Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-21

parry, but after the fight has pro-
crossed for few minutes they lapse
into silence to save breath for the
crucial test. First, the husband will
get the intruder fat on his back and
apparently be on the point of stabbing
him through the heart. But so great
is the skill of the other that always
before the deadly dagger thrust goes
home he is able to get to his feet and
usually to get the husband on his back.
They quit finally when both are so
exhausted that they hardly can stand.
Wife Puzzles Neighbors
The attitude of the wife puzzles the
neighbors She always is an interested
watcher in the duels, but apparently is
so affected by the devotion of both her
admirers that she will help neither.
This has made her unpopular in the
little village, whose inhabitants are
lined up with the two deadly enemies.
Some say the husband is crude yokel
who doesn't deserve such pretty wife
anyway. Others declare that one who
inva0es the Sanctity of another per-
sons home deserves death.
One neutral observer is James I.
Hambleton, director of the Depart
ment of Agriculture bee Investigations
laboratory. who. the other day, made
a futile effort to restore peace. During
one of the fights he approached the
fighters, who were so engrosSed in their
murderous efforts that they did not see
him coming, and picked them both up
in his hands. But even this made no
difference They struggled not to
escape but to get at each other.
Mr.. Hambleton lectured them kind
~ but firmly on the rules of etiquette
the ruction they were causing in a
quiet neighborhood. the sanctity of do
mestic relations and the duty of BROTH
erly love. Both simply cursed the
would-be peacemaker and cursed each
other. The instant they were released
they fell to fighting again.
Meanwhile the family life apparently
is blighted. The normal expectation
of the innocent prattle of infants in
the new home has not been fulfilled.
The love nest which should be radiant
with mother-love is a dreary place. The
Sharpest-eyed neighbors have been I'M
able to detect the slightest indications
that the stork is on his way. All
around new families of little ones are
objects of the devotion of proud moth
ers and the tireless food-hunting of
fathers. But here the nursery is empty.
Families of Catbirds.
The names of the childless couple
are Mr.. and Mrs. John Patrick Catbird,
would-be happy home is Count Alexis
Catbird. all members of a well known
local family. The home is in cedar
tree underneath Mr.. Hambleton's front
window, on Locust avenue, in Alta
Vista. The lawn is popular bird
community, which never before has had
the thrill of a real scandal.
Apparently the fight is destined to
continue indefinitely. So skillful have
both contestants become that, accord
ing to Mrs. Hambleton, they appear to
suffer no real injuries, and return to
the encounter day after day as fresh
as ever. But their beaks are sharp and
there is murder in their hearts.
Interest in the love triangle duels
seemed to have quoted, for the time
being, the gossip which went around
the community few weeks ago, when
Mr.. Brown Thrasher, one of the most
pious and sedate of the residents, got
drunk and disgraced himself. Accord
ing to Mrs. Cardinals account, he
started out looking for fight. Sud
denly he saw an individual who looked
just like himself and in a similar UNI
steady condition approaching him. He
few at the stranger and struck at him
with his beak. The other struck back.
For some reason which Mr.. Thrasher's
befuddled brain could not fathom neith-
err was able to hit the other. The
two kept it up for three hours, before
they quit in disgust and departed.
When Thrasher sobered up he tried
to keep the affair secret lest it affect
his standing as church warden. but
unfortunately it had been observed.
Mrs Hambleton had heard what she
thought to be a persistent knocking at
her cellar door. When she investigated
she foupd IL WAS caused nv Mr. Thrash
err striking his beak against pane of
the cellar window. trying to hit his
own reflection in the glass. He was SO
engrossed in his efforts that he didn't
notice her.
Now his name Is mud from Cardinal
Lodge to Wren cottage and folks
smoker when he leads in prayer.