A Street Troubadour 



about her in passerine exuberance once more, 

 and chirping as he led her to the door again. She 

 hopped in, then out, looked aslant at the twigs 

 below, went back in, reappeared with a very 

 small twig that had been overlooked, dropped 

 it, and with evident satisfaction watched it fall 

 on the pile below. After running in and out a 

 dozen times they set off together, and presently 

 returned, Biddy with her bill full of hay, Randy 

 with one straw. These were carried in and pre- 

 sumably arranged satisfactorily. Then they 

 went for more hay, and having got Randy set 

 right, she remained in the box to arrange the 

 hay as he brought it, only occasionally going 

 for a load when he was long in coming. It 

 was marvellous to see how the chivalry in this 

 aggressive musician was reducing him to sub- 

 jection. It seemed a good opportunity to try 

 their tastes. I put out thirty short strings and 

 ribbons in a row on a balcony near. Fifteen 

 were common strips, eight were gaudy strips, 

 and seven were bright silk ribbons. Every 

 other one in the row was a dull string. Biddy 

 was the first to see this array of material. She 

 flew down, looked over it, around it, left eye, 



116 



$fv7 1 V 



