106 ^tnuntu nf ti)e Evtm 



have to brush up your coat this year, 

 grandpa, if you want to get a mate." 



" 'Tis getting pretty shabby," piped 

 the wheezy old grackle at the top of the 

 tree. ** I guess it don't make much dif- 

 ference whether I take a mate or not, 

 I'm so old," and the aged grackle settled 

 down into a dejected bunch of rusty 

 black feathers and was quiet. 



At this point in the wild medley of 

 conversation a large and gorgeously dressed 

 grackle took a commanding position in the 

 tree, and cried, " Order, ladies and gentle- 

 men, order." In a very few seconds it 

 was as quiet in the tree as though there 

 had only been five blackbirds there in- 

 stead of five hundred. All the sound that 

 was noticeable was the occasional flutter 

 of a wing, as a bird balanced himself, 

 when the wind swayed his branch, or a 

 slight half-smothered squeak. 



