158 A RUFFIAN IN FEATHERS. 



with which he greeted her, but instantly retired 

 before his fierce onskiught. Not once did that 

 fiery spirit go to the ground for food, or lose 

 sight of his nest. Most of the time he perched 

 on a branch of the ehn, where he could over- 

 look the spruce and be ready for intruders ; 

 but occasionally he went by his usual alighting- 

 places to the empty home, clearing out beak- 

 fuls of small downy feathers, and apparently 

 setting his house in order. 



But the strange little bird-drama, suggestive, 

 alas, of some phases of human passion, was not 

 yet concluded. Many times during the day 

 the divorced spouse came near, as if to survey 

 her late home, and see if her lord was in a 

 more amiable mood ; but she found him utterly 

 remorseless, ever on guard to repel all attempts 

 to " make up." When at last, after the long 

 hours of night had calmed his savage temper, 

 his mood did change, it was not to her that he 

 turned for sympathy. He would not forgive, 

 but he had no notion of remaining a pining 

 widower. Before evening the next day he 

 went a-wooing, and there appeared upon the 

 spruce-tree, with the evident purpose of exam- 

 ining the home and assuming possession, a 

 dainty young bird. It had taken that disrepu- 

 table sparrow less than thirty-six hours to kill 

 his baby, divorce his wife, and woo and bring 

 home a bride ! 



