Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1886-05-01

business the female takes The lead, with q |
silent, distracted air, as II the matter were |
one OF absorbing Interests while her mate |
follows her about somew hat impluCuuN, |
and with good deal ot talk, which Is plainly |
intended to hasten tho decision. Come, |
come he says the season Is short, and We
cant waste the whole ct 1t in getting ready |
| never could discover that his cloqueuce
produced much effect however. Her lady.
ship will have her own way as indeed she
ought to have, good soul, considering that
she is to have the discomfort and the hazard.
In one case l was puzzled 10y the fact that
there seemed to- I've two females To- one of the
opposite sex. II really looked as II tho
fellow proposed to set up Housekeeping with
whichever should first fud a house to her
mind. But this is slsnder, and hasten To
take it back. No doubt misiuterpreted his
behavior for IL is true--aith sorrow | con-
fess it--tbst am as yet but imperiecty at
home in the Sialisn dialect"
HERE l want psrenthetically also to quote
another paragraph IRON this same writer,
because OF its humilisting truth. alt il as
| tonishing,' he says, show gloriously birds
| may sing, aud yet pass uuregarded. We
read OF nightingales and sky larks with q
| self-satistted thrill Of secondhand enthus.-
asm, and meanwhile our native songsters
| even the best ot them, are piping unheeded
| at our very doors" Why not appreciate the
home talent we havee We must il only
once we become acquainted with It.
ANOTHER distinctive spring bird Of our
vicinity, which you can meet with in every
meadow at this season, is the hlack-bird, ot
which the red.wing il the most showy, olo-
queut and interesting. Here is the descrtp-
ton Olive Thorue Miller gives OF him. Read
it as a specimen OF her charming manner
aud then go out and verify it 10y your own
observation. I" The red-wing himself is the
most conspicuous object IN the landscape.
shining black from the point OF the bill Ia
the tip of the toes his color harIuonizes with
nothing in nature, and his gnld-iringed scar
let epauiets CLEAN through the trees like
| gems. Sit down quietly and watch him,
| Notwithstanding his society Life, he has
not the slightest repose of manner. lie Is in
cessantly in motion to stand still while you
| LOOK at him Ia impossible to a black blrd
lie Will walk along a small branch in such 4
way that 1t takes "A close look to see that ht
does not put one foot before the other. lie
really sidies, but holds his body in the direc
tion he Il moving, so that one is easily de
) ceiyed in the matter. Then he viii iumI
, heavily 10 the next bough and walk tho
! length of that jerking his tail at every step
} aud all the time scOlding aud screaming a
the top OF his voice, Till Nou are sure Tho
whole bird world will be notified OF the pres
ence of an inquistive stranger, with slspi
cious manners, The song Ot thu
} bird has been variously characterized, bu
rarely appreciated. Ii is, in truth, wheT
heard away from the crowd, a wild, riCt
strain, recalling the woods on long summer
days, the delightful odoI OF fresh earth ant
strong vegetable growth. 1t il impossible
to describe, Eut no birds song il more eN
presslye OF his life or more suggestive q
wild natuTe.'
PROBABLY the sweetest singer we have il
our latitude is the wood thrush. Vet don
believe one out of a thousand OF the citi
Zens OF Lancaster has ever heard hls sil
very, flute like and bell-toned notes in thei
free and natural sweetness and purity. EO
, | he is exceedingly shy. He trequents th
/ | most secluded shady glens and retired nook,
D | And he refuses to utter a note if he so niue
5 as suspects that he is being observed. 1t /,
? | however, worth all the patience and peTst
4 | verance 1t costs to hear but a single strain
= his transcendenuy musical, forest-lader
/ | thrilling song. Although | never heard hiI
singing :" high on the topmost bough," br
always in the low brush and thckets, n,
| poet who penned these verses in the Ma
atlantic must have heard him to he able :
beautifully TO describe his song
The thrush sings high on the tovrnost bCugh
q | Low, loader, low again ana now
; lie has changed his trec-ynu know not how.
y For you saw no hitiiHg wing.
r "All the notes of the forest-thrOng
r | Flute, reed and string are in hs song
N | Never afear knows he, nor wrong
:. | Nor a doubt OF anything
If Small room for care in that soft breast:
l. | Al weather thai comes TO him f. The Dy-'
a | while he sees his mate close on her nest.
a \ And the woods are full OF spring.
n /" lie has lost his last years love, | know
@ .e. too.--but 'tis little he keeps OF woe
Is For bird forgets in year, and 50
q Nov wonder the thrush can sing.
i UNrA~.