The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1912-02-01

es. by gummy, I'll be having one
bout the frogs-if it takes every cen
l have" he promised himself.
Freckles fell into a rapid pace, fol
he had lost time that morning, and as
he rounded the last curve he was al
most running.
Then. wavering, Pickering, darling
here and there over the sweet marsh
grass. came a great black shadow. He
bad seen some owls and hawks of the
swamp that he thought could be
classed as large birds. but never any
thing like this, for six feet it spread its
great shining wings. Its big. strong
feet could be seen drawn up among its
feathers. The sun glinted on its sharp,
hooked beak. 1t lit on a low tree, and
second later Freckles saw another
shadow sweep the grass.
They were evidently mates, for with
queer rolling hop the first conner
shivered his bronze wings, sided up
Il the new arrival and gave her q silly
little peck on her wing. Then he CO.
quettishly drew away and ogled her.
He lifted his head and waddled from
her few steps, awkwardly ambled
back and gave her a sort of kiss on
her beak
The lover sidestepped a few feet. He
spread his wings and slowly and softly
waved them precisely. as If he were
tanning 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 shuffled
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 on 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.
"0h. Mr.. Mclean" he cried. II hope
| haven't kept you waiting very long!
And the sun is getting so hotl l have
been so slow this morning! l could
have gone faster. only there were so
many things to keep me. and l didn't
know you would be here. I'll hurry
after this. I've never had to be giving
excuses before. The line wasn't down.
md there wasn't sign of trouble. 1t
was other things that were making
ne late" :
This flushed, painting, laxative lad .
vas not the same creature that had
ought him in despair and bitterness /
With an eloquence of which he never ..
Ireamed Freckles told his story. He :
alked with such enthusiasm that Nc
4ean never took his eyes from his /.
ace nor shifted in the saddle until
e described the strange bird lover,
nd then the boss suddenly bent over
be pommel and laughed with him.
They're back there in the middle ,
f the swamp now" said Freckles.
Do you suppose there is any chance
them staying with me chickens?
they do they'll be about the queer
st l have. But l tell you, sir. am
citing some plumb good ones. There's
new kind over at the mouth of the
,ee6 that uses its wings like feet
nd walks on all fours. 1t travels like
thrashing machine There's anoth- ,
:. tall as me waist. with bill foot
ug. neck near two, not the thick ]
ass of ME wrist and an elegant color /,
e's some blue and gray. touched up !
it'll black. white and brown. The :
ice of him is such that If he'd be GO I,
9 up and standing by a tree and
wing at it few times he could be
tting it square off. l don't know &
1t it would be good idea to try I
m on the gang, sir" {
Mclean laughed. Those must be !
ne herons. Freckles." he said And (
doesn't seem possible. but your story I
the big black birds sounds like gen. Z
ne black vultures. They are COM !:
On enough in the south. I've seen &
EN- thick about the lumber camps :
Georgia. but l never heard of any &
Is far north before. They must be !;
avs. You have perfectly described (
r nearest equivalent to a branch Of /
ese birds called In Europe Pharaoh's Z
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