Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1919-03-14
THE eLUEeiRDS


tie girl whose great joy was To watch
the beautiful bluebirta in her fathers
great yard. and to find their nests
and see the parents feed and care for
the young birds until they. too. could
fly. In the yard next 10 the ltjie
girls wa, big. Oldfaahioncd Colonial
house with large, square pillars or
columns across the front. In this
yard there were several bluebiTds'
nests one in the corner of the or
chard fence and two in an old hullow
tree. The little girl used 20 spend
hours watching the birds and hunt
ing for new nests every year but best
of all she loved the old nesting places
where the same bucblrds came back
TO her every year. She would not have
cat for pet. because the cats
frightened away her dear birds, and
every day in spring she made the
rounds of the nests. sprInkling crumbs
near them and keeping fresh water
near the well.
she had learned great deal about
them, and only one thing puzzled her
very much, this was, why did she
never see any Of the bluebirds come
out Of the hole at the top of the big
porch pillar? She saw them 20 in
every year, sometimes two at time,
but so far never had she seen one fly
out She thought it must be because
she did not watch the nest hole 20
closely she was a little shy and kept
away from the biz house.
One day she saw the minister ana
his family, who lived there, drive
away in their big carriage. Just as
they left the yard brilliant biuebird
flew into the hole at the top Of tbs
porch pillar. closely followed by an
other. NOW" said Marie. "III see
them come out" She looked until.
becoming tired, she seated herself on
the grass to watch, but altho she was
very patient and waited a long time,
no birds flew out Marie was very
curious to know about this, 50 ran
over to the porch and stood near tic
foot of the pillar
Then she understood, for strange
futtoring and wild beating Of wings
inside could. plainly be heard, then
quiet for a short time, and again tho
beating Of wings up a little way
against the sides told her Of the fate
of the poor birds. They could not
get out! They were in 4 living
prison.
"Oh.h" moaned Marie, and ran
home to get her father who came 1T
once, and. listening, knew ,he truth
ron. papa! Can't you get them out?'
cried the little girl tears falling down
her cheeks.
But her father explained gently that
to DO that the pillar must be cut
open-that when the minister cane
( home they would see if he were will
ing. Poor Marie cried until her
father was really frightened, and was
just starting 10 find the minister
when the big carriage drove in at the
gate, and he and Marie. her eyes red
and swollen, went over to see what
might lie done
Wei. What do you think' Tho
good minister. getting saw, said,
we will see what there is here and
he sawed and cut out a piece Of
board near the bottom. No sooner
had ne made an entrance than out
flew two bluobirds and in a minute
another. Putting in his hand he drew
pI+ sill quOt nor live bird and then
a dead one, and another and another,
until fifteen birds had been accounted
for Then tiny bird skeletons were
brought out, some few almost whole,
others in fragments a leg bone.
skull, a pair of wings all that re-
manned of long dead and gone bird
folk. Poor little things! Having
flown in and reached the bottom, in
that narrow space they could not fly
to the top, and each year had added
to the number Of small victims.
When the minister and Marie's IA
Their had counted as best they could
the number reached was twenty
seven, with others probably un-
counted 1t was a tragic day for
Marie, but she was made happy by
the thought Of the four rescued birds
and by seeing the hole in the pillar
fast closed so that no more of her
little friends could be led astray.