The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1872-10-18
Young Folks.
The WINGED Travellers
ny HELEN sTANNARD.

The Song thrushes had company,
their Uncle and Aunt Ollveback from
the north, had called expressly to in
form them that to morrow their cousins
would pass on their way
southwark, and hoped that they would
join their party.
"Ofcourse, we WILL" said Mrs Song
thrush decidedly, and that settled the
matter.
SO, early next morning they were all
in great twitter of prepeTation Papa
and the young sons, Tom !
and Dick were each arrayed in their
fine, red coats, immaculate white shirt
hosom7, and black ties waving OF nat
tily 10 the right and left. Mrs. Song
ihru3h'5 suit of dark, rich, brown, was
quietly elegant, aud giving tho whole
of her mind TO It, she runlcd it daintily |
here, and shook it out there. But her
husband, hopping quietly away.
perched himself mournfully on the
edge Of their deserted nest.
1--WE have been so happy here" he |
mrmured, brushing away a tear with |
his claw.
"That we have, dear," chirped his
wife cheerily f; she had just arranged
the last feather to her satisfaction and
that of Aunt Oliveback, who pronoun-
ced her costume perfect. "That we
have, dear but there's another sum.
mer coming, you know, and we shall
return"
"But why go away at all?" pipcd in
young Tom, the early bird of the fami
ly, who, with his mouth full of
some delicious tit-bit, was enjoying
himself.
"For two reasons, my son." answered
mamma Song.thrush, majestically.
"First, because everybody that is any
body, goes north in the summer and
south in the winter. Second, because
life here, after a little while, would be
really dreadful. Itall looks very pleas.
now, with the bright sunlight and the
gay leaves, but the cold, last night,
gave me chill, and that's nothing to
what comes by and by. Poor Mrs.
Meadow.larl> says, and she ought to
know, for she foolishly wintered over
here one season, that with the bare
trees, and snow and ice, and only a
crumb now and then, its terrible ~
Just as Mrs. Song thrush concluded
these remarks in serious tone, there
was a sound as Of mutiled thnndcr, an d
in an instant the sky above their heads
was darkened suddenly, as crowd of
pigeons, numbering thousands, flew
swiftly by. The dense mass presented
a most beautiful appearance-now a
glistening azure field, when their backs
were in view, and by a sudden stimuli
taneous change, canopy of rich, dark
purple.
"What an army!" cried Dick Song
thrush.
"rrue," answered his mother, "but
we shall be much more select"
All at once the pigeons rose high in
the air, and wheeling and twisting,
darted forward with increased veloci-
ty.
"a hawk 4! hawk is after them ?"
cried Tom Song thrush, but the immed-
late arrival of over sixty of the looked
for cousins, put everything else out of
mind.
"How do you do ! and how do you
do! twit, twit, twee," sounded the
thrushes, big and little, as they pressed
forward eagerly.
Good bye! good bye! good bye "
called out the Waxwings, Bobolinks
and Chip-birds, who had come from
swamp and thickets to bid their old
friends adieu.
eve shall soon join you in the sunny
southland, but till then, once more,
| good bye"
"Au revOir," chirped Mrs. Song
| thrush airily, as with graceful
motion she rose TO join the travellers.
Reluctantly followed her, masters
Tom and Dick, each with a grape
plucked from neighboring wild vine,
and then after Aunt and Uncle Olive
back bringing up the rear, came the
papa Thrush, but in mid air he poised
himself, and turning, gazed once again
at the desolate home nest, when sud
denly his swelling heart found vent in
a wondrous, sweet aud flute-like song.
Out rang the strains like a martial fife,
then gently, tenderly melted into a
low cadence, which fingered a brief
moment, in the autumn sunshine, then
was gone. This was the father birds
farewell to his own dear home.
"Take my place." urged the patri-
arch Thrush who led the van but the
modest Song. thrush retired to the rear
where he could keep an eye on the an
ties of Tom and Dick. And so on they
, went, every bird in eager motion.
ii Now and then, through the day,
there were fresh accessions to the
company, while those in the rear were
constantly flying over the heads of
, those in front, moving in this manner
E to give all an equal chance for their
/, luncheon of insects and grain. Toward
, evening, descending nearer and nearer
, to earth, they sought the welcome
shelter Of the woods and grove, where
r with head tucked costly under wing
they rested secure.
Thus, moving southwark by short
! flights and delayed Journeys, lingering
4 now and then perhaps whole days in a
i secluded grainfield, crossing broad
rivers, which far below seemed mere
ribbon of silver, flying high above
s mountains and carefully avoiding the
l. haunts of man, the travellers approach.
$ ed the smiling land Of flowers, whose
e rich odors already floated them a greet.
d ing on the south wind. But though
+ even now the air was scented with the
o perfume ofmagnolia blooms and orange
: blossoms, never should papa Song
5 thrush see these flowers again, or revisit
2 his northern home for one morning