The Whig standard. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1843-1844, 1843-12-28
A STORY or BIRDS.
BY MRS. CHILD.

. = e = s44 ~ DOR II Il
Two barn-swallows came into our wood-shed
in the spring time. Their busy, earnest twitter-
ings led me at once to suspect that they were
looking out.a building spot; but as acarpenter's
bench was under the window, and frequent ham
mering, saving, and planeing were going on,
had little hope that they would choose location
under our roof. To my surprise, however, they
soon began to build in the crotch of a beam, over
the open doorway. ! was delighted, and spent
more time watching them than "penny wise"
people would have approved. II was, in fact,
beautiful little drama Of domestic love- The
mother-bird was SO important; and her mate was
50 attentive! Never did any newly. arried
couple take more satisfaction with their first nice
y arranged drawer Of baby-clothes, than these
did in fashionings their little woven crade. The
father-bird scarcely ever left the side of the nest
There he was all day long, twittering in tones
that were most obviously the outpourings Of love.
Sometimes he would bring in a straw, or a hair,
to be interviewer in the precious little fabric.
One day my attention was arrested by a very un-
usual twitterIng, and / saw him crcling round
witha large downy feather in his bill. He bent
over the unfinished nest, and offered it to his mate
with the most graceful and loving air imaginable
and when she put up her mouth TO take it, he
poured forth such gush Of gladstone sound Ii
seemed as if pride and affection had swelled his
heart, till it was almost too big for his little BOSOM
The whole transaction was the prettiest piece of
fond coquetry, on both sides, that it was ever my
good luck to witness.
II is evident that the father-bird had formed
correct opinions on the "woman in question -
for during the progress Of incubation he volun-
teered to perform his share Of household duty.
Three or four times day would he with coaxing
twtterings, persuade his patient mate to hy
abroad for food and the moment she had left the
eggs, he would take the maternal station, and
give loud alarm whenever cat or dog came about
the premises. He certainly performed the Office
with far less ease and grace than she did it was
something in the style of an old bachelor tending
babe but nevertheless it showed that his heart
was kind, and his principles correct, concerning
divisions of labor When young ones came forth,
he pursued the same equalzing policy, and
brought at least half the food for his greedy fani
". But when they became old enough to fly. the
veriest msanthrope would have laughedto watch
their maneuvres. Such chipping and twittering.
Such diving down from the nest, and flying up
again Such wheeling round in circles, talking
to the young ones all the while Such clinging
to the sides of the shed with their sharp claws, to
show the timid little fedgelngs that there was no
need of falling
"For three days all this was carried on with
increasing activity. 1t was obviously an infant
fyng school, But all their talking and fuss were
Of no avail. The little downy things looked
down, and then looked up, and, alarmed at the
in6nity of space, sunk into their nest again. AT
length the parents grew impatient, and sum-
moned their neighbors. AS | was picking up
chips one day, found my head encirced with a
swarm of swallows. They few up to the nest
and chartered away to the young ones they
chung to the walls, looking back to tell how the
thing was done they dived, and wheeled, and
balanced, and Aoated, in manner perfectly beau.
tiful to behold.
"The pupils were evidently much exc ed
They jumped up on the edge OF the nest, and
twittered, and shook their feathers, and waved
their wings; and then hoped back again. saying
It's pretty sport, but we can't do it. Three
times the neghbors came in and repeated theii
graceful lessons. The third time two Of the
young birds gave sudden plunge downward, and
then fiuttered and hoped, till they alighted on a
small upright log. And oh! such praises as were
warbled by the whole troop! The air was filled
with their JOY Some were flying round, swift
as ray of light; others were perched on the
oe-handle, and the teeth, of the rake; multi
tudes chung to the wall, after the fashion Of their
pretty kind and two were swinging, in most
graceful style, on pendant hoop. Never, while
memory lasts, shall forget a swallow party /
have frocked with blessed Nature much and
often but this, above all her ,gambols, spoke
into nv Utmost heart, like the glad voices OF lit