Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1912-03-21

BY
Gene SGr@GG@m-
Porter
COPYRIGHT. 1904. BY DOUBLEDAY. PAGE
& co.
~ ~ q
COPYRIGHT. 1904. BY DOUBLEDAY, PAGE
& CO.,


spread his wings and slowly and softly
waved them precisely. as if he were
flaming his charmer. which indeed
was the result he accomplished. Then
he hobbled up to his bombardment
once more. He faced her squarely
this time and turned his head from
side to side with queer little jerks and
indiscriminate peckings at her wings
and head. She yawned and shufled
away indifferently. Freckles reached
up, pulled the quill from his hat and.
looking from it to the birds. nodded in
settled conviction.
With a ravishing swagger, half lift
ed wings and deep. cultural kissing the
lover came GU again. He suddenly lift
ed his body. but the other bird coolly
rocked forward on the limb, glided
gracefully beneath him and slowly
sailed off into the Limberlost.
Freckles hurried down the trail, and
when he neared the path to the clear
ing and saw the boss sitting motion
less on the mare that was the pride of
his heart the boy broke into a run.
"Oh, Mr.. Mclean" he cried, II hope
I haven't kept you waiting very long!
And the sun is getting so hot! I have
been so slow this morning! I could
have gone faster. only there were SO
many things to keep me, and I didn't
know you would be here. I'll hurry
after this. I've never had to be giving
ov-o11cn, Ioforo Tho 1ino ryocrS& dow,
and there wasn't a sign of trouble. 1t
was other things that were making
me late"
This flushed. painting. talkative lad
was not the same creature that had
sought him in despair and bitterness.
With IN %eloquence of which he never
dreamed FreckIes told his story. He
talked with such enthusiasm that Nc
Lean eve 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.
EDO 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 it's wings like feet
and walks on all tours. 1t travels like
a thrashing machine. There's anoth-
er, tall as me waist, with a bill a 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 and standing by a tree and
saving at it a few times he could be
cutting it square off. l don't know
but it would be a good idea to try
him on the gang. sir"
Mclean laughed. Those must be
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 COM
mon enough in the south. I've seen
them thick about the lumber camps
Of Georgia. but l V heard Of any
this far north before. They must be
strays. You have perfectly described
our nearest equivalent to a branch Of
these birds called in Europe Pharaoh's
chickens"
He was loving Ger So" said Free
kles in a hushed voice. Freckles lift
ed his brave, steady eyes to the boss.
IF anybody loved me like that, Mr..
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 is much for them
as any chickens 1 have"
The face of Mclean was a study.
"And now, Freckles, what has been
the trouble all spring? You have done
your work as faithfully as any one
could ask, but 1 can't help seeing that
there is something wrong. Are you
tired Of your job"
II love it." answered Freckles. "It
will almost break me heart when the
gang begins tearing up the swamp
and soaring away me chickens"
ssThen what is the matter?" insisted
Mclean.
81 think, sir, it's been books. Being
among these beautiful things every
day, I 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 I was we'll as I could
be. OF course I learned to read, write
and figure some at school, but there
was nothing there nor in any Of the
city that I ever got to see that would
make a fellow even be dreaming Of
such interesting things as there are
here. I've seen the parks, but they
amt even beginning to be in it with
Limberlost. It's all new and strange
to me. I don't know a thing about
any Of it. The bullfrog told me to
find OUT plain as day, and books are
the only way. amt they?"
"Of course" said Mclean. astonished
ut himself for his heartfelt relief. He
hod mt u,,acsod until that mipnto