New Britain herald., 1928-02-23
Dy Thornton W. Burge1 A Diacunat0 in the Old Orchard Discussion ne'er should be forbid. den;
 It often brings out facts long hidden.
 -Old Mother Nature

The breakfast hour in the Old Orchard being over. there was lot of gossiping among the feathered folk, and this soon became a discus sion.. It all came about through that sudden fright Roughleg the Hawk had given the feathered folk. Specklea the Starling started it. That was . narrow escape we had" said SpeckleAI
 Escape nothing!' exclaimed Tom my Tit the Chickadee. What do you think you escaped from?"
 .'Why. from that big hawk, of cotrae. stupid!" replied Speckles.
 I'm not stupid and we didn't escape from that big hawk. He wa asn't looking for us.' retorted Tommy Tt
 '-rhsn what did you hide in tha, houss for" demanded Tank Tank the Nuthatch.
 Because l didn't know 1t was Rcughleg," retorted Tommy prompt ly. My mother taught me to hide first and investigate later. The one who stops to investigate first may never have . chance to hide"
 "That's so." replied Sammy Jay, nodding his head sagely. That's a very good rule. I am inclined to obey that rule myself. And I guess Tommy Tit is right about Roughleg. There are hawks and hawks. l af because of what some of the fam fly do. But Roughleg is what I call | good hawk. He has never bother ed mo. I wouldn't want to sit down in front of him when he was hungry and there were no mice to be had. but just the same l have nothing against Roughleg."
 T have" squeaked small voice.
 The birds all turned to see White foot the Wood Mouse peeping out of . little house in which he was making his home in the old Or chard. There isn't any such thing ss . good hawk"
 Sammy Jay chuckled. "I guess that's right from your point of view, Whitefoof." said he. 'T don't sup pose there is a mouse who can see anything good in any member of the Hawk family or of the Owl family. But, 50 far as I'm concerned. there gre only two or three hawks that I am afraid of. don't know any good of Terror the Goshavk and I don't want to he around when Killer the Duck Hawk comes along. keep o0e of sight when that other bird hunter, Cooper's Hawk. is about. And l don't take any chances with Sharpshin. But 2. for the rest of the Hawk family. they are pretty good folk, if you ask me"
 Whitefoot shook his head violent ly. He shook his head so violently that Tommy Tit laughed aloud. I'm glad I'1l not q mouse" said Tommy Doe, dee, dee. I'm glad I'm not 8 mouse! l agree with Sammy Jay about the Hawk family. Of course, I don't take any chances with two Or three Of the smaller hawks. be- cause once in while they do like a dinner of small birds. But. get ting back to Rouebleg, ] am really glad to See him. Have you ever mo- ticed how his legs are feathered all the way down? They tell me he lives up North. notice Farmer Browns Boy never bothers him. In fact, Farmer Browns Boy acts as if he likes to have RoughleC about Well. l may be little, but I'm glad I'm not hawk
 Why" demanded Dotty the True Sparrow.
 "Bec3use." replied Tommy Iii sagely. "I wouldn't want 10 he so misiudged. It's queer how anything bad about some folks is always be- Geved and everything good is disbe lievcd. ! think if is that way with most of the Hawk family and most