Ir was 4 am, in the Sparrows' Nest. The Sparrow swerved clumsily in the dark and made a bad landing on the edge of the bed.
Vhere have you been all this time?" asked his wife, starting up.
"Out" said the Sparrow. "Hup."
"What did you say?" asked his wife. said the Sparrow. "S'indiges-
Ou've been drinking" said his wife.
"Clever lil woman," said the Sparrow. "Can't deceive the clever lil woman."
"Where have you been?" asked his wife.
"Paris," said the Sparrow.
"Don't lie to me," said his wife. couldn't fly to Paris and back in a day.
"Course not," said the Sparrow. "Don't have to. Go on a plane, come back in a plan S'marvellous. Quicker'n I could do it. Hup.
"Stop that noise," said his wife.
"Can't stop," said the Sparrow. "Hup.
"You ought to be ashamed of yourself, his wife, "Ever since you met that Nightjar lost summer. you've never been the same bird."
"Ha," said the Sparrow. "Joly old Nightjar.
vou know where he is now?"
o, and I don't care," said hie "He's on the Riviera," said the Sparrow. "Comes here for the summer, goes to Ri for the winter. Jolly old Nightjar.
"He's a bad companion for you, d his wife. "Up all night and sleeping dll da; "Jolly old Nightjar," repeated the Sparrow.
"I suppose he met you in Paris," said his wife.
"Don't remember," eaid the Sparrow, "Hup."
"Oh, stop it," said his wife.
"Only remember Fifi, said the Sparrow "Dear lil Fifi. With lipstick on her beak. Dear 1il Fin."
"Filthy beast," said his wife.
"Promenade avec moi, Fifi" mimicked the Sparrow. "Voulezvous promenade avec moi?"
"Whatever are you talking "about?" asked his wife.
"S'French," the Sparrow. "You wouldn't derstand. Never has any education."
[ow dare you say such a thing!" said his I married beneath me," said the regretted it, Always." said his wife. "How could you?
common gutter sparrow, that's what said the Sparrow, "With no educa-sobbed his wife, "Oh!"
coughed the Sparrow as he dropped off to sleep.
—N. Gussis in the "Sunday Express."
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.