nd, after a little coquetting, were
regularly installed in their old quarters, and were as happy as only
wrens can be.

One of our younger poets, Myron Benton, saw a little bird

"Ruffled with whirlwind of his ecstasies,"

which must have been the wren, as I know of no other bird that so throbs
and palpitates with music as this little vagabond. And the pair I speak
of seemed exceptionally happy, and the male had a small tornado of song
in his crop that kept him "ruffled" every moment in the day. But before
their honeymoon was over the bluebirds returned. I knew something was
wrong before I was up in the morning. Instead of that voluble and
gushing song outside the window, I heard the wrens scolding and crying
at a fearful rate, and on going out saw the bluebirds in possession of
the box. The poor wrens were in despair; they wrung their hands and tore
their hair, after the wren fashion, but chiefly did they rattle out
their disgust and wrath at the intruders. I have no doubt that, if it
could have been interpreted, it would have been proven the rankest and
most voluble billingsgate ever uttered. For the wren is saucy, and he
has a tongue in his head that can outwag any other tongue known to me.

The bluebirds said nothing, but the male kept an eye on Mr. Wren, and,
when he came too near, gave chase, driving him to cover under the fence,
or under a rubbish-heap or other object, where the wren would scold and
rattle away, while his pursuer sat on the fence or the pea-brush waiting
for him to reappear.

Days passed, and the usurpers prospered and the outcasts were wretched;
but the latter lingered about, watching and abusing their enemies, and
hoping, no doubt, that things would take a turn, as they presently did.
The outraged wrens were fully avenged. The mother bluebird had laid her
full complement of eggs and was beginning to set, when one day, as her
mate was perched above her on the barn, along came a boy with one of
those wicked elastic slings and cut him down with a pebble. There he
lay like a bit of sky fallen upon the grass. The widowed bird seemed to
understand what had happened, and without much ado disappeared next day
in quest of another mate.

In the mean time the wrens were beside themselves with delight; they
fairly screamed with joy. If the male was before "ruffled with whirlwind
of his ecstasies," he was now in danger of being rent asunder. He
inflated his throat and caroled as wren never caroled