The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1912-04-11
Copyright, 1909, by Doubleday,
Page & Company.

CContinued.)
'T have thought the same thing" said
the Bird Woman encouragingly. Then
because the girl could not eat until she
learned about the moths the Bird Wo-
man asked Elnora IL she knew what
kinds she had.
mot all of Them" answered Elnora.
Before Mr.. Duncan moved away he
often saw me near the edge Of the
swamp, and he showed me the box he
had fixed for Freckles and gave me the
Key. There were some books and
things, so from that time on / studied
and tried to take moths right, but am
afraid they are not what you want"
Are they the big ones that fly most
" June nights ?" asked the Bird Wo-
man.
EYES," said Elnora. Great gray ones
with reddish markings, pale blue,
green, yellow with lavender and red
and yellow"
"What do you mean by red and vel
low?" asked the Bird Woman so
quickly that the girl almost jumped.
mot exactly red," explained Elnora,
with tremulous voice. "a reddish, yell
,lowish brown, with canary colored
spots and gray lines on their wings"
"How many of them?" It was the
same quick question.
well, / had over 200 eggs" said Ell
nora, but some Of them didn't hatch,
and some Of the caterpillars died, but
there must be at least a hundred per-
feet ones"
Perfect! How, perfectY' cried the
Bird Woman.
Il mean whole wings, no down gone
and all their legs and antennae," fal
tered Elnora.
Young woman, that's the rarest
moth in America" said the Bird Wo-
man solemnly. 'If you have 100 of
them they are worth 500, according
to my list. ] can use all that are
whole"
what II they are not pinned right?''
quavered Elnora.
IF they are perfect that does not
make the slightest difference. 1 know
how to soften them so that can put
them into any shape choose. Where
are they? When may 1 see them?"
'4They are in Freckles' old case in
the Limberlost," said Elnora. II could
not carry many for fear Of breaking
them, but 1 could bring a few after
school"
"You come here at f." said the Bird
Woman, ''and we will drive out with
some specimen boxes and a price list
and see what you have to SELL"
ooh, I do need the money! said FL
nora.
"Do you live in that beautiful cabin
at the northwest end Of the swamp
asked the Bird Woman.
YES" said Elnora.
'I remember the place and a story
about it now. You entered the high
school yesterday"
Eyes"
at was pretty badr
"Pretty badr' echoed Elnora.
The Bird Woman laughed.
you can't tell me anything about
that she said. Il once entered a city
school straight from the country. My
dress was brown calico and my shoes
were quite heavy. What is your name.
my giriF'
"Elnora Comsteck," answered FL
nora. Yesterday on the board it
changed to Cornstock, and for a min
ute I thought I'd die, but can laugh
over that already"
The Bird Woman arose and kissed
her "Finish your lunch" she said.
land / will get my price lists and take
down q memorandum Of what you
think you have, so l will know how
many boxes to prepare. Never mind
the calico dress End the coarse shoes.
Dig into the books, and before long
you will hear yesterdays tormentors
Boosting that they were once class
mates Of yours"
She laughingly left the room ard
Elnora sat thinking. until she renem-
bered how hungry she was, so she ate
the food, drank the hot chocolate and
began the process Of getting grip on
herself.
Then the Bird Woman came back
and showed Elnora long printed slip
giving a list Of graduated prices for
moths. butterflies and dragon flies.
>1h. do you want them? exulted Ell
cc... 81 have a few and l can get
more by the thousand, with every color
In the world on their wings"
YES" said the Bird Woman, 81 will
buy them, also the big moth caterpil-
lars that are creeping everywhere now
and the cocoons that they will spin
Just about this time. have a sneak
ing impression that the mystery. won
der ard the urge Of their pure beauty
are going to force me to picture and
paint our moths and put them into