Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1915-05-19
The Nockj;ng
Bird Girl
BY F. A. Mitchell

One afternoon In April while on a
visit to Washington l was sitting on q
bench in one OF the parks. The leaves
were half blown, and among them
birds were twittering. One little song
ster In a tree above my head was now
and again giving two lnelodious notes.
the first higher than the second. Then
suddenly just behind me these notes
were repeated by human voice, fol-
lowed by a girls laugh. ! cannot say
which was the more musical. the imt-
tation Of the birds piping or the laugh.
turned and saw three girls. all with
their backs toward me, moving away.
Cupid has many arrows in his culver,
but there is one, called fancy. that he
uses more than all the others. At any
rate he had let drive at me with such
an arrow and pierced my heart. l had
been caught by the trifing incident
that l have mentioned and was en-
amored of the girl who had Knocked a
bird and laughed. l fancied her the
smile between dimples was doubtless
expressive of that melodious laugh.
and her eyes laughed as well as her
lips and her voice.
Had I been a trif1e less fanciful and
more practical would have arisen
and hurried after the girls to get a
view Of the one who had bewitched
me. But by the time became aroused
to the situa ton it was too late. l went
after them, but the park was full Of
people, and they We're lost in the
crowd.
A few evenings later l was attending
a reception at the White House.
was standing near the opening to the
conservatory with married lady to
whom l was indebted for invitations.
Suddenly from within the conservatory
I heard the musical laugh that had
charmed me. But unfortunately high
growing plants were between me and
the person who laughed. and l could
not see her.
would have given all possessed
if could have left my companion and
hurried around what screened the girl
longel to see. But no. Convention
atty held me. To leave a woman
standing alone at a function would be
objectionable. And what excuse could
l make for such an act? Could ! say:
Madame. pardon me. There is
hooking bird girl behind those palms
with whom l am enthralled. l must
leave you to go to herr" Such course
would be to commit social suicide. for
| have observed that of all the women
in society the most sensitive to the at
tention shown them are those who
have husbands. remained 1T my
post, but heaven knows what it cost
me to do so. Later l would have tried
to find her, but how could l do so new
er having seen her face?
The next time I heard my hooking
bird laugh was at the capitol. up in
gallery under the dome. Directly be-
low me walked a man. woman and
a girl. I could see the tops of their
heads and shoulders, but nothing more
Then up came the laugh. 1t was the
same l had heard twice before. |
would know it among thousand.
l was tempted to jump down fifty
or hundred feet and land before my
charlner. Instead. l turned and ran
down the stairs so fast that fell and
when tried to rise found it impossi-
BILE to do so. had broken my leg.
Pok
but the principal one was that must
give up hope of ever finding my charm
er-that is. If she was a stranger 10
Washington. If not. would remain
there as long as lived in order to find
her.
did not get the use of my leg again
till July, and then it was too hot to re-
main in one of the hottest cities in
America. l would have done so. but
didn't believe the girl was looking
for would be there. With heavy
heart l went northward.
In October l returned to prosecute
my search. accepted all the invita-
tons l received. hoping to meet my
hooking bird girl. was doomed to
disappointment. Everywhere l went
listened and never heard girl laugh
that did not feel pang because it
was not the one ! longed to hear. !
was introduced to many girls, but none
of them could fill the gap in my heart.
One evening l was assigned 10 take
certain young lady out to dinner.
She was very pretty. Her eye was
liquid. her smile hanked by dimples.
l passed a delightful period chatting
with her, for there was between us that
wireless something which tells two
persons that they like each other.
parted with her under the impression
that she might make me forget my
laugh girl.
met this young lady again and ask
ed permission to call. It was granted.
and during the first evening l spent at
her home made discovery. She
began to play the piano, and this set q
canary bird in another room to singing
II once heard GIRL remarked.
Initiate bird to PERFECTION
II can do that" she said and straight
way reproduced some of the canary's
notes. Whether It was the expression
on nv face or what IT was I know NOT