Litchfield enquirer., 1872-12-12

the back of the other carriage, placed his nose close to the gentleman's shoulder. The lady looked around and smiled, while the man placed his hand caressingly upon | the animals head Animals are all very fond of me, "said he. ''I don't under stand it; I suppose they do." There was something exceedingly win ming and hearty in the gentleman's voice, and did not wonder that all animals liked him. s'Can you tell me-, inquired nay father, ''where The Birds Nest is ?'' ,-.t
 ''Oh, yes, I'm going there. Indeed, I'm the old Bird himself
 ''Tut! who takes care of the nest ?" said the lady with a smile. ...
 ''And this is the Mother Bird-Mrs. Bird, said the gentleman.
 Mrs. Bird bowed to us both, and beck oning to me, pointed to her side. It was an invitation to leave my father, and take a seat with her. The little dog, who had been helped into his masters wagon, saw me coming, and mounted into his lap, de- termined that he would shut that place from the intruder, l accepted the invita- tion, and, with the lady's arm around me, we started on
 ''Now am going to guess," said Mir. Bird. 'I guess your name is Arthur Bon nicastle, that the man behind us is your father, that you are coming to The Birds Nest to live, that you are intending to be a good boy, and that you are going to be very happy
 You've guessed right the first time," I responded laughing.
 ''And can always guess when a boy lhas done right and when he has done wrong," said MT. Bird. 'FThere's little spot in his eye-ah, yes you have it l-- that tells the whole story" and he looked down pleasantly into my face.
 At this moment one of his horses dis covered young calf by the roadside, and. throwing back his ears, gave chase. 1 had never seen so funny a performance. The horse, in genuine frolic, dragged his less playful mate and the wagon through the gutter and over rocks for many rods. entirely unrestrained by his driver until the scared object of the chase slipped be- tween two bars at the roadside, and ran wildly off into the field, At this the horse shook his head in @ comical way and went quietly back into the road.
 ''That horse is laughing all over," said MT. Bird. ''He thinks it was an excellent joke. presume he will think of it, and laugh again when he gets at his oats.
 ''Do you really think that horses laugh. MT. Bird ?" I inquired.
 Laugh? Bless you, yes, " he replied ''All animals laugh when they are pleased. "Gyp''-and he turned his eyes upon the little dog in his lap--''are you happy?"
 Gyp looked up into his masters face, and wagged his tail.
 Don't you see yes in his eye, and smile in the wag of his tail?" said Mir. Bird. eff I had asked you the same question you would have answered with your tongue, and smiled with your mouth. That's all the difference. These creatures understand us great deal better than We understand them. Why, | never drive these horses when | am finely dressed for fear they will be ashamed of their harness eS."
 Then turning to the little dog again, he said: "Gyp, get down." Gyp imme- diately jumped down, and curled up at his feet. 'Gyp, come up here," said he, and Gyp mounted quickly to his old seat ''Don't you see that this dog understands the English language?" said Mir. Bird, ''and don't you see that we are not so bright as dog, if we cannot learn his? Why, I know the note of every bird, and every insect, and every animal on all these hills, and I know their ways and habits What is more, they know I understand them, and you will hear how they call me and sing to me at the Birds Nest"
 So l had received my first lesson from my new teacher, and little did he appre- ciate the impression 1t had made upon me. It gave me sympathy with animal life and an interest in it's habits which have lasted until this hour. It gave me, too, an insight into him. He had strong sympathy in the life of boy, for it's own sake. Every new boy was a. new study that he entered upon, not from any sense of duty, or from any scheme of policy, but with hearty interest excited by the boy himself He was as much interested in the animal play of 9 boy as he had been in the play of the horse. He watched 8 group of boys with the same hearty amusement that held him while witness ing the frolic of kittens and lambs. In deed, he often played with them; and in this sympathy, freely manifested, he held the springs of his wonderful power over them.
 We soon arrived at The Birds Nest, and all the horses were passed into oth- CT hands My little trunk was loosed, and carried to @ room l had not seen, and in struggling way we entered the house.
 Before we alighted, I took hurried outside view of my future home. On tho whole, '"The Birds Nest would havo been 8 good name for it if 6 man by any OGu6f udm0 ldu pfcSItiSti ONeT lb IJ its individual and characteristic beauty, because it had been shaped to a special purpose but 1t seemed to have been brought together at different times, and from wide distances. There was a central old house, and a hexagOnal addition, and tower, and long piazza thlt tied evry-' thing together. It certainly looked grand among the humble houses of the village though l presume that professional arch itect would not have taken the highest pleasure in 1t. As Mr. Bird stepped out of his wagon upon the piazza, and took off his hat had an opportunity to sec him and fix my impression of his appear ance He was strongly-built man, lit tie past middle life, with certain fulIness of habit that comes of good health and happy temperament. His eye was blue, his forehead high, and his whole face bright and beaming with good-nature. His companion was a woman above the medium size, with eyes the same color of his own, into whose plainly-parted hair the frost had crept, and upon whose hon. est face and goodly figure hung that which we call ''motherly."
 heard the shouts of the boys at play upon the green, for it was after school hours and met half dozen little fellows on the piazza, who looked. at me with pleasant interest as ''the new boy;" and then we entered 9 parlor with curious an gles, and furniture that betrayed thorough occupation and usage. There were thrIf- ty plants and beautiful flowers in the bay window, for plants and flowers came as readily within the circle of Mir. Birds sympathies as birds and boys. There was evidently an uncovered stairway near one of the doors, for we heard two or three boys running down steps with lit- tie more noise than was quite agreeable Immediately, Clip ran to the door where the noise was manifested, and parked with all his might
 "Gyp is one of my assistants in the school" said Mir. Bird, in explanation, especially in the matter of preserving or l der A boy never runs downstairs noisi-