The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-02-07
For the National Era.
THE LOST LINNET.
BY MARY IRVING.

had reared n tender nnet, and loved
As my own friend the silver. throsted bird.
Nay, chide me not 1t was no pining prisoner,
No minstrel stolen from Heavens orchestra
IL was a hedgling with broken pinion,
Brought from careless school-boy's hands 10 mine.
Gently nursed II, yet the wounded wing
Dropped heplessy. threw the easement up,
And left it free air The summer breeze
RULED its tiny feathers, and the tlutter
or Tone light wing responded to the call
or sister warblers ON the sunlit hills.
But ali for aspiration! Never more
My bird might float upon the Clouds white breast,
Or find its wind rocked cradle in the woods
One wing was Heavens, the other tied TO Earth
A chaiu--Nlisfortuns's chain--had bound II to Inc.
so then took 1t to my heart and home,
A lifelong nursling had never learned
How dear a thing without soul could be;
Yet so,nsiimas when nnan nv innet,s ewes
caught the golden CLEAN of sunshine flashing,
And watched the nntter Of its restless pnion
almost dreamed a souenfolling breast
Heaved with that melody. My bird loved me
With love like it, own pure element,
And paid its rent in Alusc,n wild aud sweet.
when, on my pillow all too soundy sleeping,
The golden arrows Of the morning sun
Fell harmless on my slumber. shaded eyes,
strain OF music, ike a winl-harp's waiting,
Stole on my spell-bound ear and, waking from
The dim delight Of delicious dream,
sprang to thank my linnet.
When the hours
Went floating by, in pale sepuchraI robes,
And left a shadow my heavy heart,
A note that told of wild woods far away
A chIrping like the fall Of forest waters
Would scatter memory's sunshine on that heart.
have learned many a soulreviving lesson
From thee my little captive Thou couidst SIM,
An exile, and alone and should drOop
Because my spirits wing to Earth WAS fettered
A little while, to plume 1t for the skies
So in a sweet companiopshp Of soul
The soul Of music aud the soul of thought
We two were blending; when, alas the day
kind one, who had seen my lonely nursing,
LentN companion TO It's solitude
A kingy creature from far-on cline
Vert thou, my mocking bird His cradle bough
Was tossed high where winds and woods grandest
The glorious sun had left tinge Of light
Lurking among his feathers, and the curve
OF his small neck arched proudly. He hsd learned
Al wild wood harmonies, from the lone boot
OF hooded owl upon the twilight tree,
TO the doves chant, the bob o'.links quick trill
Or robins matchless gush OF melody
Ne had learned these, and moie--snd with them all
Mingling the cadence Of his own rich lay,
Made such wilderness OF war bling strange,
Your ear was lost In deep delight Of listening.
MY sweet brown linnet from her highest perch,
Looked askance on the stranger. Then he shook
His siyered plumes, rufed his swelling breast.
And. CHANGING one eye upward, poured strain
or mocking richness. From her high retreat
Looked down the humber bird In mute surprise;
But soon with timid rustic, she essayed
Her clearest, sweetest song.
The mocking.bir
Took mp the note-and, wanting on his wing,
swelt swelling gayly with hts new-ieHrned lay.
Silent the nnet stood TO hear her song
Trilled In a Thousand rich varieties,
TIL the bright copqueror on his last proud strain,
Sprang upwards, tossing from his wings the light,
Then darted downward on the falling wave
ora low symphony, so deep, 80 Wild,
My linnets heart was crushed In hopeessness.
She nepsr sang again That selfsame day
took the bright intruder from her cage,
And with fresh chickweed and the choicest bits
or sweetest sugar, lnred her to forget
And sang my own rude lays 70 win bsck hers.
Twas all In vain The victim of pride
That would not brook dishonor, day by day
She dropped increasingly.
One sun.brght morn,
found her stretched and quiyering In her cage,
The hszy eyelid dimly sealing mp
Her eye and the ooid death .thrpb IN her breast
Then, as took her In my hand, and mused
I'm the sirsnge folly that had lured my bird
To such untimely end, an arm 'twined
Around me- and a voice spoke chidingly,
Thou art he H'md!"
In my heart there woke
An echo 10 her speaking, aud my cheek
Crimsonei In epnsciousness Had not busbed
The melody my 'prisopsd spirit made,
When the rich harmoDies from bier hearts
fIoited upon my soul, aud left spell
or silei ce on III
Then learned 10 sing
My Iinnet lays in All their hnmbleness--
Remembering that unto my Masters ear
The iowliest hesrtstrsin stsll Is precious praise.
,orp-The habits ~ the moekss bird, and lie OCCASION
feet on other tirds are probably too well known TO re
re explanation IL II now admitted by orDithologsis to
very sweet note OF Its own, In addition to is imiia
powers.
January, 1870.
CULTURE on CorTos IN AFRIoA,--A treaty has
en- concluded, by which the Danish settlements
Africa, on the Gold Coast, have been coded to
'eat Britain. II Is stated that there IL reason
believe that, with suitable encouragement, q