Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1861-07-10
BOB O'LINK.
DY TITZ-JAMEs o'BRIEN.

was noon in summer. Tue earth lay
breathless in the head, with its thousand
tongue in wood and field too faint fol
their low, accustomed mysterious speech.
The Long Island shore, white and crescen.
ted, barred its bosom like Danae to tho
golden ehlbraces of the sun. In the mea
dows the heavy crested grasses with nod
ding heads beat time to the sweet wash OF
waves upon the beach. Yellow spires OF
the golden-red pierced the air like stee
PIES. The tulip tree, robed like priest
IN fereal green, held up to heaven with
branching arms thousand golden chali-
ces.,. Far away across the Sound lay the
Connecticut shore trembling through the
mist, while behind me, from the green
rccesses Of deserted garden, the oriole
poured forth his monotone Of sorrow.
As | sauntered down the little path
thnt lei from 'he old house where | was
boarding for the summer, to my favorite
haunt by the sea-shore, with clouds OF
insects springing from the grass like liy-
ing spray at every step took, ! sudden
ly heard the saucy notes of that low COM
cdIan of birds, the Bob O'Iink. As |
have always had friendly feeling tow
ards this ornithological .fdrccur, | set to
work to obtain an interview with him. -
Twas not long in discovering his wherca-
bouts. lie was sitting on n stump of a
rail chattering vehemently, and as well as
iunders,ood his language, impudcntly !;
preening his feathers, cooking his head
on one side, as if he had passion for see.
ing nature upsdedown, and shaking his
wings ms though lie contemplated an i'm
mediate migration to the coast Of Africa.
Ab0u. every half-m.nute or so he would
suddenly leave his pearcli, and flying a
little distance, flop into the long meadow
grass, wheEce instantly would proceed II
most astounding vocal effort, after which
he would re-appear and resume his rail in
triumph. His frequent journeys to the
same spot led me TO suspect that he had
some private interest in that quarter-a
nest or young bride, perhaps, and that
be was in fact passing his honeymoon,
s0I walked toward the place in which |
saw him disappear last, determined 10 be
awitness OF his domestic bliss.
IL seemed to me that human head was
lying alone and bodiless in the deep
green sea Of grass that surrounded me-
A Abeautilul youths head, blonde and spir-
itual, looking up at me with a calm, un-
heightened look, willie nesting close to
ills pale, rounded cheek, hushcd and rath-
er astonishcd 10y my appearance, sat Mas
ter Bob Oh ink.
The head, however, was not without a
body. The long bending grass met over
the form, leaving exposed only the pale,
beautiful face, which looked like an eX-
min in III
and green
~ .'Good morning, Sir" said the youth in
sw eet voice rs bent over him, looking
4 suppose little bewildered at this sud,
den spparition, and foEdling at the same
time Master Bob O'Link with his long
SLENDER fingers. Good morning Sir"
Good morning" | answered. You
seem to he taking things quietly here"
lie gave q sudden glance downward
Howard ms feet, and sad smile tlickeied
over his lips.
81 am obliged to take things quietly"
Ihe answered.
"Ah an invalid suppose. l am
sorry"
81 am paralyzed, Sir"
No words can paint the tone of utter
despair in which he made this terrible
statement. lfycu have ever spoken with
"a man who has spent some twenty years
i'm solitary conliement, you will have no.
tticed the unearthly calm of his voice, the
bow monotone of sound, the loneliness of
accent. Well, this lads voice sounded so.
He talked like one shut out of life.
made place for myself in the grass and
eat down beside him.
"I was attracted by your bird" | said :;
l thought he had nest here, and SO fol.
lowed him. trust am not intruding."
"Not at all, sir, am glad to have some
,one to speak to. AS for Bob, he has a
nest here, but it's in my heart Heis the
only thing on earth that loves me-"
"You take a sad view of life, my friend.
Your calamity is great, no doubt, but
stil-,
"Ah sir, it's all we'll enough TO talk so
when you have limbs, health and freedom.
When you can work aud 60 out into life
and tread the earth with the full conscious
mess of being But when ever since you