A TRANSIENT BOARDER. 
C. S. COOK. 
WHEN I came down stairs in the 
morning I found him in pos- 
session of the premises. I 
watched him for a few minutes 
with much interest. I had not before 
seen a California wren, and found him 
very different in appearance and con- 
duct from the eastern wrens with which 
I was acquainted. " Wrensie " was 
very self-possessed, and did not appear 
to resent my intrusion at all. In fact, 
he seemed disposed to ignore my pres- 
ence, a fact which led me to judge it 
best to adopt the same course toward 
him. 
I must ex-plan our situation a little by 
saying that, as the cottage in which I 
was living was in a very unfinished con- 
dition, the lower floor was not divided 
by any partitions, the kitchen in the 
L and the front room forming one large 
room. 
The weather being warm, and the 
walls open, the flies were very numer- 
ous in the room, a fact evidently keenly 
appreciated by the little fellow, for, as I 
proceeded to sweep the whole house 
he did not allow his industry to be seri- 
ously interfered with. While I was 
busy in the attic he was not idle down 
stairs; while I was regulating the front 
room he was picking up things in the 
kitchen. When I approached him too 
closely he would quietly slip out of 
doors through one of the numerous 
openings about the floor, or perhaps go 
up into the attic which was very acces- 
sible to him. He rarely remained out 
of doors more than a few minutes at a 
time. A forenoon of house-cleaning 
would seem more favorable to an 
estrangement than to a rapproche- 
ment; yet while I was at dinner I felt 
something upon my foot. Looking un- 
der the table I saw Wrensie perched 
upon my shoe. While I watched him 
he jumped up on a fold of my trous- 
ers, apparently thinking it a better 
point of observation. He was not dis- 
turbed by my interest nor by my mo- 
tions at the table. He never seemed 
to mind ordinary motions even when he 
was very near. With other birds I have 
considered entire quiet necessary under 
such circumstances. 
I maintained my policy of manifest- 
ing no concern as to Wrensie's move- 
ments, merely abstaining from making 
any very sudden or rapid motions 
which would be likely to startle him. 
With this single exception I went about 
all work freely. While I would have 
been glad to cultivate his acquaintance, 
quickly, I thought it better not to 
try to do so. The universal method of 
winning favor in the eyes of such stran- 
gers is to feed them; but Wrensie would 
have nothing but live game, and no 
kitchen delicacy received a moment's 
attention. Fortunately, however, there 
was little need of studying to win his 
confidence, as but little encouragement 
was necessay. He was afraid of noth- 
ing; not from innocent ignorance by 
any means, but from complete self- 
confidence. He was not defiant, but 
intrepid. This confidence was not 
gained by observing that he was not 
molested, but had its source in the 
spirit of the bird, as shown by the fact 
that there was little difference in his 
demeanor during the six days he was 
with me. 
The next day a mason came to the 
ranch to see about a proposed fireplace 
and chimney. As we stood talking 
over the matter, one on each side of a 
small table, my little boarder came and 
made a thorough search for game 
among the various articles on the table. 
While working in the kitchen I often 
found him at my feet, several times 
even between them as I stood at the 
stove or table. This was a position of 
such danger to him that I felt obliged 
to be very cautious in my movements. 
Occasionally he would perch on my 
shoulder or head, never staying very 
long but never betraying any distrust. 
It was most entertaining to watch him 
in his pursuit of game. As a hunter 
he was full of resources, untiring in his 
efforts, insatiable in his appetite. 
When he saw a fly on the floor or table 
near him he would slowly and stealthily 
approach, his little black eyes snapping, 
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