The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-04-07

greeny- gold feathers, sat young hum.
ming bird. l softly came nearer and
nearer, expecting every moment that he
would fly away; but the little thing seem
ed chilled or sleepy, and at last took
him in my hand. He did not seem to
hutter, but gasped little, and 1 thought
him dying. I kept him in my warm
hand, end sending for lump of loaf
sugar and tiny glass of water 1 took
him in doors. / patiently held him in
one hand, warming him, while with the
little finger of my right hand held a
drop of the sweetened water to his bill
for some minutes, and was finally reward
ed by the little bill opening, and the
wiry little tongue slipping the sweet from
my finger, running about under the nail
OF it as il it we're flower. He soon
grew lively, few around the room, and
perched on some flowers on my dresser.
Then he took longer flight, and grew SO
tame that when he was hungry he would
fly down to me from top Of a picture or
mirror frame, and aight on little twig
which I would hold out, where he would
sit and sip his sugar and water from
teaspoon or the end of my finger. Three
drops satisfied his desire for the time,
and away he would fly again, always
alighting with a little chirp, or rather
squeak, for it sounded precisely like
little mouse. Once 1 varied his food
with diluted honey, but he seemed to
prefer the sugar. I gave him the range
of two rooms, and having no cage, I fast
ened spray Of fuchsias by my window,
where he slept at night, with the tiny
head under the wing, never moving until
the dawn came, when he became uneasy
until he had his sip Of sugar and water.
What completely won my heart was
the fearless confidence of the little thing.
One day, I remember, he had alighted
on the edge of the dish Of honey, and
losing his balance, he smeared his breast
with the thick honey. I cleaned it as
we'll as could, but some of it dried and
stuck the small feathers together. The
next day I tried again to moisten and
clean them out with some soft article and
tepid water. He was sitting on twig
held in my left hand, and as rubbed
little hard he scolded and moved trihe
along the twig as much as to say, ''work
away, but please be more gentle"
Another thing he delighted in was to
be held on this twig over large spoon
full of soft water, and dip in his beak and
splash water over his little body.
did not have him long; indeed how
could I rob him of the out door, happy
August days, which we're passing so rap
idly out OF his brief life. So 1 said to
myself every morning, while I surround
ed his window with fresh flowers, and
still kept the glass between him and
freedom; but the little thing awaken
ed an almost human love in the heart
with his own trusting confidence and his
rare gem-hke beauty.
Finally, on one evening, when he SEEM
ed settled on his twig for the night, /
opened an outside door to the room
for q brief moment and just as was
closing it again, there came a little
whirr over my head, dash of golden
green and he was gone.
That night it blew and raiued. could
not sleep. for it seemed to me there was a
tender baby out in the chilly rain. But
1 have seen many humming- birds since
then still flying about the petunias and
late summer roses, SO we will trust that
my little pet was soon sheltered and
companioned among his own relations,
and ready to start with them on the long
aerial journey southwark; but to me he
was like a visitant from fairy land
Vick's Magazine.