Year: 1876

feel very lonely now since my startling
is gone. could not bear to look upon his
empty cage, his bath and playthings, so /
have had them all slowed away; but the
bird will dwell in my memory for many a
day. The way in which that startling man
aged 10 insinuate itself into my heart and
entwine its affections with mine, can new
er rightly tell and ii is only now when it
is gone that really know how much it is
possible for human being 10 love little
bird. The creature was nearly always with
me, talking TO me, whistling to me, or even
doing mischief in small way, TO amuse
me; and it was oflen the very best reaxa-
tion could have had to throw down my
pen, slraighten my back, and have a romp
with Dick.


The rearing of anest of slarlings is al
ways very difficult task, and found it
peculiarly so. In fact, one young startling
would require half dozen servants at
least to attend 1t. was not master OF those
starlings, not bit of ii; they were masters
of me. l had TO get out OF bed and stuff
them with grub at o'clock every morn
ing. They lived in a band box in closet
of my bedroom. had TO get up again at
4 O'Clock to feed them, again at s, and again
at G. in fact, saw more sunrise during
the infancy of that nest of starlings than /
ever did before or since. By day, and all
day long, I stuffed them, and at intervals
the servant relieved me of that duty. In
fact, it was pretty much all stuffing; but
even then they were not satisfied, aud
made several Intellectual attempts to swal-
low my finger as well. At length-and
how happy felti-they could both feed
themselves and fly. This last accomplish
ment was anything but agreeable TO me,
for no sooner did open the door than out
they would all fly, one afler the other, and
seat themselves on my head and shoulders,
each one trying TO make more noise than
all the rest and Guido his brothers.


got so tired OF this sort of thing at last
that one day determined 10 set them all at
liberty. l accordingly hung their cage
outside the window and opened their door,
aud they all flew, but back they came into
the room again, and settled on me as usual.
"Then," said 1, ''Tm going gardening"
By the way they clung to me it was evident
tuClt was Ahu 81 we Auu
so they did. And as soon as commenced
operations with the spade, they commenced
operations, too, by searching for aud eating
every worm 1 turned up, evidently think
ing was merely working for their benefit
and pleasure. / got tired of this. 20
bother you all p cried; "Tm sick OF
your threw down my spade In disgust
and before they could divine my intention,
1 had leaped the fence and disappeared in
the plantation beyond.


"Now," said 1 10 myself as entered the
garden that evening after my retarn, aud
could see no signs Of starllngs, "Pm rid of
you plaques at last" and smiled with sat
isfaclion. 1t was short-lived, for just at
that moment "Skaigh, skraigb, skraigh,"
sounded from the trees adjoining, and be-
fore 1 could turn foot my tormentors,
seemingly mad with joy, were all sitting
upon me as usual. Two OF them died about
a week afler this, and the others, being
cock and hen, resolved TO keep.


Both Dick and bis wife soon grew 10 be
very fine birds. l procured them large,
roomy cage, with plenty Of sand and lay
er of straw in the bottom OF It, a dish or
two, a bath, a drinking fountain, and al
ways a supply OF fresh green weeds on the
roof of their domlcile. Besides their usu-
al food Of soaked bread, ETC., they had
slugs occasionally, and flies and earth
worms. Once day the cage door was
thrown open, and out they both would fly
with joyful skraigh, TO enjoy the luxury OF
a bath on the kitchen floor. One would
have imagined that being only two, they
would not have stood -on the order Of their
Reingi but they did, at least Dick did, for he
insisted upon using the bath first, aud his
wife had 10 wait patiently until his lord