THE INN IN THE FOREST— STRANGE NEWS 209 



" "Wait till I look over the paper, and I will tell you, 

 should I find anything worthy of remark." 



Some of the men lit their pipes; others fanned them- 

 selves with burdock leaves; and others sat motionless. 



The reader at last looked up. 



""Well, here is something strange. Calvert!. Calvert, 

 come out here now, and stand in the cool. I've something 

 to read to you." 



" Well, what it is, squire? " 



" Say, don't you remember that young man, Audu- 

 bon? " 



" Yes, yes, I can see him now in my mind's eye. He 

 hunted chickadees." 



" You laughed at him? " 



"Any one would; he gave away his own property to 

 his sister, and he lost all his wife's fortune, and took to 

 portrait-painting to pay his debts. Laughed at him! I 

 guess I did. Why, he looked like a wild man of the woods, 

 always a bird-hunting and painting birds — didn't know 

 enough to earn his salt." 



" Had you heard that he had written a book? " 



"A book! What could be written about wrens, and 

 chickadees, and owls? Who does he expect is going to 

 read it? " 



" He has been selling it by subscription." 



"What does he ask for it?" 



" A thousand dollars a copy, I am told." 

 14 



