Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-07-31
FROM THE WOODS.

thought and sentiment common to the
large asscmblages of human beings,
and find themselves raising new in
quiries and forming now attachments
in tho arena Of trees and grass. II is
a question Of absence and presence
an absent city, present woods-a
far-away noise and excitement of a
metropolis. an immediate society of
deep lake, infinite vcrdurc. silent
rocks. the life Of bird and plant. In
this change of circumstance the mind
empties itself of the contents Of former
days aud is at once filled with now sub
jects Of meditation, and while in the
city the preacher goes to his pillow
wondering what he can say to his flock
next Sunday, here he composcs him
self to sleep by wondering what kind
OF a bird is the famous "whip-poor-
will" What mind one possesses lays
hold Of that enigma with just as much
carnestncss rs would mark the same
intellectual machinery were it attempt-
ing to solve the problem of mans free
agency or the eternity of matter. or
course, u man is quite fool If he will
permit question Of birds or fish or
plants to give him the mental trouble
that should come from thoughts of
strikes among workncn or cholera
among people, but it would be diff
cult to provo that man possesses al
ways the merit Of being reasonable.
The whip-poor-will repeats its cry
from about 8 o'clock each evening un-
til abou, ten. II one is tired enough
to 20 to bed before ten he can count
him sell to sleep by these birds. Their
cry does indeed sound much like the
words which threaten whipping to
poor William. As the Masculinc quail
Is said to be forever calling for Bob
White" 50 with equal truth it may be
affirmed that this bird alludos to poor
Will. He yelis rapidly, perhaps ten
cries to tho minute, and. like the board
er who compensated for eating rapidly
by telling his landlady that he would
cat good while, this bird calls rapidly
and calls long.
1t is probable that only the male
bird does this yelling, for natural his
tory shows many instances in which
the male animal Is the noisicst as well
as the most fierce. The silent attitude
chosen by many forms of female life
Suoulu uots ho"CNSis w uSSo 40 oi
argument against the public speaking
and voting of women. Great are the
exceptions of nature. Let us be care
ful lest wo mon help make a club
which might be used to the dctrimcnt
OF our own skulls. In the times OF
| Queen Elizabeth some apprcciative
| writer composed book to show that
nature showed in the case of the honey
bee that the millions should he ruled
by a Queen and not by King.
| The "whip-poor-will" possesses Il
wonderful ability for keeping out OF
| sight of man. lle is aided in this Of.
| fort by the fact that his activity is noe
turnaI. His work is all night work.
His personal appearance is that of d
small owl The evidence of this is cir,
cumstantial rather than conclusive and
demonstrativc. A company of mcl
were standing recently, in Iowa
around dead bird 1t was about n.
large as a robin. 1t looked like al
owl. 1t was said by some bystandcl
to be u whip-poor-will. Here somc
man has case Of stuffed birds. On,
little fellow that resembles an owl j.
called "whip-poor-wil!." Thus run
the evidencc, but the evidence is no
easily procured, for while from on
bone Cuvicr could construct the ami
NAL, he has ltft us no ruc for interim!
the looks of a bird from its voice an,
tune.
| Coming in the almost holy silcnc
of q night in the woods, the song q
this bird Possesses all that charm whic
solitude confcrs upon sounds. Th
sound of toads, frogs, the chirp of tn
"katydil' and the cricket are mad
poetic and romantic by the solitua
and silence which make such dclical
noises so audible. The "baying {
the Watchdog beyond the Iiber" gav
Byron sweet pleasure, because
measured the silence Of the night an
the loneliness of the heart Here i
this matchlcss retirement some littl
bird or toad can, from some trcc-top a
gallery, throw its little song or spccc
| out upon human ears that are listen
ing half-milc away. The silence c
the world not only makes tho little nj
terance powerful in the air. but it ais
strings up the heart of man until moth
ing can appeal to 1t in vain. In som
of these hours of isolation ami sem
rapture it seems rs though one can a
most hear the moon passing throug
clouds, or catch some notes OF tn
hymn sung by the morning stars whc
the universe was young.
Nearly all the best proofs of Go
are hidden away out in the country
In unexpected moments the fac
stands revealed. Lie down on the edg
Of your boat and look down into tn
water and mark the beauty and grac,
. full motion OF the fish in an elemeI
made for them. The water having n
contact with city dust or dirt, havin
!, boundaries Of stone and floor OF pei
blcs, offers no obstacle TO the rays {
light, and fish which play fifteen fe'
below your boat play in your sigh
r These occupants Of the water seem
have rs perfect home in their eli
me Mt as man possesses IN the house
on the tree-covercd banks. While Il
mind is thinking of these adaptions Ii
, sun sinks and the sky slowly pass
through a series Of colors, each beau,
fuf. The lake joins with the sky
accepting these hucs from the hand I
some unseen artist You will be
peculiar mind. q mini not to be cI
, We'd, il you can row your boat slow
homeward without being Worship
and without n deep wondering VIII
other planets there may be which a
thus doing the mysterious will Of Go
DdU,d SWing, IN The current