Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1913-10-10

~ ~
u ~ daughter Bess tended it with house
wifely care. Bess Buds only
child. She a coy mountain maiden of TWEEN
ty, and as pretty of the wild flowers that
peep from the ground in the Big Black valley in
March.
Bud had a neighbor, 81 Withers 81 lived down
the stream ways and the holdings Of the two
joined. ST had a son, Bill Between the
two mountain farms over in the corner lay
triangular piece of ground not more than two
acres in extent Outside of the woodland this
was the only piece OF land on the Jackson-With-
ers holding that not cultivated. 1t
weed grown and though 1t would have supported
a goodly crop of grain no seed sown by the hand
of man ever fell there. 1t known for miles
around the debatable ground. Bud and ST
both claimed the place, and had wranged over 1t
for years before the feud became deadly. At
the present status OF things If either set his
foot on the strip the other would have shot him.
Bud Jackson had a hobby. He collector
of birds.
Scientists from St Louis and from the west.
ern state colleges came to his place every sum-
mer to. look at his collection. He never would
add bird to the lot unless 1t had been killed
In the state of Missouri, provided always, of
course, that the bird known to be even
rare vistant to the state. Bud didn't expect to
get any hamingoes in Missouri, but If he should
have heard Indian tradition that 500 years be-
fore hamngo had been seen On the Big Black
he would not have added the bird to his collec-
ton until someone had sent him one with the
proper attestation that It had been killed inside
the limits of his native state.
What collection that wasi There was nret+v
near everything In 1t from the rubythroated hum
ming bird to the big bronze wild turkey Bud
mad to build an addition to his house to store his
birds, Some people said that Bud cared more
for his birds than he did for Bess which was a
lie, For years Bud had secured the woods OF
the Ozarks, extending his trips to the adjoining
counties for the purpose of getting one bird the
ivory-biled woodpecker He knew that the ivory
bill was dweller of the southeast UaseaS States.
out ne also knew that struggling birds had been
seen In the deep woods OF the mountains of Mis-
souri,, and so he kept up his search with his
shotgun over his shoulder year after year He
could have purchased an ivorybilled woodpeeker
killed somewhere else, for something like 500
but he would have Missouri bird or none He
slept out nights in the woods and starved and
thlrsed on the trail of reports that the bie bird
had been Generally 1t turned ont that
those who told of the appearance of the wood
pecker, not knowing much about birds had seen
the log cock and had taken him for his still
bigger bird brother.
one day in the summer Bud noticed that Bess
nad something on her mind. She started sud-
denly whenever he spoke to her and more than
once pushed wildly. The old man didn't saw
much. but just thought he would let the thine
come out by itself But 1t didn't come out Bess
Just kept on acting as though she were wav Off
somewhere in the clouds One day as the old
man was coming back from a COLLECTING trin he
could nave sworn that he saw Bill Withers old
oi son. making of across the brook from the
ulreceon OF the Jackson home. Bud gripped his
gun ugntiy and felt lump come up in his
throat He thought he knew now how to account
Tor Bess' blushng. He kept his own counsel
however. He knew that If old Withers knew ~
II he would be just as hot about it as he was
SUD eyed Bess curously when she entered the
mouse and casually asked If there had been any
visitors while he had been away
No. stammered the girl and fen TO blushing
directly ~ ''u'n'hs
"Humph!" said her father
TWO days later Bess went out to pick black
berries Half an hour after her father followed
IN her trail The blackberry patch Law in the A,
rection OF the debatable ground Bud conc -
rise In the land and looked off toward the fri
angular DIT OF ground in dispute By the great
aux what was that he saw? There in the center
VI 'ne deoatahle ground were Bill Withers and
Dess jackson holding hands and Bess' suubonnet
was pushed way back. When Bud recovered suf
Hclently he looked beyond the patch and there
s.0ou ola 81 Wlthers grasping gun and looking
at the pair of lovers. There couldn't he any
snooung mat day on either side and both old
ielIoWs turned and went home II was NOT
peasant evening that was spent that NIGHT ,r
eilhef the Jackson of the Withers home Rud
s'o'meo and fumed and told Bess that she was
bringing everlasting disgrace on him by taking
up with the son of that old thief Witbars
81 Wtthers said good deal of the Same Sor+
70 ms son Bill but Bill. being a fellow who
tnougnt Tor himself held the old fellow pretty
well In hand CIV" pretty
~ Ao T week after this negro appeared at
the jackson home and reported that he bod saon
an ivory-billed woodpecker in the b,g woods
e ess naa oeen forbidden to leave the house Bud
seEaS MS gun and made for the big match ~
,.iaGer Inc negro had described the bird aeeu.
plunged in and had not gone ten "a, me woods
neard strange rafting cry. He knew II tro ne
tne description he had heard He went IN ,.s
oirection. In minute he saw great bio b,rd