220 SMALL SHOT 



gold shall be killed; that the destroyer shall pass 

 away only when there is nothing left for him to 

 destroy. 



V. WHY NOT WAIT ? 

 We have come to the frayed end of another win- 

 ter. The earth's white carpet is worn to shreds, 

 and Nature is making ready to weave her a new 

 one of green, with all sorts of flower patterns that 

 ought not to "fail to please the most fastidious." 

 Some of the bluebirds have escaped the guns and 

 snares of the milliners' collectors, and are with us 

 again, the return of the robin has been announced, 

 and the song sparrow is tuning up his pipe for the 

 spring concerts. The crystal hatches will soon be 

 off the streams, and the fishes will once more get a 

 look at the sky, and at the angler, who is now be- 

 ginning to overhaul his tackle in anticipation of 

 the opening day of the season. 



The ducks and geese and snipe and shore-birds 

 will presently be on their way to northern breed- 

 ing-grounds, and too many sportsmen are making 

 ready to give them a most inhospitable greeting as 

 they pass or tarry for a few days of rest. Too many 

 sportsmen will be ready with the old and poor 

 excuse for this wrongdoing, "If I do not shoot 

 them, some one else will," which is worth nothing, 

 for it is not at all certain that some one else will 

 kill the bird that you spare, and that it will not go 



