I was sitting at my table
expecting him and heard a familiar chirp. When I looked up he was atilt
upon the branch of an apple tree near by. I greeted him with little
whistles and twitters thinking of course that he would fly down to me
for our usual conversation. But though he chirped a reply and put his
head on one side engagingly he did not move from his bough.
"What is the matter with you?" I said. "Come down--come down, little
brother!"
But he did not come. He only sidled and twittered and stayed where he
was. This was so extraordinary that I got up and went to him. As I
looked a curious doubt came upon me. He looked like Tweetie--(which had
become his baptismal name) he tilted his head and flirted and twittered
after the manner of Tweetie--but--could it be that he was NOT what he
pretended to be? Could he be a stranger bird? That seemed out of the
question as no stranger bird would have comported himself with such
familiarity. No stranger surely would have come so near and addressed me
with such intimate twitterings and well-known airs and graces. I was
mystified beyond measure. I exerted all my powers to lure him from his
branch but descend from it he would not. He listened and smiled and
flirted his tail but he stayed where he was.
"Listen," I said at last. "I don't believe in you.
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