Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1912-08-02
ramberIost. Oh. lord, how l wish you'd


be telling me just this one thingr
The goldhneh had ventured back +
the wire, for there was his mate onl,
few inches above the man CREATURE
head. and, indeed. he simply must no
be allowed 20 look up just them. so tn,
brave little fellow rocked on the wire
and piped up. just as he had done ev
cry day for a week. See me; see meT
"See youl OF course / see you,
growled Freckes II see you day aft.
err day. and what good IS II doing me :
! might see you every morning for a
year and then not be able TO be telling
any one about It. Seen a bIrd-little
and yellow as any canary. with black
silk wings That's as far as I'd get.
What you doing here anyway? Have
you mater What's your name? See
youY reckon see you. but might
as well be blind for any good It's doing
me!"'
F'reckles impadentiy struck the wire.
With a screech Of fear the goldnnch
fed precipitately His mate tore from
of the nest with whirr. Freckles
looked up ana SHY II.
"O-hor he cried. 80 that's what
you are doing here, You have a wife. "
Freckles climbed up to examine the
neat, tiny cradle and its contents. The
hen dafted al him In a frenzy. Now,
where do you come in?" he demanded
when he saw that she was not like
the goldhnch.
lyon be clearing out Of here! This
Is none Of your fry. This is the nest
Of me little yellow friend OF the wire.
and you shant be touching II. Don't
blame you for wanting 10 see though.
My. but It's fine nest and beauties OF
eggs VIII you be keeping away or
will FIRE this stick at your
Freckles dropped back to the trail.
The hen darted TO the nest and settled
on Il with tender. coddling move
ment He OF the yellow coat flew to
the edge to make sure that everything
was right.
"Wen, I'll be switchedr muttered
Freckles. IF that amt both their
nest And he's yellow and she's green
or she's yellow and he's green. OF
course | don't know. and ! haven't
any way to find out but it's plain as
the nose on your face that they are
both ready 10 be lighting for that nest.
so Of course they belong. Don't that
beat you? Say that's what's been
sticking me for all Of these two weeks
on that grass nest in the thorn tree
down the line One day a bluebird
is setting. and I think It is hers. The
next day brown bird is on. and !
chase It of because the nest IS blues.
Next day the brown bird IS on again.
and | let her be because think ii
must be hers Next day. be golly,
blues on again. and or | sent her be
cause it's browns. and now | bet my
hat it's both their nest and I've only
been bothering them and making a big
fool of meself"
Freckles plodded on down the trail.
scowllng backly and viciousy spang-
ing the wire. At the flnches' nest he
left the line ana peered into the thorn
tree. There was no bird brooding. He
pressed closer TO take a peep at the
snowy. spotless little eggs he had
found so beautiful. and at the slight
noise up dared four tiny baby heads !
with wide open mouths and hunger
cries Freckles stepped back. The /
brown bird lit on the edge and closed I
one cavity with wigging green
worm, and not two minutes later the /
blue filled another with something (
white. That settled 1t. The blue and /
brown were mates. Once again I
Freckles repeated his How wish | /
knew"
About the bridge spanning Sleepy
Snake creek the swale spread wide.
the timber largely dropped away, and
PUSHES. marsh grass and
splendid wild flowers grew abundant
IS. Lazy big black water snakes for
which the creek was named, summed on
the bushes. wild ducks ana grebe chat
tered. cranes and herons ished, ana
plowed the bank in queer.
rolling burrows Il WAS always place
hull OF interest to Freckles.
rreckles struck slowly into the path
eadlng from the bridge to the line
il was the Que spot at which he might
'elax his vigilance. The greatest tim
Der thief the swamp had ever known
would not have attempted TO enter it
" the mouth OF the creek on account
Il the water and because there was
10 protection from surrounding trees.
lie was swishlng the rank grass with
lis cudgel and thinking of the shade
he denser swamp afforded when he
lodged sidewise. The cud-
el whistled sharply through the air
nd Freckles sprang back.
Out OF the clear sky above him. first
avel with his face. then skimming.
tipping fitting. whirling until it nc
uil down IN the path in front of
i'm. came glossy iridescent big
lack feather As it struck the
round Freckles spatehed IL up and
18th an almost continuous movement
aced the sky. There was not a tree
T any size In large open space.
rom the clear sky IL had fallen. and
rockies. gazing eagerly into the arch
Z June blue with a few lazy clouds ,