The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1855-04-18

the earth, the time of singing of birds is
come. and the voice of the turtle is
heard in the land" The trees are now
in their fullest foliage and brightest
verdure the woods are gay with the
clustered flowers of the laurel the air is
perfumed by the sweet briar and the
wild rose; the meadows are enamclcd
with clover blossoms while the young
apple. the peach. and tho plum begin to
swell, and the cherry to glow among the
green leaves.
This is the chosen season of revclry of
the Boblink. He comes amidst the
pomp and fragrance of the season his
life seems all scusiblity and enjoy
ment, all song and sunshine He is to
bo found in the soft bcsoms of the fresh
est and sweetest meadows, and is most
in song when the clover is in blossom.
He perchcs on the topmost twig of a
tree, or on some long Haunting weed.
and as he rises and sinks with the breeze,
pours forth succession Of rich twink
ling notes, crowding one upon another
like the outpouring melody of the sky
lark. and possessing the same rapturous
character. Sometimes he pitches from
the summit of tree begins his song as
he gets upon the wing, aud f1utters
trcmulonsly down to the earth, as if
overcome with ccstacy at his own music
Sometimes he is in pursuit of his para
mour, always in full song, as if he would
win her BY his melody. and always with
the same appearance of iutoxication
and delight.
OF the birds Of our groves and mead
ows, the Boblink was the envy of my
boyhood lie crossed my path in the
sweetest weather. and sweetest season of
the year, when all nature called to the
fields, and the rural feelings throbbcd in
every bosom; but when !. luckless
urchin was doomed to be mcwed up du-
ring the livelong day in that rurgatory
of boyhood. schoolroom, it seemed as
if the varlet mocked at me, as he flew by
in full song. and sought to taunt me with
his happy lot. Oh, | cnvicd him No
lessons. no task no hateful school. moth
ing lut holiday, frolic, green fields, and
fue weather. Had then bean more
versed in poetry might have addressed
him in the words of Logan to the cue
koo:
Sweet bird thy bower is ever green,
Thy SKI is ever clear;
Thou hastSlo sorrow in thy note,
No winter in thy year.
Oh could fly. Id fly with thee;
We'd make, on joyful wing,
Our annual visits round the globe,
Companions Of the Spring
Further observation and experience
have given me different idea of this lit
tlo feathcred voluptuary, which I will
venture to impart for the benefit of my
schc ol-boy readers who may regard him
with tie same unqualified envy and ad-
miration which once INDUCED. have
shown him only as saw him first, in
what l may call tho poetical part of his
career when he in "A manner devoted
himself to elegant pursuits and enjoy
mcnts, aid was bird Of muslc,and song,
and taste, and sensibility, and refine
ment While this lasted, he was sacred
from injury the very school-boy would
not fling a stone at him, and the mcrest
rustic would pause to listen to his strain.
But mark the difference. AS the year
advances, as the clover blossoms disap.
pear, and the spring fades into summer,
he gradually gives up his elegant tastes
and habits; doffs his pootical suit of
black, assumes russct dusty garb, and
sinks to the gross onjoymcnts of common
vulgar birds. His notes no longer vi.
brate on the car he is stuf6ng himself
with the seeds of the tall weeds on which
he lately swung and chaned SO melodi
ously. lie has become bon riram,"
a " gourmand - with him now there is
nothing like the "joys of the table" In
little while he grows tired of plain,
homcly fare, and is off on gastronomi.
cal tour in quest of foreign luxurics We
next hear of him with myriads of hi,
kind, banqueting among the reeds of the
Delaware, ard grown corpulent with
good feeding. He has changed his name
in travelling. Boblincon no more.-hc
is the Rcot-bird now, the mich sought
for tit'bit of Pennsylvania cpicures tho
rival in unlucky fame of the ortolan
Wherever he goes, pop pop! pop ev.
cry rusty fre'lock in the country is
blazing away lIe secs his companions
falling by thousands around him.
Docs he take warning and reform
Alas, not he y Ipcorrigiblo epicure
Again he wings his flight. The rice
swan,ps of the South invite him. lIe
gorges himself among them; almost
bursting, he eau scarcely fly for corpu-
lency. He has once more changed his
name. and is now the famous Rice.6trd
of the Carolinas.
Last stage Of his career; behold him
spitted with dozens of his companions,
and served up, vaunted dish, on the
table Of some southern gastronomer.
Such is the story of the Boblink, once
spiritual, musical, admired, the joy of
the meadows, and the favorite bird Of
spring finally, a gross little scnsualist,
who expiates his seusuality in tho larder
His story contains a moral worthy the
attention Of all little birds and little
boys warning them to keep to those re.
fined and intellectual pursuits which rails
ed him TO so high pitch of popularity,
during the early part of bis career but
to eschcw all tendency of that gross and
dissipated indulgence, which brought
this mistaken bird TO an untimely end
At an association dinner,a debate arose
as to the benefit Of whipping in bring,
ing up children. Old DIR. Morse took the