The daily Alaskan., 1915-03-25
The Nocking
 Bird Girl
By F. A. MlTcHEL

One afternoon In April while on a visit to Washington l was sitting on bench in one of the parks The leaves were half blown, and among them i birds were twittering. One little song ster fin a tree above my head was now and again giving two melodious notes, the first higher than the second. Then suddenly just behind me these notes were repeated by a human voice, fol- lowed by girls laugh. l cannot say which was the more musical, the mi tation of the birds piping or the laugh. I 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 had been caught by the trihing incident that have mentioned and was en- amored of the girl who had mocked a bird and laughed fancied her the embodiment of feminine mischief; her smile between dimples was doubtless expressive of that melodious laugh, and her eyes laughed as well as her lips and her voice.
 Had l been trife 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 situation 1t was too late. l went after them, but the park was full Of people, and they were lost in the crowd.
 | A few evenings later was attending reception at the White House. l was standing near the opening to the conservatory with a married lady to whom 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.
 I would have given all l possessed if could. have left my companion and l hurried around what screened the girl longed to see. But no. Convention ality held me. To leave woman standing alone at function would be unpardonable. And what excuse could I make for such an act? Could l say: Madame, pardon me. There Is mocking bird girl behind those palms with whom I am enthralled. l must leave you to go to her% Such course would be to commit social suicide, for I have observed that of all the women in society the most sensitive to the at I tention shown them are those who have husbands. remained at my post, but heaven knows what 1t cost me to do so. Later l would have tried to find her, but how could do so nev- CT having seen her face?
 The next time 1 heard my mockins bird laugh was at the capitol, up In q gallery under the dome. Directly be- low me walked a man, a woman and a girl I could see the tops of their heads and shoulders, but nothing more. | Then up came the laugh. It was the | same I had heard twice before. would know 1t among thousand.
 was tempted to jump down fifty or a hundred feet and land before my charmer. Instead. turned and ran down the stairs so fast that fell ana when tried to rise found 1t imposSi- ble to do so. I had broken my leg.
 I cursed my fate for many reasons, but the principal one was that l must give up hope of ever finding my charm er-that is, if she was a stranger In Washington. If not, would remain there as long as lived in order to find her.
 I did not get the use of my leg again till July, and then 1t was too hot to re- main in one of the hottest cities in America. I would have done so, but I didn't believe the girl l was looking for would be there. With heavy heart went northward.
 In October l returned to prosecute l my search. l accepted all the invita- tons I received, hoping to meet my mocking bird girl. I was doomed to disappointment Everywhere l went I listened and never heard girl laugh that l did not feel a pang because 1t was not the one longed to hear. l was introduced to many girls. but none of them could fill the gap In my heart
 One evening was assigned 10 take a certain young lady out to dinner. She was very pretty. Her eye was liquid, her smile Ranked by dimples' II passed 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 spent at her home I made a discovery. She began to play the piano, and this set canary bird In another room to singing. q once heard girl" remarked, 'fmitate bird to perfection"
 q can do that" she said and straight
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