A Street Troubadour 



l'=Ji i~l 





JL 



street was very quiet, but a ring of perhaps a 

 dozen people were standing gazing at something 

 in the gutter. As I came near I heard occa- 

 sional chirruping, and getting a view into the 

 ring, I saw two Sparrows locked in fierce com- 

 bat, chirruping a little, but hammering and 

 pecking away in deadly earnest. They scuffled 

 around, regardless of the bystanders, for some 

 time ; but when at length they paused for breath, 

 and sat back on their tails and heels to gasp, I 

 was quite shocked to recognize Biddy and 

 Randy. After another round they were shooed 

 away by one of the onlookers, who evidently 

 disapproved of Sunday brawling. They then 

 flew to the nearest roof to go on as before. 

 That afternoon I found below the nest not only 

 the intrusive marble, but also the remains of the 

 five eggs, all alike thrown out, and I suspect that 

 the presence of that curious hard round egg in 

 the nest, and the obvious implication, were the 

 cause of the brawl. 



Whether Biddy had been able to explain it 

 or not I do not know, but it seemed that the 

 couple decided to forget the past and begin 

 again. There was evidently neither luck nor 



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