The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1876-12-16
FARM AND GARDEN.
Something about the Mocking-bir"'
From the New York Observer

When I first commenced preaching, l was
bachelor, living in Gallatln tennessee, ana
to while away the lOnesomeness OF the hOurs
in nv study, bethought me OF pet IN Inc
shane of n mocking-bird. Tennessee Is the
home of this sweet day and night singer, and
he well deserves the name OF nightingale
whether it belongs to him or not. During
the late war, hundreds of them were sem
North, by the soldiers, to their friends. The
negro boys would sell nest luii, ready 10 ny
for hafa,dollar.
AT the time mentioned above, some twenty
five wears ago. there was a nest of young birds
IN the garden, which | secured, placing the
nest in the cage, and the cage in the window
The old birds were so attracted by the cries
CT the young and in less than ten minutes
commenced feeding them through the wires
1 had freqently heard that old birds would
poison their young when confined, and, If so
it proves false in this instance, for they con
tinued to feed until their young were grown
as large as themselves. In about week at
ter their coming in my possession, the cage
was placed In the room, opposite the window
which was left up-the old birds still contin
uing to feed regardless of my presence, wheth
er at nv study or walking IN the room
~" day, while busy writing, my attention
,tracted by something dropping every
the bare floor. Laying down my pen and
sitting STILL watched, and soon discovered
the canse. A wIld-cherry stone dropped or
'"c floor and roll d at my feet, and soor
the; and another On watching the cage
'sely one of the birds stretched himself up
snOength, and, extending his neck with
sA jerk forward, threw out q stone; and
thss'ery being solved, learned this les
SonNatural History-that hooking bird
ared of wild cherries, but do not like thu
seeThe old birds had fed the cherries Il
theoung.
knocking bird in its wild state get
vercited while singing; sometimes risin!
perdlcuarlv twenty to thirty feet, gushin!
out wonderful song while going up anC
com down. And very often, especially
dur the breeding season, he sings as wei
andectlvely at night rs during the day, I'm
itatinearly every singing bird of the forest
Heahat good Izaak Walton, "now will
GodyrOte two hundred years ago:
"E the nightingale brca'hs such sweet
louhusic ont of her little Instruments
thrcthat it might make mankind TO think
miras are not ceased. He that at midnight
shouhear as I have heard, the clear airs
the set descents, the natural rising and fall
ing, doubling and redoubling OF her voice
migtyell be lifted ab0vc the earth aud say
Lordhat music hast thou provided for thu
salntn Heaven, when thou atfOrdest ba(
men oh music on the earth"
| ce witnessed a musical duel in Fayette
villeS. G, between a parrot and knocking
bird, hich lasted over half an hour, What
ever,unds the parrot would make were PEI
fectimitated by the mocking-bird, until tn
parr,gave good old fashioned rooster crow
who failed of a response.
Arther anccdoe Of the parrot and hav
done A clerical friend of mine was ono
condcing family Worship at mu'ua
1ren's house, and in the midst of his prayer
his ers were startled with, Lewis Lewis
OH fwisw This was repeated several time
lnuc to the good mans annoyance. The Ia
dy o the house felt 1t her duty to explain tha
Lews was the house. boy, and the parrot VIII
did lot care for prayers, called Lewis inst a
the wrong lime. AsHwoOD