The Storks' Nest

Written for the Courier. Strasburg was always a favorita resort ol tlie ptorks, and upon its roofs was enacted the drama which we are about to réjate. Two nests were built upon two neighboring roofs, and their iphabitanta long maintained friendly relations. There was, in fact, no grounds for jealousy. The vieinity afforded sustenance enough so that the mail providers had no occasion for contention. When they carne home they were certain to find the mothers upon the nests in expectation of food f'or their young. One day, however, only one of the storks found his mate upon the nest. Who could have removed the other female f'rom the nest? W lio had been so cruel as to drive the mother from her warm nest, thus to destroy hrr young brood intheir infancy? l'erhaps a raven, the implacable enemy of the stork and her young. In order to defend them the female had perhaps been obliged to pursue him to a long distance and had either received a death wound in the contest or had been struck by the bullet of' a stiipid bird-küler, to return no inore to the home nest. The perplexed male bird flew hither and ttrither, seeking bis mate- in vain. Many days passed by in this way. The time f'or flying had come to the young brood of' one nest, but not to that of the other, since the latter, indeed, had lacked the warmth and love of the mother. This woke the envy of the torsaken bird ; the more the happy parents busied themselves about their young, so niuch the more completely did hatred possesB the heart of the solitary one and it needed but a slight occasion for its outbreak. The young birds were now strong enough no longer to need the protectiDg wings of their mother, and she had therefore flown to meet her mate who was returning from the chase. Scarcely had she set out when the envious bird rushes like a fury upon the defense!e8s family and strangles, one after another, the young birds. In order to vent to the utmost his rage, the stork wa3 proceeding still fuTther to tbrow them out of the nest, when the parents returned. With one glance at the slaughter they threw themselves upon the miirderer, and even called the storks from the other nests in the vieinity ; then began a contest which was not ended till the guilty one was torn in pieces, and his feathers scattered to the winds. Such was the revenge of the storks upon the roofs of Strasburgt