The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1851-06-11

IL go. IllS last alternatlVe COST my
sister some bitter tears. We had
made a delicate little cage br it and
had accustomed it to rooaing and
feeding in it while loose in tic rooms,
and consoled her with the hope that
perhaps it might return to lhe cage
as usual, even when hung j, the gar
den. The experiment WAS tried.
The cage was hung in lilac bush,
and the moment the door was opened,
the little fellow dartcd away out of
sight. My heart sank within me,
for I could not but fear that it was
gone forever aud my poor sister. sob.
bed aloud. I comforted her as best
might, and though without any
hope myself, cndcavored to fill her
with it and divert her grief by occu-
patton. So We prepared nice new
cup Of our ncctar-huug the cogc
| with flowers left the door wide open,
and the white cup invitingly conspic-
uous-thcn resting from our labors,
withdrew short distance to the foot
of tree, to watch the result. We
waited for o whole hour, with strain.
ing eyes, and, becoming completely
liiss;:e'ssaraged, bad arisen from the
grass, and were turning to 80, when
my sister uttered a low exclamation
"Whist. look brother!'
The little fellow was darting to and
fro in front of his cage; rs if confused
for moment by the flower drapcry;
hut the white cup seemed to over
come his doubts very quickly, and,
with fluttcring hearts, we saw him
settle upon the cup as Of old, and
while he drank, we rushed lightly
forward on tiptoe to secure him.
We were quito rcbuked for our
want of faith, when the charming
creature, after deliberately finishing
! - draught, locked w iAtl ORR Eur
! ned faces with the quiotess u s}ay easion
/ q enquiry. G'aw2. ,,earo sttsask IN
aS1''s''f WHY, NI,at ~ r''o iS;;:. il. ! o8a
! ocorlc?'
| j felt So muc!l aharncd. that iln-
media,oly ti'rew one" me door 8gain
! and lot him h:,rc inc rest Of the day
10 himself; lut, as I observed lli.n
playing with some Of the wild birds,
concluded to shut him up for a
week or two longer, when he returned
as usual, to roost that night. While
out, it had evidently found tho rest.
orativc for which it had been pining,
and what that might be now deter.
mined, if possible, to discover. The
necessity of having pair of the
young birds that might be enabled
to study their habits more effectually,
became now more fully apparent; for
knew, however tame our bird
might he now, that if it happened to
meet with its old mate, or a new one,
it would be sure to desert us, as q
matter Of course. Young ones,
raised by myself, l could trust.
Chance favored me somewhat
strangely about this time. I had
been out squirrel shooting early one
swcl,ering hot morning; and, on my
return, had thrown myself beneath
the shade of u thick hickory, near
the bank Of creek. 1 lay on my
back, looking lis'lcssly out across the
stream, when the chirp Of :ho
humming bird, and its darting form,
reached my senses at the same
instant. l was sure l saw it light
upon tho limb Of a small iron.wood
tree, that happened to be exactly in
the line of my vision at that instant.
This tree leaned over the water
considerable distance. ! thought Of
lie Iolient and watched steadily.
In about five minutes, another, and
another bird dartcd in. ! saw this
one drop upon what seemed to be a
knot on an angle Of the limb. ]
heard the soft chirping of greeting,
and love: | could scarcely contain
ms self with joy. ] would have given
anything in the world to have dared
to scrcam-'Tve got you myself got
YOU at last!' BY great struggle, |
choaked down my cxstacv and kept
still. One Of them now few away;
and, after waiting fifteen minutes
that seemed n week, | rose. and with
eye steadily fixed upon that important
limb, walked slowly down the bank
without, Of course, seeing where
placed my feet. But, the highest
hopes are sometimes doomed to
a fall, and a fall mine the with
a vengeance! l caught my foot in
a root, and tumbled head foremost
down had bank into ;hc water! !
suppose such ducking would have
cooled the enthusiasm of most bird
nestcrs; but it only cxasrcratcd mine;
| shook eli the water and vowed Id
find that nest if it took me
I Al