Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-01-22
aNistellanu.
Audubon, the Bird-Painter.

Whenever you visit the Astor Library,
New York, AK fer Audubon's g Birds OF
America" The librarian will lead you
to a ponderous frame, holding book as
large as a table. AS you turn over Its
immense leaves, all brilliant with rainbow
tints, and soft with arabesques Of the ten
derest greenery, you will forget the dull
gray alcoves and musty bookshelves about
you, and think yourself away off in
some tangled wildwood, where the par
fridge whirs, and the woodpecker taps al
your very ears. % 1t is as good as a Sum
mer trip to the Adirondacks," said our
friend. as we stood together, turning over
the three immense folos Of plates, with
their three descriptive volumes, costing
the library $500, and scarcely to be
bought now for $4,000 This magnificent
collection sums up the life-work Of one OF
our greatest naturalists-a man whom we
are all proud to appropriate, without
fear, knowing enough OF him to catch the
glow of his splendid enthusiasm. We
have cast bronze statue to his memory,
and christen d a peak fthe Rocky Noun
tains for him and yet our boys and girls
know scarcely more of him than did the
rare birds he has immortalized by his
brush.
John James Audubon was born in
Louisiana, in 1880. His father, French
nava! commander, was man of restless
energy, and filled several important posts
under Napoleon. His son, from earliest
ohil1h0aA eboyUaA tho +OD1nac.
for outdoor life, and was always slipping
away from school tasks to chase squirrels
and gather MOSES and bird $ eggs. Hi
mother died when he was very young and
most of his childhood was spent in France
with fond step-moth er, who gratfied his
every whlm, and tolerated his rambling
propensities. But his father settled i
out of hand, that his youngest boy mus
be either an engineer or a cadet in the
navy, and set him to plod with hard line.
and angles. His only reishing study wa
drawing, under the great painter, David
and here he made capital Roadway.
One day. the commodore, coming home
after long absence, catechised the laC
about his proficiency in study. Johr
James ran to exhibit his collection o
blrds'-nests, eggs, and curious pebbles
"Very good" said papa; " bat how abou
the lines and angles p The child's fac
fell. Nothing more was said but the mex
day his father took him away from hi
pleasant fields to the old town Of Nantes
gave him day to run about among tn
shipping, and then SHUT him up strictly t
lessons, in his sleepy old Office. But eve
then the old gentleman was vorsted in hi
contest with nature for the boy slippe
away to the woods whenever chance Of
fered, and his pencil had strange pro
pensity for gliding from a proposition i
Euclid into the soft outline OF a thrush 0
oriole. fancy the grand career mus
have been gwen up in despair about thi
time; for we fnd him, when seventee
years old, sent out to America, to loo
after his fathers estates there.
He now became the young master Q
" Mil Grove" a wild, picturesque estat
near Philadelphia There he was happy
for he could follow the bent of his taste
without check. There he spent his tin
hunting, fishing, drawing, collecting cab
nets, dancing with rustic beauties, an,
finally, falling in love with charming Luc
Blackwell, who lived within signaling di
lance from his own home. He had plent
of spending money, and liked well to s.
out his handsome form, even when huntiD!
with satin breecbes, and fine ruffled shir
from Paris. He excelled in every mani
sport and could, when riding at full spec,
put bullet through cap tossed in the al
And yet, while full OF frolic, he had n
one fast habit or vulgar taste. " ate
he says, " no butchers meat lived chief
on fruits, vegetables, and fish, and new
drank glass of spirits or wine until n
wedding day. To this [ attribute my co
tinua! good health, endurance, and an ir
constitution" Going to France for yea
visit. he found quiet to paint two hundr'
birds, though the country was ablaze Wi
the Russian campaign. and he himself W
enrolled in the navy.
Returning to his beloved Mill Gro7
Audubon was anxious to show the faith
of his charming Lucy that he was man
business. and very well able to take ca
of family and he commenced by Iosi
several thousand dollars in his first tn
ing exploit. He was not at all disco
certed, but went cheerily back to his hu
ing and bird-drawing, hanging his wa
with paintings of bis own, framed and f
tooned with egg-shells, and filling eve
nook with stuffed specimens Of Dir
opossums, frogs, fishes, lizards, a
squirrels. Neighbor Blackwell consent
at last, to bestow his daughter on
handsome Frenchman, who was the b
gunner, angler, and swimmer for mi
around, and eferyesced with all sorts
talents, though he would waste more ii
in wood-craft than was profitable,
marriage took place in 1908.
Our romantic young couple started
once for Louisville, where trade veDtu
with one Roster, had been arranged
while the shrewder partner stood behi
the counter Audubon secured the woo
in search Of new birds, which he stut
and drew with intense eDthusiam. TT
did not prosper very well The lit
stock of whisky, dry goods, and pow
was often shifted from place to place,
our hero's portfolio grew fatter than
purse. But he kept bright and che
under all mishaps and it is pathetic
read how sailing up the Mississippi
midwinter. tugging at the frozen cordi
hs kept his eyes fixed on the woo
shores, searching for new birds. o.
showed in, twenty miles from any sci
ment, his little company nearly famist
Roster, much disguised, curled himself
in the log cabin. " like squirrel with
tail about his nose )" but Audubon ROAR
in the forest all day, ate opossum s
and bears grease with the Osages, waite
the haunts of every living creature,
came home at night to draw what he
seen, by the blazing camp fire. Thus