The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1872-10-03
THO baltimore nrinln.

w h"hy oho oidIIulllS 1euJnorcQ Qenl-
zens OF our woods and meadows are less
familiar than those of Europe. Th ST.
have been pictured and described with
out end-our own sadly neglected. We
here introduce a bird that has many
claims to favor, and begin with an anec-
dote:
| A lady once lost very valuable piece
OF lace. She had cleaned it with great
care, and hung it on the honpysucllr
just outside her window but when she,
came to look for it again, it had disap.
peared. At first she thought chance
breeze might have carried it into the
garden below, though it was remark
ably still day i'll the middle of May, and
but little breeze was stirring. The gar
den, In consequence, was thoroughly
searched, but without success. Very
reluctantly the lady began to suspect n
new maid whom she had recently en-
| gagged, and who had been the only oc.
cupant of the chamber during the ladv's
absence. The maid was young. giddv.
and very fond of dress but she indis-
nantly protested her innocence with
many tears. Although unable to fasten
the crime upon her by any direct proof,
there were too many suspicious circum-
stances connected with the affair to al
low 1t to be passed over unuoticed, aud
the lady determined to discharge her
maid.
On the very day, however, on which
she was to leave the house in disgrace,
while the poor girl was in her room
packing her clothes into her chest to
take them with her, she heard cry of
| distress from the roof of the house, lust
| beneath which was the attic she occu-
pied, and glanclng out of the little dor
| mer-window which looked from the
| apartment upon the roof she saw the
lit lie son OF her mistress in a yery dam
gerous predicament.
Attracted by curiously-shaped birds
nest hanging from the extremity of a
limb of an old button-ball tree over
hanging the house, he had climbed ont
upon the root, which was very steep,
and slid from the ridege-p pole to the
eaves-trough, where, clutching at a
branch providentially within reach, he
arrested his progress on the very verge
OF dest uction. In one hand he held
the branch, and in the other the nest,
which, terrified as he was, he had no
| luea or parting with.
No. one except the girl was within
sound of his cries, and his situation, mo.
mentarily becoming more precarious,
demanded immediate aid Without a
thought of her own safety, the brave
girl, calling upon the child t.. stand
steady and hold fast, clambered out at
the window. Steadying herself as best
she might, where the slightest misstep
or slip was instant death. she at last
reached the child, and led him back,
birds nest and all, safely to his mothers
arms, whose feelings when the occur.
renee was related to her, may better be
imagined than described.
The strangest part of the story re-
mains, however, to be related. When
the rest that so nearly caused all con-
cerned such terrible affliction came to
be examined, it WAS found to be hang
ing nest of the Baltimore oriole, and
woven in its meshes, amid tibrous plants
and dried grasses, was to be seen the
identical piece of lace which had so
mysteriously disappeared a few days
before.
This nest is pouch suspended from
five small twigs, and the ingenuity dis
played III its construction is very re-
markable. 1t is seven inches in depth,
and lined with cows hair, and when first
obtained contained four fiesh-colored
eggs, marked with obscure purplish lines,
over which were irregular scribblings of
blackish brown. 1t is strengthened by
tough wiry grass, which is carried all
the way from the supporting twigs un-
derneath the pouch, and around to
another twig upon which it is fastened.
The orlole rivals the scarlet tanager
for beauty, and shares with it, though,
perhaps, somewhat less appropriately
the name of " fire. bird"
| Our hero wears orange, however, in
stead OF scarlet, q uniform calculat d to
give great otfense to all citizens of Hi
oernian descent, but the proper livery
OF Lord Baltimore, to whom it owes its
name.
1t makes its appearance amongst us
about the lst of May, and begins build
ing its nest about the goth. The food
OF the oriole is exclusively of an iii.
sectivorous kind, and the bird is a very
valuable friend to farmers, worthy ol
much more consideration and protec.
ton than they generally get from them
Its song Is pleasing. 1t is very sociabl,
and geni al little bird, and altogether
know of few more interesting individ
uals among our summer visitors.