Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1871-05-24

The winter of 1859 was very cold A
young friend who was then living with us
was coming home one evening, and found
this little bird lying on a snowdrift, appar-
emily frozen to death but holding it in his
hands few moments, found there was
little huttering motion OF the heart He
ran up stairs to the parlor register, and by
warmth and Kindness brought it to- 1t was
some days, however before she recovered
entirely She was then turned loose in the
conservatory, where she seemed perfectly
happy, darting in and out among my flow
ers. At first. we heard only timid. low
notes from her but as she became aecus-
toned to US, and knew she had nothing to
fear, there was often one gush of melody
after another.
In the spring the birds began to return
to their summer homes-birds of her own
kind, as well as others but she paid no
heed to them for some time. However ,one
day we were startled by long, loud cry from
her, so unusual that every one ran into the
conservatory to see what had happened. A
little bird was ON the outside trying to get
liz. The window was opened she few to
meet him and such joyous meeting it
was The meeting of human lovers after
long separation could not more plainly tell
the story of affection. Soon a snow sauall
came up, and she was too tender TO bre asst
it, and tapped at tie window to be takeh in.
She remained very contentedly until the
trouble. He wanted the nest to be built in
a cedar tree some 200 feet from the house
she ,could not go. He perched himself in
the tree and sang his most charIi,ing melo-
dies while she, on the top Of the smoke
house, near the house, answered him just
as sweetly. But she would not bulge from
the position she had taken. After the sec
ond days maneuyeIing, he began to give
in little by little approaching tie house.
Finally they compromised the matter by
building the nest in gooseberry bush, near
the smoke house This was not to her mind;
but still it was better than the far off cedar
tree.
I'm time four pretty little brown birds
made their appearance. As soon as they
were out of the nest she coaxed them to
the house, where her feed table and bath
tub were always ready for her. Such a
pretty, happy little family they were
The next nest was just where she want
cd it-in a jasmine bush trained around one
of the parlor windows From this nest
came three little birds.
Her table and bath tubs were again
brought into the conso--ntory-the flowers
now being out of doors. The side sashes
were always open, and she brought all the
family to feed and bathe just as it pleased
her; and the glass doors into the parlor be-
ing open, they would fly through the house
as if it was of out doors.
"Cold weather came once more, aad the
mate and young birds disappeared but
Bessie did not 60. She tapped at the win
dow, and was again warmly welcomed to
her quarters amongst the flowers in the con-
servatory.
Here she spent another gay, happy win
ter and it was constant source of pleas
ure to US to watch her pretty, cunning ways,
ana listen 10 Her sweet SONGS.
I'm the next spring (lS57) Bessie's own
er moved away, and she fell into my posses
sion a very welcome legacy.
LAS before, the birds returned in the
spring; but Bessie was quite Indifferent to
them all But one day, while we were at
the dinner table, we heard what seemed to
be loud, wild scream of joy. With one
accord. all rushed up stairs to the conserva-
tory and there, sure enough, was the mate
again. This was repeated every spring while
she lived Whenever We heard that pecu-
liar, wild, joyous commotion, we knew that
her mate had come and, on going to see,
always found him there.
''One year they raised three broods of
birds and it was not an uncommon thing,
at that time, to see the parent birds and the
twelve young ores all feeding at the same
table-the youngest yet so young as to be
fed by the old one.
This little pet was with us seven years.
We never doubted her indentify but
clipt feather and a defective toe made this
identity unm;stakabe.
''The same great joy wa. manifested to-
ward her mate at each annual return in the
spring but the last one it seemed almost
beyond expression-it even attracted the at
tention of the neighbors. | remember one
day an uncle of mine called rs to look at
them. They would sing to each other, bow
their heads, flap their wings, fly down on
the ground, roll over and over in short,
they acted as if they were nearly crazy with
happiness. Two or three days after this
heard f1utter in the conservatory and, go
ing to see what was the matter, l found my
little pet lying in her feed BASIN in a spasm
took her up, stroked and patted her; and,
as the fit passed off, she nestled down in my
hand, and turned her head up to look at me-
The bright eyes were swollen and bloodshot |
Soon she had another spasm, and another
and another. Then her little feet few out,
and soon she lay dead in my hand How it |
all comes back to me as | write It seemed |
as if dear little pet child had been sud- |