The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1918-08-06

shack instead of having to tramp back
the half mile to her own, she would
take time to tell him. 1t was In his
little cabin dining room over a rustic
sort of luncheon that Philip prepared
for them-coffee, smoky of aroma, but
delicious to the appetite, sharpened by
woods air. sliced ham, dry biscuits and
cheese-that the girl explained.
swell, you see, am making study
of monogamy among birds-that is, I
want to get little data that win be
of some value in establishing the fact
that thrushes either are or are not
monogamous-that is, that they do or
don't mate for life. Last year /
worked hard all summer l studied
the birds from the tree tops and from
under the hedges. No one knows how
long l sat silently so as not to disturb
them, and trapped some of them long
enough to fasten little bracelets on
their ankles. / knew that if the same
birds came back to these trees this
year and mated with the same mates,
then l would have some small fact to
contribute to this great study. And
now two of the birds with my brace
lets have ONE back and / think they
are the mates of last year. Once they
get settled for nesting can get closer
to them and find out. You know,
James Devridge, the greatest of all
bird students and one of the greatest
scientists of the day, has made a spe-
cial study of this. / read everything
he writes, and l heard him lecture
once. He said that he didn't have
anywhere near enough data on the
subject Of monogamy and that anyone
who would seriously go about 1t to
collect 1t might feel that she was max
ing real contribution to science. So
/ made up my mind to do It, That is
much better than frittering ones time
away dancing or loafing at a summer
resort I've got quite lot of data,
and some day Pm going to take it to
Mr.. Devridge and tell him it is my
contribution to science"
"Then-you understand what the old
fellow Is getting at in those books Of
his?"
"Oh, yes, indeed He's just finished
a new book on bird monogamy. / am
so impatient to read it. 1t must be-
wonderful
"Here is O bargain" said Philip,
draining the coffee pot for last cup
of coffee to offer to his companion.
! an let you read that wonderful book
If you'll tell me what it Is about" And
that led very easily to telling the girl
the predicament he was In.
1t was In midsummer that James
! Deveridge came up to the mountain
camp to visit his nephew.
"At least you have stayed here" he
said II don't know what you have
been doing, but I thought you would
have given up long before this" Philip
lost no time in showing his uncle what
he had been doing. There were hum
dreds of photographs that no eyes save
those of Philip and Alice Gerry had
ever fallen upon before. The mega
tives had been developed and the pic
lures had been printed in the shack.
OF this detail Of the process Philip was
/ past master. What amazed the
uncle was that the pictures were so
entirely what he wanted
] "They are the most wonderful pic
lures have ever SEEN" said the old
man, tears coming into his usually
hard old eyes. ''It is as if / had sud-
, denly found you, my nephew. 1t has
always been my grief that no one of
my own has been interested in the
work do. But you must be interest
ed or you could not have done these
pictures. They are as good in their
way as anything ever did"
A little later Alice Gerry, dressed in
her usual tree-climbing attire, slipped
into the shack and came straight over
to the old mans side.
"Tve always longed to meet you"
! she said with timidity that indicated
her admiration better than any elab-
! crate compliments she might have ex-
| pressed would have done, "Pve been
getting together a few notes to give
you on my own observations. 1 have
always wondered If you would accept
them"
There was just little disappofnt-
ment in the old mans face as he took
the girls hands into his. 'Then the
pictures were not my nephew's work
and you, like the others who under
stand my work. will go away from me
and leave me alone. I had hoped my
nephew took the pictures"
''He did take Them" the girl assured
him. ''He took every one and took
most of item alone. just showed him
at first and then he became as en-
thusiastic as T."
! "And. anyway" Interrupted the
nephew, who perhaps had never APP
| preciated his eccentric old uncle as
much before as he should have, "Alice
is going to be your niece. We were
| just waiting to ask your blessing"
And in truly, patriarchal fashion the
white-haired old man stood and raised
his hands in benediction.