White Pine news weekly mining review. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1910-1920, 1918-10-27

their ankles. ! kneW tnat II the Sails
/ birds came back to these trees this
/ year and mated with the same mates.
then / would have some small fact to
contribute to ihis great study. Ana
now two of the birds with my brace
lets have ONE back and l think d
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. l 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 a real contribution to science. SO
I 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 a lot of data,
and some day I'm going to take 1t to
Mr.. Devridge and tell him 1t is my
contribution to science"
sThen-you understand what the old
fellow is getting at In those books or
his?"
"Oh. yes, indeed. He's just finished
a new book on bird monogamy. l am
so impatient to read it. It must be
wonderful"
"Here is a bargain" said Philip,
draining the coffee pot for a last cup
of coffee to offer to his companion.
'Tll 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.
It was In midsummer that James
Deveridge came up to the mountain
camp to visit his nephew.
AT least you have stayed here" he
| said. "I don't know what you have
| been doing, but / 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
| lives had bsen developed and the pic.
lures had been printed 10 the shack.
| OF this detail Of the process Philip was
a past master. What amazed the
uncle was that the pictures were 20
entirely what he wanted.
'.They are the most wonderful pic
| lures I have ever SEEN" said the old
man, tears coming into his usually
hard old eyes. att 10 as II I had sud-
denly found you, my nephew. 1t has
always been my grief that no n Of
my own has been interested In the
work I do. But you must be interest.
| ed or you could not have done these
pictures. They are as good In their
way as anything I ever did,"
A little later Alice Gerry. dressed In
her usual tree-climbing attire. slipped
into the shack and came straight ovsr
to the old mans side.
"rve always longed to meet you.s
she said With . timidity that Indicated
her admiration better than any elab-
crate compliments she might have ex-
pressed would have done, Tive been
getting together a few notes to give
; you on my own observations. / have
always wondered II You would accept
them"
There was just q little disappoint'
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, Hike the others who under
stand my work. win 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 n and took
most Of them alone. I just showed him
at first and then he became as en-
thusiastic as +"
"And, anyway" interrupted the
nephew, who perhaps had never APP
preclated his eccentric old uncle as
much before as he should have, "AHce
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.