Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1871-06-08
rHE BIRD cHARMER.

One day when crossing she sardens ol
the Tuilerics. in Paris. I saw II The dis
tanee group Of people.
Bang carioss % know .vhat.it vAs
that tkey werc Regarding with % much
intsEest. / hastensd ON, and found that
he object Of their attention was '.the
bird-ekarmer," OF whom all the xorld
has heard. and who Was now about to
give their daily rcpsst 70 his feathered
fieDds.
Witk his hat on his. head, and his cane
tndH bic arm. be stood By himself in the
erand walk. near. the raililgs Of the pri-
vate gardens; and. taking Zone small
- = lrssd from his pocket, threw
them one By one in the air.
The sparrows soou came, and as each
piece was thrown, one or the other caught
it before it fell and went OF With it.
Sometimes several Of them few at one
piece. and disputed for the possession.
At others. in their impotence. they flew
close TO the face Of their benefactor. as II
to demand their share.
Shortly several pigeons, who, no doubt,
had seen their friend from long distance.
arrived. and alighted on the ground, the
bird-charmer put morsel Of bread be-
tween his lips, and held out his hand; one
OF the pigeons came and settled on it, and
took the bread from his mouth; then,
gently thrown Of by q slight movcment
OF the hand, perched on the pedestal of a
statue close by, whilst another pigeon took
its place.
Several birds came thus in succession
and some, whilst waiting their turn,
perchsd familiarly upon the other arm Of
the charmer.
The people who were gathered round,
and the children who left their play to
look at this amusing spectacle, did not in
the least frighten the birds; indeed, they
took no notice Of them. and seemed to see
only this man in whom they placed their
confidence, and who appeared to have ab-
solutc power over them.
What is the secret Of the bird-charmer.
which makes him thus the master Of these
timid botdsf
Nothing. certainly, but patience. gen.
tlcness, aud the food which he offers to
them; he employs no other witchcrait.
No doubt he is very careful not to
frighten them in any way. not to speak
loudly. or to make any rough, hasty ges-
ture. Thus treasured and cnticed, the
birds have become boldcr by degrees, till
now they regard their protector with the
same freedom and familiarity that they do
the trees upon which they feed, ana where
they build their nests.
In India, where the love Of birds is car
ried so far rs 10 take care Of them in hos
pital when sick or infirm. we find results
yet more surprising. There jays are SO
tame. they fly freely in at the open doors
and windows Of the houses, and species
Of sparrow will 60 and fetch any small
article which may be named by their mas
ter.
A French traveller of the last century
relates that one Of the kings Of Lahore
had large bands of tame pigeons in his
palace, which he had trained to take part
in a mock battle.
He had taught them to range themselves
in phalanx-to attack, pursue, rush into
the thick of the fight. then to return to
their ranks, all Of which they did with
precision.
The vast expanse Of the heavens served
As the battlefield for the evolutions of
these beautiful aerial troops.
Their master gave the word Of com.
mand in the Persian language. or soihe-
times by signals with . flag. which he
waved in various directions, according to
which they ordered the attack or the re-
treat.