The loyal Georgian. [volume] (Augusta, Ga.) 1866-1867, 1866-03-10
CHILDREN'S COLUMN.

ABOUT our country nelgnDOrS Since we
wrote about them, we have lived in the
same place more than year, and per-
haps some Of you may want to know
whether old Unke or little Criscri have
ever come up to sit under the ily-leaves
by the fountain, or Master Furrytoes,
the flying squirrel, has amused himself
in pattering about the young lady's
chamber o. nights | an sorry to say
that our country neighbors have entirely
lost the neighborly, confding spirit that
they had when we first came and settled
In the woods.
Old Unke has distinguished himself
on moonlight nights in performing bass
solos in a very deep, heavy voice, down
in the river, but he has never hoped his
way back into that conservatory from
which he was disgracefully turned out at
the point of Mr.. Fred's cane. He has
contented himself with the heavy musical
performances | spoke Of, and [ have
fancied they sounded much like 6 Won't
come any more,-Eont come any more
won't come any more AZ
Sometimes, strolling down to the river,
we have seen his solemn green spectacles
emerging from the tall water-grasses, as
he at 'complacently looking about him.
Near by him, spread out on the sunny
bottom Of the pool, was large fat head
ed Water~snake, with dull yellow >hrown
back and such a swelled stomach that it
was quite evident he had been making
his breakfast that morning by swallowing
some unfortunate neighbor like poor little
Cri.cri. This trick Of swallowing ones
lesser reighbors seems to prevail greatly
among the people who live in our river
Mr.. Water-snake makes his meal on little
Mr.. Frog, and Mr.. Bullfrog follows the
same example It seems sad state Of
things; but then | suppose all animals
have to die in some way or other, and
perhaps, if they are in the habit of seeing
it done, it may appear to frog to expect
to be swallowed some day. than it may to
some of US to die of fever, or be shot in
BATTLE, as many brave fellow has been
of late.
We have heard not word from the
weodchucks. Ever since we violated the
laws Of woodland hospitality by setting
trap for their poor old patriarch, they
have very justly considered US as bad
neighbers, and their hole at the bottom of
the garden has been to let" and nobody
as yet has ventured to take it. Our
friends the muskrats have been flourish
ing, and on moonlight nights have been
swimming about, popping up the tips Of
their little black noses to make observa-
tions.
But latterly great commotiOn has
been made among the amphibious tribes
because Of the letting down of the dam
which kept up the water of the river, and
made it good, full, wide river. When
the dam was torn down it became little
miserable stream, flowing through wide
field Of muddy bottom, and all the secrets
Of the under water were disclosed. The
white and yellow waterlilly roots were
left high and dry up in the mud, AID all
the muskrat holes could be seen palmer
than ever before; and the other day
Master Charlie brought in fsh's nest
which he had found in what used to be
deep water.
"A fsh's nest RI says little Tom;
did mt know that fishes made nests"
But they do, Tommy; that is, one par>
ticular kind Of fish makes nest of sucks
and straws and twigs, plastered together
with some kind Of cement, the making of
which is a family secret. 1t lies on the
ground like common birds nest turned
bottom upwards and has tiny little hole
in the side for a door, through which the
little fishes swim in and out.
The name Of the kind of fish that builds
this nest | do not know; and if the water
had not been drawn off, I should not
have known that we had any such fish in
our river. Where we found ours the
water had been about five feet above it.
Now, Master Tom, if you want to know
more about nest building fishes, you
must get your papa and mama to inquire
and see if they cannot Get you some of
the little books on fishes and aqu4 RUINS
that have been published lately. re-
member to have read all about these
nests in one Of them, but | do not remem-
Der either the name Of the book or the
name Of the fish, and 50 there is something
still for you to enquire after
am happy 70 say, for the interest of
the water lilies and the muskrats and the
fishes, that the dam has only been torn
down from our river for the purpose of
making stronger one, and that by and
by the water will be again broad and