The Detroit times., 1916-08-24
LITTLE STORIES FOR BEDTIME.
Why Rattles the Kingfisher Is Let Alone.
Copyright 1916. by r.. W. Burgcss)
BY THORNTON W. BURGESS.

Z p
No one has much OF anything TO
do with Rattles the KlnFhsher. He
and Mrs. Rattles live their res
quite by themselves Others OF the
little feaihered people are very so
cial. and you often find them to-
gether. Many OF them are close
ueighbors In the Old Orchard. and
when the time comes for the long
journey to the far away sunny
Southland a great many OF them
lake the journey together. and the
same thing Is true when they come
back in the spring But the Rattles
family Is not social Mr.. and Mrs.
Rattles ALWAYS are found by them.
selves, and II the truth must be
told. they seem TO prefer IL that
way.
Now | suspect that It is partly
because they want to be alone and
partly because the other birds will
have nothing to do with them. And
the reason that they will have moth
ing TO do with Rattles Is because
they do not understand him. In the
first place he isn't ut all like other
birds save that he wears a feather
cd coat and flies He pcrches in
trees, but never walks or hops about
on the ground Yet he makes his
home in the ground, a thing that no
self-respecting bird does save one
ether, a cousin OF Skinner the
Swallow.
Pert little Jenny Wren, the COS
sip OF the Old Orchard, happened TO
hear his harsh rattle as he flew
over the Old Orchard one day, and
1t set her gossipy little tongue TO
going as only II can 20. There isn't
any tongue that can wag faster than
that Of Jenny Wren.
Just hear thai noisy fellow" said
she. IL don't wonder ha and Mrs
Rattlcs want to live by themselves.
II | had voice like that ! would
want 10 DO the same thing Did you
ever hear such voice? Isn't II aw-
full? He can't sing a single note,
and I've heard say tina, wh,N he
makes love to Mrs. Rattles he
doesn't have single soft note.
Blacky the Grow has a harsh enough
voice, goodness knows. Lut he can
soften il whom he wants TO- The
same Thing IS ;ruc of Sammy Jay.
lie screams mos. OF the time. but
sometimes his voice is really beau.
tiful There must he something
wrong with any one whose voice is
always as hard as that OF Rattles.
And then. too, his heed is too big
for lis body ! rever could bear
people with big heads"
But YOU will have to admit that
Rat'les has a handsome coat even
If he hasn't fine voice" spoke up
Welcome Robin with a sly wink 10
Goldie The Oriolc. You know jenny
Wren has very sober coat, a plain
little brown coat"
Jenny tossed her head and jcrke
her tail Fine clothes never make
fine people" she snapped Il would
rather have a fins voice than a fine
coat. Rattlcs has rather good look
ing coat. though ! don't know as
would call II handsome. He needs
something good I'm told his home
smells eomething awful But what
could YOU eVpeC' Of any one who
lives in hole in the ground and
eats nothing but fish,
81 li;e I'm hole in the ground. and
know good many others who do
the same thing. and lot NE tell you
that our houses are as neat AMI
clean and sweet * those Of people
WHO live in holes in trees" spoke
mp Johnny Chuck who had been
listening For my part think Rat
ties the Kinghshcr has more sense
than some people could mention.
il it is true that he makes his home
in q hole in the ground"
THAT IL all right for YOU folks
who cannot ny" retorted jenny
Wren sharply. "but for a hird-Bah'
Il gives me the feeling that he Is
only half bird. And they say that
he makes his nest OF fish homes!
Did YOU ever hear Of anything like
that? No self-respecting bird will
have anything TO DO with another