Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1867-11-28
fir the Nutue Girfle.
THE BIRD OF TWO SONGS.

| - THE BIRD OF TWO SONGS.
I was standing in the garden with
stranger one cloudy, chilly, unsummer-lik
afternoon in juno. Near us was larg
clump of lilac bushes, into which We saw
bird Of dingy, faded, black color hy
Presently she broke out into what, perhap
she called song; but it was in reality
lust like the fat squalling Of an old cat
ssYaah yaahp' she continued to cry.
sPray," said the stranger, "what bird il
that making such horrible noise?'
"That, sir, is the cat-bird.
ssI should think so, and burnt cat, too
I thought it was homely enough to the eye
but the color is nothing to this screech.
s'I can't say much at present to defent
the poor bird, for looks and voice are q
gainst her. But I am confident you vii
think better of her ere long"
The next morning I found my FRIEND
standing in the piazza, listening to the note'
|of bird in a thick sugar r-maple near by
The song was that of mocking-bird, no
so wonderful as the notes of the real mock
ing-bird, nor even so sweet as that of the
thrush, yet they were round and full ant
often exquisite. She seemed to repeat the
note of every bird with which she was &C
quainted, robin, sparrow, oriole, and thu
like, and with surprising accuracy. The
morning was fair, the air still, and the birc
seemed to be swallowed up in song.
"Pray tell me-" said my stranger friend
sswhat bird is that which sings so delightful
ly? It is not quite the thrush"
"That, sir, is our cat-bird. =.
"You must be making fun of me. You
don't pretend to say that the homely
squalling bird we heard yesterday, and thil
singer are the same?"
81 do truly, and to convince you viii
throw stone into the tree and drive ne,
out, and you shall see it is the same bird.
With that I threw the stone, and out
popped Mrs. Cat-bird, making directly 70,
the ilacs, where she began again to scream
"Yaah yaah %
The gentleman looked on in amazement
s.This Bird" said l, ''is very much like some
people. In those lilacs she has her nest
and that is her home; but there she never
utters pleasant note. l should think hel
husband would avoid her, and her little
ones tremble at the sound of her voice. But
when she gets away from home up in the
lofty tree, you see her agreeable as she car
be, and how sweetly she sings. We know
many people just like her. When away
they are full of smiles and gentle ways
and they seem among the most agreeable
people in the world. But see them at home
and the cat-bird's notes are theirs. They
contrive to make home just as unpleasant
as possible-to themselves, to their children,
and to every body that happens to see them
at home"
20, yes," said the stranger, 81 know
scores Of such people, some fathers and
mothers, so easily pleased, smiling and
pleasant away from home, but the moment
they enter their own doors, every ray Of
cheeerfulness fades out, and they are cold
silent and repulsive. And some young Ia
dies, I am sorry to say, are so lively.
cheerful, obliging, and happy when away
from home, that one would think they were
uncommonly lovely; while at home they
are discontented, disrepectful to parents
coarse, and unlovely. So with children
1 know many like our cat-bird with hel
two songs, lively, cheerful, and well-bree
among strangers; but the moment they ge
home, they are rude, disobedient, rough ant
What is thereason why peo
pie do SO ?''