WHEN BILLIE CAME BACK. 



Billie is the handsomest Fhcker that 

 comes to the grove of oaks on the north 

 campus of the college and that is say- 

 ing a great deal. For several years he 

 has occupied a splendid house hollowed 

 out with much labor in the great oak by 

 the power house. Just above the portico 

 of his house Billie has his xylophone. 

 This remarkable instrument is just sea- 

 soned enough and has just the correct 

 spring in its splinters. Here every 

 morning, at this season, he beats a series 

 of tunes, monotonous perhaps, but rather 

 pleasing to Billie and me. After beat- 

 ing a tune, he screams at the top of his 

 voice, "Get up; get up." He is an alarm 

 clock and a great nuisance to those who 

 love their morning nap, but I would not 

 allow him to be disturbed, he seems so 

 business-like and earnest. My wife 

 was disposed to disparage his musical 

 attainments, but when she saw the mar- 

 velous rapidity of his strokes and the 

 beauty of his red crest flashing in the 

 slanting sunlight she became a partisan. 



It should be said, of course, that after 

 the brief season of courtship is over and 

 BilHe's wife is busy about her house- 

 keeping, he is less musical and we do 

 not have our reveille so regularly. 



Early last spring a pair of English 

 sparrows took possession of Billie's house 

 and worked with a diligence worthy a 

 better cause to fill it with sticks and bits 

 of straw. I was interested at once and 

 waited eagerly to see what Billie would 

 do when he should return. I did not 

 have many days to wait. One fine day 

 1 heard Billie hammering a gay tune. 

 I watched and was soon rewarded. Billie 

 seemed taken aback, but soon recovered 

 from his surprise and proceeded to clean 

 house at a great rate. Meantime the 

 sparrows could do nothing but scold, and 

 I confess to a degree of satisfaction in 

 their discomfiture. For once the speckled 

 little Ishmaelites were impotent. 



Finally the last straw was thrown out 

 and Billie perched upon the limb that 

 served as a portico for his house, 

 screamed with defiance and satisfaction. 

 Soon he flew to a distant part of the 

 grove in search of the fiuure Mrs. 

 Flicker, I suppose, and Wc.s gone for 

 perhaps an hour. The sparrows worked 

 desperately and had nearly all of the ma- 

 terial replaced when Billie, disappointed 

 in his quest and in no very good humor, 

 returned. This time Billie's patience 

 was entirely gone and he threw sticks 

 right and left, stopping occasionally to 

 scream with anger. He seem.^d to know 

 there would be little use in chasing the 

 pesky sparrows. He did not go far from 

 home after that, so that the sparrows 

 were compelled to go house hunting 

 elsewhere. 



Billie mounted guard over his fireside 

 and his altars for several days, treat- 

 ing us to a quantity if not a variety of 

 drum solos, and the seductive notes of 

 his cross cut saw of a voice were in con- 

 stant evidence. He never knew the sor- 

 row of the human performer of like 

 merit when his best friends are willing 

 for him to rest. 



One fine day a demure looking female, 

 attracted by his music, came and critical- 

 ly examined the house. I knew she 

 was already won, but Billie did not, and 

 it was amusing to watch his antics. Did 

 vou ever see a Flicker disperately in 

 love? It was evidently love at first 

 sight with Billie. He spread his wings, 

 showe^d the jet black crescent on his 

 vest, displayed the crimson glory of his 

 crest, played his most catch}^ tune on 

 the xylophone and sang his most melodi- 

 ous song. Meantime the coy female, al- 

 ready dj^cided, still appeared to be unable 

 to make up her mind. She made as if to 

 go on, and Billie was in despair, and re- 

 doubled his persuasion. She had nrver 

 heard such a tattoo, nor seen such a 



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