The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-12-28
COPYRIGHT, 1904. BY DOUBLEDAY, PAG

And the sun is getting SD hot! l hay
 been so slow this morning, l cOui
 have gone faster. only there were x
 many things to keep me. and ! didn know you would be here. I'll hurr after this. I've never had 10 he giviL excuses before. Tie line wasn't dow md there wasn't sisn of trouble. ]
 was other things that were makiH
 me late''
 This flushed. Eanting. talkatfve la
 was not the same creature that ha sought him in despair and bitterness With an eioquence of which he neve dreamed F'reckies told his story. H, talked with such enthusiasm that Mi. Lean never took his eyes from his face nor shifted in the saddle until he described the strange bird lover. and then the boss suddenly bent over the pommel and laughed with him.
 "They're back there in the middle of the swamp now" said Freckles- "Do you suppose there is any chance of them staying with me chickens If they do they'll be about the queer est 1 have. But l tell you. sir. I am getting some plumb good ones. There's a new kind over at the mouth of the creek that uses its wings like feet and walks on all fours. 1t travels like a thrashing machine. There's anoth- CT. tall as me waist. with bill foot long. a neck near two. not the thick ness of me wrist and an elegant color. He's some blue and gray, touched up with black. white and brown. The voice of him is such that if he'd be go- ing up aud standing by a tree and saving at it a few times be could be cutting it square off. don't know but it would be good idea to try him on the gang. sir"
 Mclean laughed. Those must he blue herons. Freckles." he said. And it doesn't seem possible, but your story of the big black birds sounds like gen. uine black vultures. They are con- mon enough in the south. I've seen them thick about the lumber camps of Georgia. but l never heard of any this far north before. They must be strAys. You have perfectly described our nearest equivalent to branch of these birds called in Europe Pharaoh's chickens"
 He was loving ger so." said Free kIes in hushed voice. Freckles lift ed his brave. steady eyes to the boss.
 If anybody loved me like that. Mir. Mclean, l wouldn't be spending any time caring how they looked or moved. All I'd be thinking of was how they felt toward me. If they will stay I'll be caring as much for them as any chickens l have"
 The face of Mclean was study. "And now. Freckles. what has" been the trouble all spring? You have done your work as faithfully as any one could ask. but l can't help seeing that there is something wrong. Are you tired of your jobY'
 '.I love it." answered Freckles. ''It will almost break me heart when the gang begins tearing up the swamp and scarinr away me chickens"
 ''Then what is the matterT' insisted Mclean.
 -'I think. sir. it's been books. Being among these beautiful things every day. got so anxious like to be know ing and naming them that it got to eating into me and went and made me near sick when l was we'll as. | could be. Of course learned 10 read. write was nothing there nor, in any of the city that ever got to see that would make a fellow even he dreaming of such interesting things as there are here. I've seen the parks. but they ain't even beginning to be in it wth Limberlost. It's all new and strange to me. l don't know thing about any of it. The bullfrog told me to find out plain as day. and books are the only way. ain't they?
 "Of course" said Mclean. astonished at himself for his heartfelt relief. He had not guessed until that minute what 1t would have meant to him to have Freckles give up. You know enough to study out what you want yourself if you have the books. don't you?"
 "I am pretty sure do." said Free kles. "I learned all I'd the chance al in the home. and me schooling was good as far as it went. Wouldn't let you go past fourteen. you know. always did me sums perfect, and ] loved me history books. never could get me grammar to suit them. They said it was just born in me to gr wrong ta king. but could knock them all out singing I was always leader in the nome. and once one of the su perintegdents gave me car fare and lei me go into the city and sing in a boys choir The master salu I'd the swatest voice of them all until it got rough like. and then he made me quit for awhile. bur lie said it would be comins back by now. and I'm railiy thinking it is. sir, for I've tried about the lin, a bit of late
 That and me chickens has been a the company I've been having. and i will be all I'll want if l can hay books and learn the real names C things. where they come from ar why they do such interesting thing It's been fretting me to be shut L here among 3ll these wonders and knowing thing. I wanted to ask yt what some books would cost me al. if you'd be having the goodness to z. ne the right ones. l think 1 hay enough money"
 FreekieS handed up his account boo, and the boss studied it graFely,