The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1851-06-18
on the air, and our sweet pets were

ourselves 10 the loneliness IN which
they left US, but our consolation was
that tho next spring l should 6nd
another nest, and they should be
scarlet.throats this time, and We
should know better how to take care
Of them now, as we knew better how
to find them from experience. Such
a lovely family as we were going to
have We made a new and elegant
house during the winter leisure, in
anticipation Of tho new tenants that
acerc to be-! In the meantime, as
always had some half dozen different
kinds Of pets on hand, VIC found occu
patton and amusement in taking care
oft them and occasionally adding to the
stock. This, together with the win.
ter hunting, trapping, and books.
gave swift wings to the hours for Inc.
Winter broke up--sprlny came with
its tender wild flowers and fcklc
smiles. Spring in the time for poe.
try--when one is yet in the teens
and / had fallen into dreamy mood
in which was permitting the spring
to so BY, without nothing its fight,
when | was suddenly reused one
May morning by most curious and
unexpected incident.
| had gone into the garden sum
mcr-housc with my book as the ex-
cusc, but dreaming as usual, without
Noticing the letters on its pages, when
a soft, whirring noise, close to my
face, caused me to look up. About
one foot from inc a Humming Bird,
poised SO steadily upon the wing that
its body seemed perfectly motionlcss,
looked with its bright, knowing eye
iixcdly into mine. 1t did not move
! when lifted ny head, and retaining
this position fyr nearly a quarter Of a
minute, with q slow chirp dartcd out
and settled on some flowers near to
trim its plumcs. I started NJ, wh.lc
,sqniek thnughts cont q thrill s,>:
luisito Pl5asuro hid sufrri556A ri5AFsE:St FEvSts,igS I,
my whole frame The bird sat s,l!
ran with my utmost speed to the
house, and, catching q glimpse Of my
Sister, cried out to her, almost beside
myself with excitement
Get the white cup. Get cur cup
some honey !! some sugar .-hcrc's 3
the water - quick dear! quick for
heavens sake =
'What is tho matter with yon.
brother 2 exclaimed the distracted
child, cndcavoring at the same time
to execute these multilarious orders
all at once.
80, our birds come back I saw
him just now. Where are the closet
keys? 90, he's come back to us all
the way from South America the
little darling! ! thought he coulln''
forget US
But, brother, You are mad-how
can you tell it from another Hum
ming Bird I've seen dozen this
spring"
Oh. | know it was ono Of the
| Young ones he came in and lookct
me in the eye ever SO long! DO so,
make haste
The mixture is completed aud OF
We run in trembling cagcrncss -fo>
this test We knew would decide to
or against us. We reach the sur.
mcr-housc--thc magical white cup i:
raised before us, it is still sitting OF
the flower, we give one chirp as o
old, and without an instants hcsita
tion it darts to the cup, alights upol
the rim and plungcs it's little thirst,
bill up to the very eyes in that deli
cious cup, and takes the longest
deepest draught, l ever saw takcl
before by one Of them; and this con
yinccd nc that it had Just arrived
and had come straight to its old hom
for food and love. My sister burs
into tears and screams OF ioyou
laughter, and as to what ridicnlou
capcrs might have been guilty Of,
cannot tell only remember tn
sclfcontcntcl and philosophical maj
ner in which the returned pilgrm
continued to plume its storm.ruilc'
feathers, uttcring now and then tn
old chirps on the side Of that cup
which position il continued to retail
until we bore him on it to his nc,
: house, Of which he assumed posse:
sion with remarkably matter G
fact, or rather matter Of course, all
About q week after this, while walk
, ing in the garden ono morning, | ol
served two Humming Birds engage
in chasing each other in q very co
, and loving manner. Something j
5 the tame and confident manner of on
! Of them mado me suspect it was ou
. bird engaged in making love.
went back for the white cup, an
t this time, too, its magic proved itsc