The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1874-01-29
FEATHERS.

What endless forms OF magnlilcence
present themselves in the clothing OF
birds! The branch of a fern, the frond
of the palm, the pensile boughs of the
larch bending beneath a weight OF
snowAakes, yield the prize of delicate
organization to an trichfeather, to the
tail of peacock, or to that of the bird
| of paradise. Even the rainbow, which
| in summer spans the plain, and paints
the cloud with it's brilliant radiatlons
of light, is less dazzling in its tlnts
than the plumage ofmany a bird. some
times, at the peep of dawn in the des-
ert, when you have perhaps been sleep,
| ing all night on your prayer-carpet, ii
You glance along the surface of the
sand hills, you may find millions OF
spikes diminutive as the finest needle,
and green as an emerald, spreading
forth fairy mantle to the sky. 1t
would be difficult to imagine anything
softer or more lustrous than this evanes-
cent robe of verdure, which fades as the
as the dawn advances, and disappears
altogether at the first touch of the sun
An Arab said it was rs green as the
wings of the angel Gabriel, or as a
beauteous feather plucked from the
breast of Abou Tob. t.
Once upon time far away up in Al
RIGA, we met a caravan bringing slaves,
gold, ivory, odoriterous gums, and os-
trich feathers toward the shores of the
Mediterranean. Some OF these feathers
were white-not of the cold white
snow, but the creamy soft white of a
fair womans skin. In Paris or New
York we fancy they would have been
worth their weight in gold. Each feath-
er was in itself picture. There was
nothing in it which, when touched, pro
duced that harsh grating sensation OF
the nerves caused by passing the finger
along ordinary feathers. 1t hung IN
soft wavy curls, like the finest lace, on
both sides of the stem, and terminated
in a little fan Of rinrlets, that fell sooth-
ingly upon the hand, like nothing else
we are acquainted with in creation.
Yet the bird on which these marvcls
grew is one Of the most awkward. un-
calmly, splay-footed creatures that AZ
RIGA, the cradle of monsters. brings
forth. While on the body Of lis owner,
tutt Of these lovely feathers looks
positively ludicrous, rs with lis huge,
long legs, long neck, little head, and
body like a stuffed cushion, ii scours
away in droYr~~rrtwart the waste.
Among the treasures of the same car
AVIAN were other feathers Of colors 50
bright that they suggested the idea ol
having been freshly dyed by art-somc
vermilion, others Of the brightest green,
others turquoise, or lapis-lazuli, or berry,
yellow, or clouded like the opal, or
sparkling like the chalccdony One
bunch of mingled tints SO strikingly
rcsembled noscgay, that we thought
for moment the young Arab chief who
held them in his hand was taking home
some African flowers to his bride; and
so, perhaps he was. but they were flow
crs that would not fade, and may still
be nodding on the brow Of some lovely
brunette beneath the tents of lshmacl.
| In the far East, tiny humming-birds
are eagerly sought by the ladies OF
IIarem. Ia the Moluccas, the nutmeg
bird, with plumage in color like the fruit,
is special favorite, thoughts sobcrhu
appear to Europeans extremely poor
in comparison with its CANDY ncighbors
In old iIcllas, peculiar use was made
Of feathers, not after the death of their
owners, but while they yet flashed and
huttcrcd with Joy on the wings that
bred them. Several kinds of birds hav-
ing been carefully tanned, were scented
with liquid odors, and during banqucts
let loose in spacious and splendid sa-
looms, where, fitting among the lights,
they scattered sweet dcws over the
guests. Among the luxuries of the
same country. counterpanes were made
of pcacock's tail, which cast their gor.
geous hues over the forms of sleeping
beauty.