A pair have their nest in a telegraph-pole 

 near the school-house, where they are constantly 

 mauled by the boys. I was passing one day 

 when two youngsters rushed to the pole and 

 dragged out the poor harassed hen for my edi- 

 fication. She was seized by one wing, and came 

 out flapping, her feathers pulled and splintered. 

 She had already lost all but two quills from her 

 tail through previous exhibitions. I opened 

 my hands, and she flew across the pasture to the 

 top of a tree, and waited patiently till we went 



' She tte\v across the pasture.' 



away. She then returned, knowing, appa- 

 rently, that we were boys and a necessary evil 

 of village life. 



[61] 



