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

samc bag Of geld, why should I not
also have faith in that nest Of
diamonds?
Faith 1 did bear, and most zeal.
ously was it awakened from the first
hour that my heart leaped to the soft
whirr of its delicate wings, as it
dropped suddenly upon some early
spring flower, pcrching with half.
wearicd and half.frightened look as if
just come to the strange earth from
its long, long Airt towards the
north. 1t seemed as if it had found
here the freshest footprints of the
jubilant spring, and paused for love.
And, now, I would think, now I must
watch, for spring will hold them
warm within her bosom and try to
hide their little nests away. Many's
the hour I have fruitlessly spent in
watching them wherever I could
trace their flight about the gardens
for, in my simplicity, supposed it
impossible that they could have their
nests anywhere but amidst the flowers
but this, along with other poetical
dreams, found the fact more
practical and wiser thing.
Years passed away, leaving me
still unwcaricd though my continued
want of success might have made me
what the world calls wiser. In the
meantime I had, in poring over the
limc.staincd volumes Of the famous old
'Port.folio'-.certainly the first, if not
the ahlcst Of American periodicals of
the class-comc across most charm.
ingly told account of the entire do
mcs,ication of a Family of Humming
Birds, by gentleman Of New Eng
land, who managed to keep them
for two years in his large conscrva.
tory. He had, by tho mercst
accident, discovered the nest in
very large and heavy Woodbinc
Honcysuckle, which hung over the
window OF his sittiny.roop, and the
idea at once occurred t, him of grad:
ually cnticing The old birds into tho
room, which sjlc,od into .l,v cvuser-
vatory, and then transferring thither
the nest with the young. The plan,
after great deal Of patient dextcrity,
succeeded, and this lovely little family
became his inmates and friends along
with the flowers. The relation Of
this gentleman was sufficiently
pleasing to cnchant me but there
was not enough of the ne lralist in it
to satisfy. We had great honey.
suckles too; why did they not build
there as well? Hundreds of times !
had searched ir intricacics with the
patient zeal, twis by twig, tendrill
by tcndrill; and this for years yet
there we're hundreds around me alI
day! There was something in this
| did not understand.
At last, III the work Of French
Naturalist of note, Nj. Vallient, l
found the hint, that many of the
smaller tropical birds, among them
the Hummcrs, invariably built their
nests where the locality of feeding
grounds rendered it possible for them
to make such selection upon the
pensilc limbs Of those trees that hung
far over water, rs thci. most dreaded
enemies. the monkics and snakes,
we're both very cautious of vcnturing
out upon such insecure foothold to
rob. This hint l accordingly
treasured, and literally haunted the
brooks. the creek and river sides in
the spring months, watching with the
ceascless hope Of catching one Of the
birds i'll the act Of aEghting OH its
nest, which | knew was my only
chance. Still, I found no success
for years: bur, L had gained one piece
Of information, namely: that at
eleven o'clock. A. NJ, and five p.
NJ, if | stood still for short time, l
would see them 80 darting past
directly over tho middle of tic
channel. This might lead to some
thing or it might not, it was worth
remembering at least
Now came the whirl Of the youths