Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-03-07

and wrap. You get Duncan has
and gloves. I'll send him big over
coat, and we'll put in lot OF little
stun for the babies"
That would be away too serious
for fun" said F'reckles. "That would
lie heavenly"
A week later everything at the Linn
berlost was precisely rs 1t had peeh
before the tragedy, except the case
In Freckles room now rested ON tho
ttimp Of the newly felled tree.
Enough Of the vines we're left to cover
1t prettily. and every vestige OF tho
havoc OF few days before was gone.
The new guards were patrolling the
trail. Freckles was roughly laying of
the swamp in sections and searching
for marked trees. In that time ne had
found one deeply clipped and the chip
cunningly replaced and tackled In. 1t
PROMISED to be quite rare. SO he was
jubilant. He also found so many SUBJ
ircts for the Bird Woman that her
coming was Of almost daily occur.
ience. and the hours he spent with
Inr md the angel were nothing less
AN golden.
The Limberlost now was nrrayed
like the queen Of Sheba In all her
-'ory. The first frosts Of autumn had
hcjeweled her crown IN flashing topaz.
ruby and emerald. About her feet
'ralled the purple OF her garments. and
in her hand was her golden scepter.
Everything was nj full tide. It SEEM
as II nothing could yrow lovelier,
md 1t was MI standing still few
Weeks. waiting coming Instruction.
The swamp was pnlpltant with life.
very pair of birds that had locked to
in the spting was now multiplied by
rom two TO ten. The young were
-ane from Freckles' triparentrood.
and so plump and sleek hat they were
quite as beautiful MS their elderf. even
y in many cascs Il 60 lacked their
brilliant plumage. There were chubby
little groundhogs scudd,ng along the
trail. There were cunning baby coons
, and opOssums peeping from hollow
logs and trees. Young muskrats fol.
lowed their parents across the lasoons.
II you could come upon n family of
foxes that had not yet disbanded and
see the young playing with wild
ducks carcass that their mother had
brought and note the pride and sat
isfaction in her eyes as she lay at one
side guarding them 1t would be a
picture not to be forgotten. Freckles
never tired of studying the devotion
of a fox mother to her babies.
The angel was Wild about the baby
rabbits and squirrels. Earlier in the
season. when the Young were still
very small. it had so happened that
Mt times Freckles could give into her
hands one of these little ones. Then
1t was pure Joy to stand back and
watch her heaving breast. flushed
cheek and shining eyes. Hers were
such lovely eyes. They were forever
changing. Now sparkling and dark.
ling with wit, now humid with sym.
patty, now burning with the fire OF
courage. now taking on strength OF
color with ambition. now flashing in
Glgnantly Mt the abuse of any creature
She had carried several Of the squirrel
and bunny babies home and had the
conservatory Uttered with them. Hel
care of them was perfect.
Brown butterfly time had come. The
outer edge of the swaie was filed with
milkweed and other plants beloved OF
them. and the air was golden with the
flashing satin wings Of the monarch
viceroy and argynnis. They outnum.
bered those OF any other color three
to one.
Among the birds it really seemed MS
# the little yellow fellows were In the
reponderance. At least they were
until the red winged blnckbirds and
bobolinks that had nested on the up
land came swnrming by hundreds fol
these last few weeks before migration
Never WIS there finer feast spread
for the birds. The grasses were filled
with seeds; so. too. were weeds OF
every variety. Fall berries were ripe
Wild grapes and black haws were
ready.
They seemed to feel the new reign OF
peace and fullness most Of all. AS fol-
hunting. they didn't ever have t. hunt
for themselves these days, for the
bounty now being spread before Little
chicken every day was more than he
could master, and he was glad to have
rs parents come down and feast with
him.
He was fine. overgrown fellow. and
his wings. with quilts Of jetty black,
glea ming with bronze. were 80 strong
they almost lifted his body. The funny
little hops. springs and sidewise
bounds he gave set Freckles and the
angel. hidden out in the swamp watch
ing him. into smothered chuokles Of
delight.
Sometimes he fel! to coquetting with
himself. and that was ihe funniest
hing of all. for he turned his head up,
his chin with pirnSF Et'a jerk md
Its. He would stretch his neck.
tlrow up his head, turn 1t to one side
and smirk-acrually smirk. the most
complacent and self satisfied sInirk
hat any one ever saw on the face Of a
bird. II WINS so comical that Freckles
and the angel told the Bird Woman OF
i. one day.
When she finished her work on Little
Chicken she left them the camera all
ready for use. telling them they might
hide back In the bushes and watch.
/: Little Chicken came out and truly
& nirkn6 and thou oCrld aonaa1o thu