The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1876-07-29

Of charlatanry in the noisy heraldlng OF the
Midsummer Holiday august Number Of
Scribner," the publishers deserve credit a
least for producing an excellent number with
a real holiday flavor about it. There are nc
less than five articles, all richly illustrated
devoted to summer travel, describing Niaga
"a, Colorado, Nova Scotia, Frier on the Mo
sci, and Hide.and-Seek, New England sum
mer resort of great attractlveness, but which
is not named There are, however, forty
charming rural villages in New England
that will be readily identified as the place
from the description:
There is fine and unbroken network OF
industry and comfort over the whole region
Not poverty stricken house to be SEEM rot
one; not single long stretch of lonely will
derness; even across the barrenest and rockl-
est hill-tops, and through the densest woods,
run the compact lines of granite walls, setting
the sign and seal of ownership and care on
every acre The houses are all of the New
England type; high, narrow. angled, white.
ugly. and comfortable. They seem almost
as silent as mounds ia the graveyard, with
every blind shut tight, save one, or perhaps
two, at the back, where the kitchen IS; with
the front door locked, and guarded by a pale
bat faithful "Hydrangy;" they have some
how the expression of person with lips
compressed and finger laid across them, rig
i'd with resolve to keep secret 1t is the
rarest thing to sec sign OF life, AS you pass
by on week DAY. Even the hens step gin.
gerly, as if fearing to make noise on the
grass; the dog may bark little at you if he
be young; but, if lie is old, he has learned
the ways of the place, and only turns his
head languidly at the noise of the wheels.
At sunset, you may possibly see the farmer
sitting on the porch, with a newspaper. But
his chair is tipped back against the side of
the house; the newspaper Is folded on his
knee, and his eyes are shut. Calm and
blessed folk! If they only knew how great
is the gift of their quiet, they would take 1t
more gladly, and be serene instead Of dull,
thankful lnstead of disconnected.
Another article, nicely illustrated by Miss
Bridges, is one on Birds, by John Burrlngles,
who treats his feathered friends both loving.
ly and scientifically. He notes one peculiar,
ity of the bobolink you hadn't thought of:
No bird has yet been found that could imi-
tate his song or even repeat or suggest a sin
gle note, as if his song were the product OF a
new set Of organs. There is a vibration
about it and a rapid running over the keys
that is the despair of other sOngs,ers. 1t is
said that the hooking bird is dumb In the
presence of the bobolink. My neighbor has
an English sky-lark that was halcbed and
reared IN captivity The bird Is most per
sistent and vociierous songster, and fully as
successful mimic as the hooking. bird. 1t
pours out a strain that is a regular mosaic
of nearly all the blrd.notes to be heard lis
own proper lark song forming a kind OF Dor
dering Tor the whole. The notes of the
phebe bird, the purple finch, the swallow,
the yellow.bird, the king bird, the robin and
others, are rendered with perfect distinctness
and accuracy, but not word of the bobo.
links though the lark must have heard its
song every day for four successive summers.
1t was the one conspicuous note in the fields
around that the lark made no attempt tn
plagiarize. He could not steal the bobolnk IS
thunder.
OF the serials, Bret Harris Babriel Conray
is concluded in this number Philip Nolan
Friend is continued, and the The Lass o.
Lowrie's is new serial begun; and there are
excellent short stories, one especially notable
from the Russian.
There Is poetry by II. II. Stoddard, VIM.
Cullen Bryant, Miss Thaxter, r. b. Aldrich
and others.
In the Editorial department, Dr. Holland
writes about "1he Manufacture Of Doctors"
1.-THE Social Evil and "The Dead Beat Nui.
sance;" "1he Old Cabinet" contains mid.
summer songs, etc; Home and Society" has
hints about the "Short Trips near New York"
which Centennial visitors may take; and
there are some bright bits of humor In the
Department of "Bric.a. Brac."