OCR Text |
Show THE CITIZEN 14 SOME NOISE. the other more useful birds the sparrows begin to quarrel among themselves, and maybe you have noticed how noisy a flock of them are as they hop about. Their voices have no song, a loud chirping being as much as they can do, while their numbers are so great that the combined chirps sound very harsh. The English sparrow has been in our country for only about seventy years, but there are now more of them than any other of the native birds. However, we must give the sparrow credit for being very smart. They are quick to take the hint that they are not wanted when their nests are torn down in the hope of driving them away, something which many other destructive birds are slow to do. Their loud chirps and quick darts are a terror to gentle birds, such as the robin, for they are great bluffers and depend upon frightening other feathered creatures by seeming to be very fierce. Last spring a mother robin was seen to give three worms to a sparrow that flew straight at her as if to snatch them. The mother was searching some freshly turned earth in the garden, and in a few minutes pulled out a big, pink worm and started to fly back to her waiting young ones in the nest. The sparrow had been following her closely, so when the mother opened her mouth, to defend herself the worm dropped out and was quickly snapped up by the smaller bird, which then carried it to a small bush where the tiny sparrows were also waiting for their dinner. Three times the mother ribin discovered nice worms, but the mother sparrow flew directly at her head and forced her to drop them. The clever sparrow was waiting for the mother robin when she tried for a fourth worm, and would have seized this one if something dreadful had not happened. In her excitement at the idea of getting another free dinner for her little ones the sparrow did not notice the approach of a big hawk. Just as she made a dash at the mother robin the hawk suddenly swooped down and seized the sparrow in tis sharp talons, so this thieving bird mother had to pay dearly for the three worms she had stolen. The little robins had their dinner of nice worms at last, but the baby sparrows never saw their mother any more. The English sparrows are such hardy birds that they never migrate to a warmer climate during winter. The only migrating they do is to fly into the cities and towns, where they can find more to eat. With the coming of the first warm days of spring they begin to scatter out into the country to find plenty of buds and blossoms, while later on they get into the grain, fields and cause the farmers much worry. Never be cruel, to these dapper little birds, but don't encourage them to make a battleground of your lawn or walks if you want regular visits from more useful and beautiful kinds 'of feathered friends. sufferer who lives close to a railroad yard in the suburbs wrote the following to the railroad company, complaining about the racket made by a switch engine, according to ihe Boston' Globe: Gentlemen: Why is it that your switch engine lias to ding and dong and fiz and spit and clang and bang and buzz and hiss and bell and wail and pant and rant and howl and yowl and grate and grind and puff and bump and click and clank and chug and moan and hoot and toot and crash and grunt and gasp and groan and whistle and wheeze and squawk and blow and jar and jerk and rasp and jingle and twang and clack and rumble and jangle and ring and clatter and yelpt and howl and hum and snarl and puff and giowl and thump and boom and clash and jolt and postle and shake and screech and snort an I snarl and slam and throb and crink A and quiver and rattle and yell and smoke and smell and shriek like bell all night long ' HOW PETER COOPER LOOK. Reminiscences of Peter Coo given by Maximilian A PROFESSORS LAUGH. Professor John Stuart Blackie was able to enjoy a joke on himself. Clad in a shepherds plaid, his hair falling thickly about his shoulders, hfe was accustomed to take long walks through the Edinburgh streets. Once he was accosted by a little bootblack. Polish I your boots, sir? asked the boy. dont want by boots polished, my lad, said Professor Blackie, but if you'll wash your face Ill give you a sixA right, sir, replied the pence. lad. He went over to a neighboring fountain and made his ablutions. Well, said the professor, you have earned your sixpense. Here it is. I You dinna wrant it, said the boy. keep it and get your hair cut. Toc.li, nai industrial chemistry, at the, rec I sa ebration of Founders day at (v tet Union. Mr. Toch said: I can never forget that meeting with Peter Cooper was hall when I was a bo- a bout; 12 fo - To me Peter cj of age looked as if he might have steppe of a twelfth century frametafo pressive, with long whtte hair. He a patriarchal appearance which minded me of all the allegorical tures of ancient priests. There something about him that mad, feel that you were in the preset an important man. Some two or three years lata- -. u father took my brother anduf$ - I and I can still see the building visited with him over forty yearjl 3 Peter Cooper's office one ! afte- let-- The Telephone Is Back to Normal rot During the past three or four months there has been a steady improvement in the telephone service, both Local and Long Distance. Congestion of plant has been greatly relieved; intensive training of operating employes has added to operating efficiency, and the morale of our organizations personnel is back standards. to pre-war There is a constant, determined and concerted effort on e the part of the employe body to render the quality of Telephone Service, and this spirit on their part is being rewarded by the appreciation of a grateful public. Certainly there is no other industry which was affected so adversely by war conditions that has made so rapid a recovery in point of old-tim- service. PR We especially call attention to improvement in our Long Distance Service. The long delays occasioned by war-tim- e activities are things of the past. Our long lines afford the most efficient means for the dispatch of business with distant points. basis will save By the way, calls on a station-to-statio- n you at least 20 per cent, as against the cost of calls for a particular person. If you are not fully informed on this point, ask our local manager and he will explain. He will also ex- Est lecei Cre )ucl an tah Ad plain our reduced Evening and Night rates for Long Distance Service. D L Va J. Da l 1 Est i L Crcj The Mountain States Telephone and Telegraph Co. )uc util ire Sfne BO At rDa 1 J |