OPEN DOORS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20988, 26 September 1931, Page 4 (Supplement)

OPEN DOORS.

By ALICE HIT?ST, D.M.8.G.. Knmo Original.

A sounrl of beating wings rent the nir. The visitor shrieked and clutched her head. "What is it?" she cried. " It's Pigeon," said her hostess. "Shoo! He's gone." Pigeon often introduced himself to strangers in that way. lo the visitors horror and amazement, before ho could bo prevented, ho would bo perching on their heads. Pigeon had come to the new house just after it had been occupied. No one saw him come. He seemed to drop out of the blue, prepared to stay in the little cote the boy built for him on the roof. At first there were continual scrimmages between Cat and Pigeon, but when Pigeon always retired victorious <o the roof-lpuse and watching him with beady eyes, Cat learned to ignore him.

Doors had to bo Ijept shut now, for Pigeon loved to fly inside, and that meant broken dishes and ornaments, knocked over in his flight. Ono day Tigeon watched his friends shutting him out by locking doors and closing windows. When all was ready they sat in tho car and started off. Pigeon went, too. He perched on tho hood for about a mile, then flew round in front of the driver, and set off homeward.

Tho first house Pigeon came to had a door lying wide open. In he flew, knocking a fine vase off a shelf. Crash! A lady came running through just in timo to see tho naughty bird fly away. Another houso lay in Pigeon's flight. He circled round, darting through an open window, where ho settled on a broad shoulder. Strange that another bird should do the same thing at tho samo moment, just in. front of him, and nod when he nodded. Strange!

"You littlo pest!" said tho man. "Can't you soo I'm shaving?" as ho gently put tho bird out.

A few clays later Pigeon had another ride on the car. This time it stopped at the small country church. Pigeon preened his grey wings in tho sun for ;i while, and tlicn made his way round tho church. Tho doors lay open. Ho strutted in and, recognising tho person in front of him, perched on master's shoulder with a loud flutter of wings. Subdued shrieks and loud giggles burst from tho congregation. Tho minister stared in horror while the organist struck into tho Funeral March, the first tuno lie could think of; but master had already shut the doors on a lialf-choked bird. To tho infinite delight of tho youngsters Pigeon flapped at the windows for some time.

A day or two later lie disappeared. His friends had quite forgiven him and it ided his last adventure as a good ju. As tho days lengthened Into weeks and the weeks to months, they longed for his return, yet ho might never come. Bui, onco again, after two long months, iliere came a sound as of ripping silk, and Pigeon was back on the roof—thin, dirty, bedraggled, but still with an air of assurance in his head and bright eyes. " Yes, they locked me up. but one day I found an open door."