more interesting than a
dead one"
Robert began to laugh. "You do say
the funniest things, Urcle Charlie, that
ever heard. Yes, suppose a live
robin is more interesting; but, you see,
I've got to kill them off, or they will eat
up all our grapes"
"Thats a fact" said Uncle Charlie.
81 believe I'll go robin hunting with you"
"Oh, all right" cried the lad, enthu-
siastically, "get your gun and let's CO."
Uncle Charlie went in his room, and
pretty soon came back with black leath-
er case under his arm. 81 think I'll use
this" he said, holding up his spy glasses.
"Before you use your rifle, let's just take
a look at Mr.. Robin, and see what he is
really doing"
Robert thought that would be very good
fun, so the two sat out in the garden
where they could see some robins up in
tree not very far away. Uncle Charlie
got out his glasses and leveled them on
the robins. "They are right pretty fel-
lows he said. "a don't suppose you
could shoot one that far, could you?"
"Oh, no, sir; that's away yonder, too
far for a shot,"
"That's one advantage my glasses have
over your rifle, Rob; they never get out
of range as long as can see them"
"Of course they DON'T" said Robert,
laughing.
After a little while, the robins became
accustomed to the presence OF the two
persons, and one big red-breaSted fellow
glided into the air and came sailing down
into the garden.
"Therel There" cried Robert, fumb-
ling at his gun.
"Shoot him with the glasses first"
whispered Uncle Charlie; let's see what
1t really is doing. You want to kill it, !
believe, because it steals grapes"
."He's got bug" whispered Robert.
"Lookl Lookl Why. it has hoped over
and caught grasShopper now" ii his
interest, Robert put down the glasses to
look without bothering with them, ard
it surprised him TO see how tiny and far
away the robin seemed. He peered into
his glasses again. The robin flew back
10 the tree with the bug and the grass
hopper.
81 suppose" said the uncle, "it has
nest up there"
81 guess So" said Robert.
Another one of the birds now came
sailing to the grapes. "Therel There"
cried the boy, al must shoot him now,
he's in the grapes"
Lets see what he takes frs" said
Uncle Charlie.
So Robert watched again, and he could
plainly see the robins beak, picking
away at something on the body OF the
vine. ementioned this to Uncle Charlie,
who thought it must be some tiny insect.
Then Robert saw il catch caterpillar,
and what was most entertaining was the
nearness Of the bird. He felt he could
, almost reach out and touch It. After
catching a bug or two more the robin
did pluck grape.
Robert reached for his rifle. There,
he got grape"
"Waitiusta minute, said Uncle Charlie;
'tel ME just what the robin did eat on
the vine"
"Well, he ate caterpillar, three bugs,
and he picked at several little thing !
couldn't make out; then he took grape. ="
"Well," said Uncle Charlie, chow
many grapes do you suppose all those
bugs and caterpllars would have ruin
ed2"
Robert thought. "a good many, |
guess; five or six"
"In all their lives?" queried Uncle
Charlie.
"Oh, no, | mean to-day; suppose
they would ruin whole bunch in all
their lives"
"Well," said Uncle Charlie, 'they
would ruin much more than one bunch ;
but even all that, the robin has saved a
whole bunch of grapes for each bug he
caught; he also picked off a lot OF little
insects that were boring into the vine and
running it, and he did it all for one grape.
think that's working pretty cheap, don't
YOU? don't believe would discharge
that workman by killing him, if ! were
you"
al don't believe WILL said Robert.
"Ifs really more fun to watch them than
il is to look at a dead robin, anyway"
Kills A Murdered.