Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1857-08-07
AN OLD ACQUAINTANCE.

AN OLD ACQUAINTANCE.
"Oriolee-olee, oriolee, oroiiee tocdle lin
KUN come again Crookerinctum-gin-
gle-g.nge-how are ye old boy, by
iings! Toodle linkum, linkum, oriolee,
jessee, knipperangum, cockadcodleinctum,
skeet skeet -
swell, we'll This is 4 pleasant sur
prise. Our old friend Robert Lincoln,
for all the world and his first appearance.
Clear, distinct, and as liquid with melody
as the gush of water, that torrent Of bird
music bursts and swells forth from that
tiny throat. 1t seems to me from the
clouds, and after looking long we see a
dainty and tremulous shadow of black
heckihg the blue overhead, poised reck-
lessly as if a cloud waite of song hadbeen
caught up and lingering in the air. Ii
is JOY to see thee again, Bob-joyous
to hear thee. How fashionable the close
fitting pants-what love Of ashiny coat
and waiscoat, and how jauntily the white
cap sits on the head, while the jetty eye
is aglow with the light of unfettered fun
and daredevil mischief. There isn't d
sign of age about Bob. He is the same
spruce little chap as Of yore, and as young
as five and thirty years ago, in the mea-
dow. Wonder if he-"Oriolee, orioleeV'
! He is so full Of fun and song that he can't
keep it in. With a dainty fiutter of his
wing, he goes skimming into the mea1
dow, and cooking his eye mischievously
towards us from his perch, breaks out
| ''Oriolec, toodleinktum, squizze-come to
see you-see you-how ye do sir-wife
and babies-Chief and Chief, and Chief,
, -oee, tinkum-sucker--
ger catehum-eucher skinum-rinektum
-pumpy diddle, by jiHgsi" Down he
pops, leaving a waive of song to murmur
and die out among the golden dandelions,
and the bright green of the sward.
t Bob is foppish, and sometimes saucy,
but he is always so CHEEKY and good tenn
!. pcred, and so punctually comes with tho
n ordor and the bloom of the first flowers,
that his little foibles are always forgot
+ ten, and he warmly welcomed. His song
n has all the silvery richness of an earlier
n day. His annual coming annihilates
+ broad waste Of years, for he sings us back
y TO the homestead the old meadow with
e its broad reaching butternuts, elms and
It thorn bushes white with blossoming the
O early dandelions, starring the soft green
? velvet Of the sward or the daises dancing
It like golden spray, in the wavy grass; the
n deep clear spring, below the nursery; the
+? brooklet between he house and the barn;
b and in the lowlands, the dark hemlocks
where, at twilight, there was an evening
y song, so clear and sure that it fingers
Dt still in the memories Of cherished things.
ir Those spring and summer times are drift
ID ing in the past like silver-tinged clouds,
&c all aelow with a beautiful haze, while
ID he who watches them is nearing .the
y later summer Of life, and already finds
lt the driftings of winter in his locks. But
- the brooklet sings as sweetly, the meadow
st is as green, and the dandelions and daises
e. OF the old homestead, are blooming as
though no years had fown. And the
IS boblink sings as sweetly.
r, "Oriolee =
ie Up he springs from his hiding place
es singing as he rises, until he reaches the
n .'height of song" while he poises himself
n on a trcmulous wing, pours out perfect
ig food Of qaeer and fantastic melody, and
is then drops daintily upon the topmost twig
Of the ample tree. lie loves 10 sing, and
's- he asks nobody to stand at the bars tC
be keen people from looking into the meadow
he and listening 10 him. The human tongue
has vet 10 wag, which can warble sS
LOUDLY. and run 90 wildly and reckless
~ " over the whole gamut Of short notes.
lir "orioiee, foulee, tooles- diddle ump
ar tee doodleum-Mrs. Lincoln, Lincoln
~ shantee-thoFn tree IN the meadow-lit
I. tie LincoIns-Snkey. Bets, and Bobby
junior-happy family-riffer eiiier thro
AZ the meadow while the summers going
ed come and see Hs-come and see us--gooS
at time coming, by jiiHgs I iSkest skset !!
I. With trail Of song behind him, h'
slowly, as II on a tide, drifts 0geF ths Eidg'
p' out Of sight, and twitters soft things q
be Mrs. Lincoln. Suuny skies TO them ans
n their nestlings.-C chief