94 EVERYDAY BIRDS 
happens in military and masonic parades, there 
is never any jangling, no matter how near to- 
gether the different bands may be marching. 
As I said, the pageant lasts for three months. 
It is fortunate for me, perhaps, that it lasts no 
longer; for the truth is, I have grown so fond 
of watching it that I find it hard to attend to 
my daily work so long as the show continues. 
If I go inside for half a day, to read or to write, 
I am all the time thinking of what is going on 
outside. Who knows what I may be missing at 
this very minute? I keep by me a prospectus 
of the festival, a list of all who are expected to 
take part in it, and, like most watchers of such 
parades, I have my personal favorites for whom 
I am always on the lookout. One thing troubles 
me: there is never a year that I do not miss a 
good many (a bad many, I feel like saying) of 
those whose names appear in the announcements. 
Some of them, indeed, I have never seen. If 
they are really in the ranks, it must be that their 
numbers are very small; for the printed pro- 
gramme tells exactly how they will be dressed, 
and Iam sure I should recognize them if they 
came within sight. Some of them, I fancy, do 
not keep their engagements. 
I spoke, to begin with, of their passing my 
door. But I spoke figuratively. Some, it is 
