50 
B Y THE WA YS1DE 
to fly with, and if they did. have them 
they could not use them for they would 
be too clumsy and slow. They never 
could fly better than hens, and you know 
what wretched work they make.” 
“Your speech is"very fine, Mr. Gold¬ 
finch, but there is danger in those rifles 
for birds.”.. 
“Oh, you conceited little thing! Don’t 
you know that they never kill only for 
food for their families, and yowr little 
body would not make a mouthful for 
their youngest babe. For shame, neigh¬ 
bor, quiet your fears.” 
“You mistake, Mr. Goldfinch. It is 
not for the necessities of life that they do 
this. It is that their wives, poor plain 
creatures, may have our fine feathers to 
decorate their persons. Although, as 
you know, mine are a very sober color, 
I have known, the avaricious creatures to 
kill our kind to sell to those women who 
can’t afford gayer ones like you, yourself 
which, by the way, they are very anxious 
to get, consequently you are ;in more 
danger than I.” ' . &• 
“That is very true. That also accounts 
for my brother and his wife disappearing 
so mysteriously last year, soon after their 
little brood hatched.. I felt very much 
grieved over their behavior, for I thought 
that they had forsaken their little dar¬ 
lings. I tried to care for them awhile, 
but as I had a family of my own, I could 
not protect them as their parents did, 
and once when I went to look for them 
they were gone. I found some tell-tale 
feathers on. the ground near by, and I 
concluded that the monstrous beast with 
long claws and a sly step, which men al¬ 
ways have around their homes, must 
have discovered them. I feel very much 
alarmed, Mrs. Wren, but what can be 
done? I believe I shall go immediately 
to Mr. Golden Oriole. He surely will be 
interested, for he has such lovely feathers, 
which I was foolish enough to covet, but 
now I am thankful that I am not so gay 
as some. I believe I will proceed to 
pluck out what fine feathers I have.” 
“Yes, but even then you are not safe.” 
“Not safe ! Of what use would a feath¬ 
erless bird be on a lady’s hat?” 
“Oh, but they often shoot us for fun.” 
“But I don’t see what enjoyment there 
is in killing.” 
“But its different with them, for they 
often go to war and kill their fellow-men 
by the thousands, and without any rea¬ 
son. Leastways I can’t see any.” 
• “They claim it is for their country they 
do it.” & ; 
“But I don’t see why they must kill for 
their country’s good, or to settle disputes 
when they can be decided in other ways 
much better.” 
- “But that is their way.” 
“Yes, but the poor creatures are becom¬ 
ing more civilizedbas time advances. 
There are many societies formed for the 
prevention of cruelty to animals and to 
prevent so much slaughter of birds dur¬ 
ing hatching time, and a few of the women 
are sensible enough to refuse to wear a 
bird or wing on their hats. And I must 
say they look much nicer with a bright 
ribbon for an ornament.-. Although I am 
so fond of bright feathers myself, they 
look out of place dangling from the head 
of a silly woman. -How I would look 
with a trailing dress 1 and a hat on, trying 
to fly!” » 
“That is true, Mrs. Wren and so good¬ 
bye. I am glad' that I -heard this. I 
shall go directly to Mr. Golden . Oriole.” 
“Good-motning, Mr. Goldfinch.” 
“Good-morning, Neighbor Oriole.” 
“Why this doleful-appearance, Friend 
