The Wrangell sentinel., 1919-09-04
The young man broke in. evidently oy., ho

The young man broke in. evidently embarrassed.
 "Oh, I say, now, mother. you can't ask the young lady to do that. I'll let you know about the birds-Tll drop In once week or so to see how they are. I'm more familiar with them, anyway, 1t would be much better"
 Well, perhaps" agreed the old lady. She nodded to Clarita. You're very kind." she said. And please don't forget that cuttle-fish bone; fresh every three days. Very we'll Good-morning
 Wasn't that a nice girl?" said Mrs Tucker to her son. as they walked down the street "1'm sure she'll be good to Dick and Nellie."
 "1 hope they'll be good to her." mur- mured the young man. "1 should think any bird could sing In that shop."
 Mrs. Fuckers anxieties concerning her pets must have multiplied as the summer went on, for Mir. James Tuck CT, Jr.. found 1t necessary to drop in
 
 indeed. Clarita used to smile when she saw him coming. Mir. James. Jr, was a young lawyer, and his office not yet being overrun with clients, he found time to visit the bird store in the middle of the morning or the after noon, or sometimes both. Birds were never better looked-after than were the Tucker canaries.
 "How's Dick?" he would ask, com ing in. to find Clarlta polishing cages or filling tiny cups with bird-seed.
 "Very we'll" Clarita would answer, most demurely. He's been singing his head off this morning.
 Nothing strange in that" he would say. q should. too, if stayed here. Isn't there something I can do to help. Miss Evans? I've an hour or so to spare. Let me polish that brass; I'm used to shining up gear on my auto. I wish you could take little spin in 1t tonight, after the birds are all asleep. Would you-7"
 Then there came day when Dick was not so we'll. He dropped and pined in his cage, with never song. Clarita fused over him, and dOctored him for various bird ailments. But 1t was of no avail-Dick refused to be merry.
 "Of course, he's very old bird" {. Clarita said anxiously to James, who was very attentive to the invalid. Its probably old age. I don't think there's much we can do. What shame that your mother, shouldn't see him again."
 'I might telegraph" he suggested. "but she's five hundred miles away. I doubt whether she'd come. She will be sorry, though. She's really fond of that poor old bird,"
 "Of course she isl" Clarita said with emphasis. "When you do like birds, you love them. You don't un- derstand, James Tucker; you needn't laugh !"
 "Well, I love something else besides birds" he defended. '"That Is love somebody else. It's all right to want to spend your life with birds, but I'd rather spend mine with"
 Something in his tone made Clarita turn away quickly, A customer came ip just then, and she was busy for an hour or more, so his sentence was not finished. However, Clarita knew what It's ending would have been. and she pondered 1t that night as she sat alone at her window, looking out at the stars. She pondered 1t, and little soft sigh escaped her. She was very happy.
 Bird Dick died the next day. James came in, to find Clarita putting his soft little body into a moss-lined box.
 Poor old Dick l" said James Tuck CT. "Mother'n care lot. We ought to make 1t up to her somehow. I might buy her another bird but no bird could take Dicks place in her af. fections. think the very best way would be to make her so happy about something else that she would be dis tracted. I know what I'd like to do."
 "What?" asked Clarita-although she thought she knew.
 Take her new daughter" said James Tucker. "What do you say, Clarita? Couldn't we be married now and break the news about Dick to- gether7 It would make her so happy she couldn't grieve for him at all. Mothers always wanted daughter. Clarita, and you know that love you more than anything in the wide world, Couldn't we be married now, Clarita? ?"
 'Well," murmured Clarita. as his arm began to steal around her, I don't know but what we could"