The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1845-10-02

CHEEKY as ever. Lest L should disturb
him too much and defeat my object, |
now carefully placed myself upon my
hands and knees, and crept along with
the stealthiness OF a cat. But with all
my care, master cricket seemed to be a,
ware of my approach, and occasloned
me no little delay. II was the work OF
haitian hour or more TO reach his princly
hall the old stump befyre named BY
this time was lying fiat upon the ground
peering about under this root and that
TO see my musician. He was still, but
| felt that | should know him, finn eye
could but rest upon him. At last sped
him. He was sitting under broad root
where neither wind nor rain was likely
to annoy him and seemed to be the very
impersonalion of good ivers He was
fat as an alderman. His coat was as
black and sleek as a minister's, and he
wore the air of content and sell satlsac-
ton of round faced and wellto,d
Quaker. Oh, he was beauty of a crick-
ct real gentleman in his way. Wheth-
er he felt any interest in me or not, |
am unable to say. was but poor
boy in tow shirt and trousers, with a
sunburnt face, and nothing that deserv>
ed attention about me but pair Of rath
er large aud good natured grey eyes,
| which at this present moment were par
t.cuarly enga2 ed in examining his hon
or, my amateur cricket. Suddenly he
turned partly round as if hal satisfied
with me- and gave Two or three rapid
chirps but instead ofgratltying he tend
ed only to increase my curiosity lie
did not open his mouth like other sing
ers, and although he made some futter
ing, ! could perceive no instrument of
music in his possession. resolved
therefore to lie still and wait farther OPP
portunities. Nor did have to wait long.
Having nowbecome little familiar with
me, aud his first flush of bashulnesS hay
ing passed over he began in perfect
self composure, one Oft the most astonish>
ing performances ever saw Jubal aud
all his sons were nothing to this one
cricket! 1 say in minute that all
that had ever been said OF crickets sing
ing was the result Of mere ignorance. -
Such persons had never seen "A cricket
making music. 1t was no r0cai per
formance, but purely Instrumental.
Those who have examined crickets
are aware !ha! they have two sets of
wings The outer ones are black and
thick, covering the whole back while
the inner ones resemble IA fine and del
icately formed gauze, They are very
slender in appearance, but their texture
is exceedingly strong They serve as
kind of violin on which master cricket
plays Nor Is his bow less ingenious
than his fiddle. You have undoubtedly
observed the two long, sharply angled
hind lie 5, which are SO very useful to
our amateur musician for hopping
A single spring upon them will send him
heels over head, three or four feet; i.
if he be not too fat. Well, the lower
part Of these mean below the gambrel
or knee, is very curiously made. 1t is
what is called Serr0ted behind that is, it
is filed with kind of teeth like a saw.
You may see them with the naked eye,
and they are very perceptible to the fin
ger. ! his is master cricket's fiddle
stick. Thus you perceive he is doubly
armed two wings and two legs ,or, speaE-
ing prolessIonly, two GddIes and two id>
die bows And now for the music. -
First he raises and partly spreads his dark
outer wings, so as to admit the extension
of the inner ones These are then spread
laerally and bach wards, when, with the
velocity of lightning, our amateur draws
his hind legs, or his fiddle bows across
these wings, touching their surface with
the liItle saw teeth before named. And
thus he makes his music
10 me boy as | was, it was great
wonder Ole Bull could not have pleas
ed me half 50 well lay there and
watched him a long while, and was more
and more pleased with the performance.
Al last when my curiosity was gratifed,
and 1 was grown tired of lying on the
ground,l picked up my old cap and thank
ing master cricket for the entertainment
he had afforded me, bade him good day.
and returned to tell my mother and all
my playmates that crickes do mol sing,
and TO describe their method of making
music.
This is an instance "a triAng one it
may seem to some--of the fruit Of obser
rat;oN We are surrounded in the world
by objects, animate and nanmate which
are very worthy of our attention and stu
dy. If children will learn 10 observe,
they will never be at loss for pleasant
and profitable employment. Every day
will add something to their stock of
knowledge. Another remark: What we
see and examine ourselves is generally
much better understood than il can be
from any mere description. The child
who is anxious to see every thing him
self, and who will submit to some little
Inconvenience in order to crafty laud>