The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1861-04-20
BOD % LINK.

It was noon in summer. The earth lay
| breathless in the heat, with its thousand
tongues in wood and field too faint for
| their accustomed low, mysterious speech.
| The Long Island shore, white and rescente ed,
barred its bosom like Dana to the golden
| embrace Of the sun. In the meadows the
heavy crested grasses with the noddinc heads
beat time to the sweet wash of waves upon
the beach. Yellow spires Of golden rod
pierced the AIR ike steeples. The tuiip.tree,
robed like u priest in feral green, held up
to heaven with branching arms II thousand
chalices. Far away acrass the Sound lay
the Connecticut shore trembling through
mist, while behind me, from the green re.
cesses of deserted garden, the orioie
poured forth the monotone Of sorrow.
As | sauntered down the lite path that
led from the old house where | was board
ing for the summer, iu my favorite haunt by
the sea.shore, With clouds Of insects spark
ling from the grass like living spray at
every step took, suddenly heard the saucy
notes of that low comedian Of birds the Bob
o. Link. As | have always had q friendly
feeling towards this ornithological tdrcedr,
| set to work to obtain an interview with
him. ] was not long in discovering his
whereabouts. He was sitting on the stump
Of a raj! chatter.ng vchemen,ly, and as well
as | understood his language, impudently !;
preening his ferthers, cooking his head on
one side, us if he had passion for eeeing
Nature upside down, and shaking hs wing.
as though he contemplated an immediate mi.
grafton TO the coast Of Africa. About every
half minute or so be would suddenly leave
his perch, and iiyIpg little distance, flop
int ho I'm do ins
lv would proceed n most astounding vocal
effort, after which he would re.appear and
resume his rail in triumph. Ills 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 he was in fact passing his honey
moon, SO walked towards the spo. in which
] saw him disappear last, determined to be
a witness Of his domestic bliss.
It. seemed to me that a human head was
lying alone and bodiless in the deep green
sea of grass surrounding me. A beautiful
you.h's head. blonde and spiritual, lookipg
up ut me With calm, un!rightsped look,
whilc nesting close to its pale, rounded
cheek, hushed and rather nstonished ty my
appearance, sat Master Bob o. Link.
The head, however. was not without
body. The long bending grass met over
the form leaving exposed only the pale,
beautiful face, which looked like an exquis-
ite Venetian picture framed in gold and
green.
"Good morning, Sir" said the youth in
sweet voice, ~ l bent over him, looking,
| suppose. a little bewlldered at this sudden
appari,ion, and fondling as the came time
Master Bob o. Link With long, slender 6n.
gers. ssGood morning, Sir"
"Good morning" | ans~ered. sYou
seem to be taking things quietly here"
lie gave = sudden glance downward to
ward his feet, and . Sad smile Hickered
over bis lips.
81 am obliged to take things quietly" be
said,
"Ah! An invalid suppose. am
sorry"
"I am paraly,sd, Sir"
No word. can pain, the tone OF utter dss.
pair in which be made this terrible statement.
if YOU hare ever spoken with man Who
had spen, 20 years in solitary confinement.
YOU will have noticed the unearthly calm Of
his voice, the low monosope OF sound, the
loneliness of accent. Well this lads voice
| sounded 60. lie talked like one shu. os, Of
life. made place for myself in the grass
and sat down beside him.
81 was attracted by your bird" ! said ;
81 though, be had mes, here, and 80 fol-
lowed him. trust ! an not In'rudinc"
"No, at all, Sir: am glad TO have some
one TO speak 10. A. for Bob, be has ness