Evening star., 1921-05-01

hooked beak of nose and little
eyes. set close 'sether. At any
rate. they got along particularly
well. Inside of two days the bird
would allow Mr.. Towle to scratch
the nubbly neck with his foretinger.
1t vas long neck. and when the
bird stood straight and stretched
it up he was nearly yard tall. He
had few feathers on his back and
on his wings, but his tail consisted
only of bare quilts.
Mr.. Purvis had given names to
the other animals. but he had not
bothered to honor the dilho bird in
that fashion. After ponderins on the
matter for some days. Mr.. Towie in
formed the dilbo bird that there
after his name would be 'Llewellyn
Sturnell."
That's the man I hate wust Of
anybody in the whole world. and
don't like nobody any too well. MI
Towle informed MIR. Purvis and the
the blinking bird. ..
Il don't think I ever heard OF
this Sturnen Who is he"'
'LelI Sturncll was in partnership
with me in the hos business. and
he cheated me out of every cent ne
could lay his hands on-but | saw
to it tha; he wound up busted;
too" declared Mr.. Towle. not at all
abashed in admitting that the prop
osition was double-edged. and
when I was down to my last boss
and before ] had a chance TO win
purse with her. it was his bear that
chased her and scared her into the
heaveA And there's more about MN
but I don't like long stories. All is.
this bird is now I.lewellyn Sturnell.
and as soon as have the thing
thought out a little more I'll show
you why I have picked that name.
I'm sorry to have to stick II onto
even a bird like this one. but the the
bird don't know what it means, and
For several DAYS Mr. Towle was busy.
tinkering with sheet iron that h" had
salvaged from discarded stove: be-
tween whiles he .practiced on Mr.. Pur-
forenoon he asked Mr.. Purvis TO stay
out Of the barn until he was called. At
the end of an hour Mr.. Towie came 10
the door. fiddle under his arm. and
called.
a rehearsal or two. end it's all working
frs. class If you'll kindly step in.
wen show you
Mr.. Towle had shifted the cage-top
to a sheet-iron pls tforn. The bird was
iron. Under the iron was tin kero-
sene lamp without a chimney. Mr..
Towle lighted the lamp and stuck the
toe Of his boot into loop OF leather
attached to the lamp. He sat down
on a box. lifted the blaze OF the lamp
against the tin directly under where the
dilho bird was standing. tucked the
fiddle under his chin and sawed away in
lively stv'e. In moment the bird be-
gan TO lift one foot and then the other.
It stepped TO a cooler spot and the
larn followed.
"Dany-wheIt We. Llewellvn Sturnell.
dance" squeaked Mr.. Towle in tone
that indicated sudden passion. Dance.
" tell We. Dance: I've got yee. at last
jest where I want ye. Dance
Gathering sheet-iron. The movement
was a combination Of dizzy waltz and
grotesaue jig The big splay feet
raped out tn" time on the resoundinc
| the tune he was playing.
| FTER a time he lowered the lamp
and extinguished the fame. The
dilbo bird stopped dancing. stood or
one leg. put his doorknob of head
close to the bars and uttered husky
| "Craw-w-w!''
| Its lucky for you he can't get out,
gasped the astonished selectman. "HeG
kill you"
! Nonsense and fush." said Mr.. Towle
| airily. Him and me has arrived at &
perfick understanding. He is simpl,
| reminding me to come across witt
what's usual" He deposited within
the cage a double handful of shellet
peanuts and scratched the head OF th'
! diIbo bird. The bird offered no violenc'
ard began to peck at the peanuts.
Are you going to have him do tina
at the fairs?" inquired Mr.. Purvis will
much interest.
"Of course. You have been houtin,
and casting slurs on my bird. Why
man. he'll draw more people than al
the rest Of your menagere He'll b.
talked about. He'll be put into tn
rapers. He's the only dancing dilb
we're making money with him. l can b
telling Ilewellyn Sturnelr to dance
timwhe!t your jceroosly soul-dance"
He shook his fist in the air an
shouted the last words.
And Mr.. Towie remained entirel!
absorbed in his protege. He tinkere
with the sheet-ir platform and mad
a curtain which concealed the lamp
flame as terpsichorean adjunct.
The proverbial ill wind blew thei
evangelist was unwise enough to com
to Etna Gore and set up his tent Aft
er week Of effort he back slid.
Then maybe that tent is for sale.
suggested Mr.. Purvis.
"It is. and for less than half wha
1t cost me. When I get done witt
Snything. get good and done witt
it
Having q tent that's been use,
like that" remarked Mr.. I'urvis T.
Mr.. Towle after the trade had beel
contaminated. certainly does give
high, moral touch to our show"
BY the time they had their tent Sc
up at the Levant fair. Mr. Towl
seemed to be entirely -econciled; n
was very cheerful when he and MI
Purvis had set the last cage in place
II knew you'd come into your righ
senses at last. Hod," declared MI
Purvis. delightedly. Lets open up
We want to get the news about tn
Dancing Dilbo Bird circulating owe
these grounds Just as quick as W.
can. From mouth to mouth we shall
make the glad news ny!"
The news flew. 1t was not becaus
the performance Of the dilbo bird wa
especially wonderful: but the fac
that old Horace p. Towle. known a
: a driver and owner of every railbir
in the country. had come to the ia
with some kind of a dancing doc
dangus that he had named "Llew.llv,
Sturnell.' after his late partner, an,
was making the bird hop AROUND &
the music OF ''There'Il Be u Hot Tim