Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1841-05-27

ed in times past to bring boys before Judge
Lynch, and might probably have done it.,
could we have put our hands upon them.
While residing in Lancaster, few years
since, we were located near the river which
runs through the town, whose banks and in
teryals are ornamented with numerous fine
elms and Other trees, which add much to the
beauty of this pleasant, village; in these trees
the birds congregate in great numbers and
! rear their young. gigantic elm, the admi-
ration OF travellers and the pride of the viii
lagc, threw out its wide-spreading branches
over the cottage in which we dwelt, and.
while IT shielded rs from the scorchiMg sun,
afforded in its ample head Ga forest almost i'm
itself,) secure retreat for great variety of
birds, whose movements afforded much a.
musemcnt for the family. Among these
birds were pair of crow black-birds, who
had selected the fork of partly decayed limb
very high In the tree, as d place TO build their
nest and rear their young. Having in my
Juvenile days some prejudice against this
bird, as was taught that with tile crow il
would dig up the newly sprouted corn, and
commit snndry other depreda,ions, therefore
viewed them with suspicious eye as saw
them in company from day to day upon my
newly planted grounds, busiy engaged in
helping themselves to what they liked best.
satisfied myself soon, that they had been
vi'eiy sandered, and that they were friends.
and not enemies. 1t was evident that they
were clearing my grounds of grubs and worms
at agreat rate. They soon found that was
no enemy 10 them, and consequently became
quite tame ana familiar, following tie plough
or harrow with nearly as much confidence az
the domestic fowls. 1t appeared that there
was good state of feeling among the nu-
merous tribes that inhabited the tree, con-
sisting as they did OF so many families, en-
braclng the robin, blue bird, sparrow, golden
robin, and variety of others, and things
seemed TO prosper among them and 90 on
well, until the ght before the old-fashIoncd
election" Ga fatal day to the fca,hered tribe.)
During that night there was very high wind /;
early In the morning l was awakened by an
unusual camor among the birds, and rose to
ascertain the cause. I found that the decay
ed limb on the fork of the crow black birds
nest had been broken off by the wind, and the
nest and contents Give young ones) precipi-
tated to the ground, and that four Of them
We're dead and dying. The surviving one
was nearly fiedged, and could fly little.
picked it up from the grass and placed it in II
secure situation, supposing the distressed pa
rents would take care of il. The old ones
with the sympaihizing cries OF the other birds
formed melancholy concert.
While the b,ackbirds had perched upon a
nelgnOorlng tIcc mean the road, still giving
ventto their SORROW, u boy passed with his
gun, fired, and brought them both to the
ground, and carried them away in triumph
Luckily FOR the boy, | did not witness the
barbarous deed, but it was noted by one of
the family, and soon reported TO me. as
had become somewhat interested IN the un-
fortunate orphan. proposed to my childrea
that they should feed it with worms until it
could take care. of itself, and accordingly
placed it in pen under the tree and return
ed 10 my work near by. IL was not long be-
fore heard from the young bird its peculiar
note, which it uttered when its parent brought
food, and, on looking up. saw thatit had hop
ed up on 10 a joist TO which the board fence
was fastened, and, to my delight and surprise,
beheld q blue bird in the act of feeding it.
That beautiful passage OF scripture flashed
upon my mind Are not five sparrows sold
for two fartbings9 and not one OF them forgot
ten before God" My curiosity was now
raised to see what would be the issue, and 1
soon found shat any further care on my part
would be superfuous, for the young chap had
fallen into better hands 1t was with the
deepest interest | watched the movements of
this devoted pair of blue birds to their adopt
ed one, for it appeared that both male and fe-
male had taken part in this work Of disinter-
ested benevclence. and devoted themselves
with unremit,ing attention 20 its wants, until
II was able to take care of itself. For couple
OF days it remained near the spot where first
saw the birds feeding it, and, being near a
window, had good opportunity to see how
things went on between them, 1t appeared
that the young one kept his benefdctors pref
ty busy; for their incessant labors could hard
y satisfy the young gormandizer, upon
an estimate, after much attention, he received
a portion OF food every 81 minutes during the
day, which appeared to- consist of worms and
grubs, The black-bird probably weighed
twice as much as both blbe-birds, and, when
it opened its capacious mouth to receive the
food, it seemed as if is kind friends were In
imminent danger Of being swallowed whole.
The biue-birds appeared alternately with the
food, and lit down few feet III front of the
bird on the fence, and viewed with apparent
astonishmeEtth the extended mouth ofthe young
| one for a second. then, hopping up, deposited
| the food, then as quick back to the first posi-
ton, regarding for another second, with
marks Of satisfaction, their object Of charity,
and then away for new supply.
In few days the young bird found the
Iuse of its wings, and was followed from tree
to tree upon the premises by its faithful pro-
viders for nearly week; it had by tina, lime
LEARNED 20 find its own food, and soon it fell
in company with some Of its own kith and
kin. and l could recognize it no more
Whether it ever returned To- express its graf
ltude to It's foster parents we have ucYe
learned.
Many Of my neighbors could testify IN II,
above facts, as some Of them called daily .
see for themselves.
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