Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-07-18
The Deserted
Home

selected the very finest place possible
for the new home,-the thick, gnarled
woodbine that climbed the porch of q
closed house on country road. She
and Little Mate got right to work and
built the little nest, high up, where
the caves would protect 1t from wind
and rain, and the thick leaves would
hide it from passers-by.
When at last each little hair-like
root and bit of grass was woven just
right, Little Mother lined the new
home with thistle-down from the road
side, and it was quite complete. Little
Mother was so happy to know 1t was
done that she flew straight into an
apple-tree covered with pinky-white
blooms, swelled out her little gray
breast, and began to chirp and twitter
as if she was trying to express all the
joy in her warm little heart; and Little
Mate, from his favorite perch in the
high maple which shaded the wood
shed. answered her chirp for chirp.
After they had talked it all over
awhile, they flew off together to hunt
their supper.
One day Little Mother flew quietly
into the nest, so quietly that nobody
but Little Mate knew she was there.
She left it just as quietly. She came
another day, and still another; and
each time she left tiny spotted egg.
There were three of them when Little
Mothers troubles began. 1t wasn't a
deserted farmhouse after all, but a
summer home, and the people who
owned it loved it so we'll that they
came as soon as they possibly could.
putting the boy into the district school
to finish out his school year.
Their man came first, to put the
garden in order and set out pansies,
snapdragons. and other flowers. Little
Mother was greatly troubled, and sent
her shrill cries from her bower in the
but Little Mate called back
for her not to be so foolish. His
bright little eyes saw a splendid din.
ner waiting for them where the man
had been spading the earth. Don't
worry; he'll go away" he said to her,
and sure enough the man did, and left
a fine meal for them, fish-worms, angle
worms. and black beetles.
The next day he came back to water
the plants and spade more earth, and
with him came the maid, and how that
maid did sweep and clean! She must
have brought everything in the house
out upon the big porch, to shake, dust,
or beat. l don't wonder Little Mother
was terrified for she worked SO near
the little round nest that 1t was a
marvel that the rug-beater did not
strike it and break the tiny precious
eggs. Even Little Mate was worried,
and between them they cried and
called all the forenoon, but the maid
did not notice; at least, she kept right
on working until every rug, pillow, and
cushion was spick and span. When
she went in to eat lunch with the man,
Little Mother and Little Mate hurried
down to their nest, and were greatly
relieved to find that nothing had been
disturbed.
Didn't I tell you not to worry?'
said Little Mate.
But the day isn't over yet, remem-
ber." answered Little Mother.
The day was not over. About three
o'clock there came such a noise up the
quiet road that all the birds and bugs
and beetles must have held their
breath It was big touring car, whir-
ring and footing as if it, too, were glad
to be out of the noisy, dusty city. The
people in it were glad, so glad they
laughed and waved their hands at the
man and the maid, who came out to
the gate to take their bags and
bundles. There was man, a wom-
an, and boy; and Little Mother and
Little Mate set up q shrill cry They
had reason to fear boys as much as
cats and snakes,-at least, one kind of
boys
They made such noise and twitter
that Father Pierce knew in a minute
what the trouble was
he said Gust watch that little moth
err with the red-brown head, striped
coat, and gray vest. What twitter
she's in. There's her matchbox, Son,
up on the maple. What do you suppose
they're saying? Don't you wish you
knew"
When Father Pierce put out the
hammock he spied the little nest. He
was so tall he could look straight into
it and see the cunning little eggs. He
pointed it out to the family and said
Now we must all keep away from
It, They're afraid We'll trouble it; but
if we're careful not to take the chairs
too near, perhaps they'll forget their
fear and go right on with their house
keeping. You'll remember, won't you,
Son? And think how nice it will be
to watch the little ones. see them
grow, and the parent birds give them
their dinner. I'm glad We haven't a
cat to worry them"
Son said he'd remember, and he did
all that day, in spite of his terrible
curiosity about those three little spot
ted eggs. And all day Little Mother
and Little Mate watched, often flying
back and forth from the apple tree
to the maple, and sometimes darting
near the porch, but not too near, chirp-
ing their anxiety many, many times,
and not resting easy until the house
was dark and the family fast asleep.
The next day was showery and Son
couldn't get out to play in the big field
or up in the pines back Of the barn.
He stayed on the porch, swung in the
hammock, and said about one hundred
times that he wished 1t would stop